According to the Department of Health and Human Services, less salt in your diet may decrease the possibility of developing high blood pressure and the health problems associated with it. Potassium can offset a few of the effects of sodium, says Health.gov. My-Pyramid.gov states that a lot of potassium in your diet may also help keep blood pressure at a healthy level.
Dairy
Except for certain types with labels stating they contain no sodium, most cheeses contain potassium and sodium, and the amount of sodium in these cheeses is usually higher than the potassium content. Sour cream has less sodium than potassium, but imitation American cheddar cheese contains a significantly higher amount of sodium in proportion to its potassium content, amounting to over 200 more mg of sodium than potassium. Milk beverages such as low-fat milk and half-and-half have more potassium than sodium, as does yogurt.
Meats
Meats such as ground beef, steak, chicken and turkey contain potassium and sodium, but the potassium content is higher than the sodium content. Pork contains potassium and sodium as well, and cured pork meats, ham and cold cuts such as salami and bologna contain about six times more sodium than potassium. Beef and pork sausage are high in sodium and contain potassium.
Fruits
Fresh fruits such as apples, apricots, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, figs, grapes, kiwi, lemon and limes, cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges, papayas, pears, pineapples, raisins, strawberries and watermelon are high in potassium and low in sodium. Many of these fruits have as little as 1 g of sodium in a 100-g serving. Raisins contain about 749 mg of potassium per 100 g serving. Fruit juices in a can such as apple, grape, grapefruit, lemon, orange and pineapple are sources of potassium and sodium as well.
Vegetables
One vegetable that contains a high amount of potassium and some sodium is the sweet potato. There are 694 mg of potassium in a baked sweet potato, enough to supply you with one-fifth of your daily value of potassium. Soybeans are high in potassium and low in sodium, and so are lima beans. Raw spinach has a high amount of potassium and a moderate amount of sodium.
Grains
Grains such as bulgur and cornmeal have a significantly higher amount of potassium than sodium, as do pastas such as macaroni and whole-wheat spaghetti. Other grains that contain potassium and sodium include oats, crude rice bran, rye and crude wheat bran. Crude rice bran and crude wheat bran contain a very high amount of potassium.
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