High blood pressure increases your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. Consuming less sodium, losing weight and exercising more can lower high blood pressure. Potassium offsets the effect of sodium in your diet, so eating foods rich in potassium may alleviate high blood pressure. Adding bananas to your diet may help regulate your blood pressure.
Low Calories
Losing weight may help lower your blood pressure. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns. Incorporating low-calorie foods, such as bananas, in your diet plan may help you lose weight. The average-sized fresh banana contains only 105 calories. This figure is low considering their substantial size, as the average banana is approximately 7 to 8 inches long. In addition, bananas contain a high level of nutrients for having so few calories. Bananas provide a good source of potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, vitamin B-6 and vitamin C.
Potassium
The high potassium content in bananas may promote healthier blood pressure levels. According to the American Dietetic Association, a diet that includes potassium-rich foods such as bananas may help lower your blood pressure. Foods with high potassium content may help lower your blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium in your body. High levels of sodium in your body can lead to high blood pressure. Potassium may help negate sodium's role in causing your blood pressure to rise.
Intake
The American Dietetic Association and the American Heart Association both recognize bananas as a potassium-rich food that may help lower your blood pressure. The average banana contains 422mg of potassium. Healthy adults should consume 4,700mg of potassium daily. Unfortunately, most Americans do not fulfill their daily potassium needs. The average American man consumes only 3,200mg of potassium per day and the average American woman consumes only 2,400mg of potassium per day. Adding bananas to your daily diet provides a convenient and tasty way to help meet your potassium needs.
Considerations
Do not rely on bananas alone to lower your blood pressure. Your blood pressure is affected by many factors including your daily intake of cholesterol, fat, fiber, protein, calcium, magnesium and salt. Exercise also plays a role. Other food sources of potassium include baked potatoes with skin still intact, spinach, mushrooms, white beans, kidney beans, soybeans, lima beans, tomatoes, fat-free milk and yogurt, oranges, halibut, cod and tuna.
References
- American Dietetic Association; Potassium Power!; Joan Salge Blake; August 1, 2010
- USDA Agricultural Research Service: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- American Dietetic Association; Tip Of The Day -- Go Bananas For Bananas; Tara Gidus, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD
- American Heart Association; Potassium and High Blood Pressure; Jan. 21, 2011
