Blood pressure is the force of blood against artery walls. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs when the heart pumps blood harder than normal, creating too much pressure on blood vessels. Hypertension is a serious condition that could lead to a host of health problems, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and kidney failure. Bananas are a potassium-rich food that is deemed to help lower--and even prevent--high blood pressure.
Levels
Hypertension is nicknamed the "silent killer" because it generally has no symptoms. In fact, you could be living with hypertension without knowing it. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states that about one in three adults in the United States suffers from hypertension with a blood pressure level of 140/90 mmHg or higher. If your blood pressure is between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg, you are at risk of developing hypertension in the future. Optimal blood pressure for adults is less than 120/80 mmHg.
Hypertension Prevention
What you eat directly affects your blood pressure. While excess amounts of sodium can increase blood pressure, potassium has a favorable effect on blood pressure. Though it is unknown exactly how potassium lowers blood pressure, medical researchers believe that potassium impairs your body's ability to absorb sodium, and in return, potassium blunts sodium's harmful effects. The American Heart Association recommends a diet that includes natural sources of potassium, such as bananas.
Bananas and Blood Pressure
The widely recognized DASH eating plan, endorsed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, promotes bananas as an excellent source of potassium. One medium-sized serving of this tropical fruit has roughly 422 mg of potassium yet is low in sodium, making it the perfect tool to beat hypertension. So much so that bananas meet the criteria for a qualified Food and Drug Administration health claim: "Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke."
Evidence
A study published in the January 2009 issue of "Archives of Internal Medicine" shows that those who ate the highest amount of potassium and the lowest amount of sodium had significant reduced risks for developing hypertension-related diseases such as heart attack or stroke. A study published in the January 2009 issue of "Current Science" concluded that eating two bananas a day lowers blood pressure by 10 percent.
Other Sources of Potassium
If bananas are not your favorite fruit of the bunch, try an array of brightly colored fruits and vegetables to acquire your daily dose of potassium. In addition to bananas, foods such as sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, winter squash, spinach, apricots, honeydew melon and tomato sauce are among the potassium-rich foods recommended in the U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: What is High Blood Pressure?
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Appendix C: Health Claims
- Archives of Internal Medicine, Joint Effects of Sodium and Potassium Intake on Subsequent Cardiovascular Disease
- Current Science: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors from ripened and unripened bananas
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005: Appendix B. Food Sources of Selected Nutrients
