High blood pressure is a condition in which the force of your blood against your artery walls is too high. This makes your heart work harder, and if uncontrolled, it can lead to serious problems like heart attack and stroke. Your blood pressure is considered high if it is greater than 140/90 mmHg. Eating a diet rich in potassium, found in many fruits and vegetables, can help lower your blood pressure, particularly in combination with a reduced sodium intake.
Fruits and Blood Pressure
Many people associate bananas with lowering blood pressure because of their high potassium content. Potassium is a mineral that plays an important role in heart function, muscle contraction and blood pressure. Potassium works to blunt the effects of sodium on blood pressure. It is involved in the body's fluid balance, and researchers believe that potassium may increase the amount of sodium excreted from the body. The average adult needs about 4,700 mg of potassium each day.
Sources of Potassium
There are many sources of potassium in addition to bananas that can help you meet your daily needs. Dried apricots contain 380 mg of potassium in ¼ cup. A medium orange contains 237 mg of potassium, while ½ cup of cantaloupe chunks contains 214 mg of potassium. Many vegetables also provide potassium, such as potatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes and zucchini. Legumes, certain nuts, low-fat milk, yogurt and fish are good sources as well.
DASH Diet
Most research that shows a beneficial effect of potassium on blood pressure has examined overall diet patterns, rather than simply the individual nutrient. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet -- more commonly known as the DASH diet -- is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and low-fat diary. It emphasizes chicken and fish over red meat and is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and refined carbohydrates. Initial research conducted in 1999 in "Clinical Cardiology" showed that eating the DASH diet led to decreased blood pressure among both individuals with and without hypertension compared to a typical American diet. There were greater drops in blood pressure among those with hypertension. The researchers also evaluated a diet that was simply high in fruits and vegetables, which did have a beneficial effect on blood pressure but to a lesser degree. Later research confirmed the beneficial effects of the DASH eating plan, especially when combined with decreasing dietary sodium.
Additional Considerations
Certain genetic variants may influence the magnitude of the effect of potassium on your blood pressure. Also, too much potassium can be detrimental if you have kidney problems. However, there are also other lifestyle steps you can also take to lower your blood pressure. Maintain a healthy weight, exercise daily, and if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
References
- National Institutes of Health; Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With D.A.S.H.; April 2006
- American Heart Association; Potassium and High Blood Pressure; January 2011.
- "Clinical Cardiology"; A Dietary Approach to Prevent Hypertension: A Review of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Study; F.M. Sacks et al.; July 1999
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Effects on Blood Pressure of Reduced Dietary Sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet. DASH-Sodium Collaborative Research Group; F.M. Sacks et al.; January 2001
- "Journal of Hypertension"; Genetic Variants in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Blood Pressure Responses to Potassium Intake; J. He et al.; September 2011
