A study from the George Institute for Global Health reveals that consuming bananas or sweet potatoes is more effective in lowering blood pressure than reducing dietary salt intake.
According to the Telegraph in the UK, scientists discovered that increasing potassium intake by 1g per day—equivalent to two medium-sized bananas, one cup of spinach, or one large sweet potato—could be a simple solution to high blood pressure issues.
To reach this conclusion, experts from the George Institute for Global Health at the University of Royal London analyzed data from a study on stroke and salt substitutes. This research followed 20,995 participants in China who had suffered a stroke or were over the age of 60 with high blood pressure over a span of five years.
Scientists found that consuming an additional 1g of potassium per day, equivalent to two medium-sized bananas, can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure – (Photo: TELEGRAPH).
In the study, half of the participants continued to use regular table salt while cooking, while the other half were given salt substitutes, where 1/4 of the sodium chloride was replaced with potassium chloride.
The results showed that those consuming potassium-rich salt had lower blood pressure levels and a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease.
A recent analysis published in The Journal of Human Hypertension on February 21 indicates that up to 80% of blood pressure reduction was attributed to increased potassium rather than reduced salt intake.
This is the first study to directly compare the benefits of sodium chloride versus potassium chloride and relied on the sodium and potassium levels in the participants’ urine to determine consumption levels.
The study noted that increasing daily potassium intake reduced average systolic blood pressure by 2 mmHg.
Upon further analysis, they found that increasing potassium consumption helped reduce the risk of stroke by about 10%, while reducing salt intake only led to a 4% reduction in this risk.
Dr. Polly Huang, the lead author of the study from the George Institute, stated: “High sodium and low potassium levels are prevalent. Both are associated with high blood pressure and higher risks of stroke, heart disease, and preterm birth. Using a salt substitute in which part of the sodium chloride is replaced with potassium chloride addresses both issues simultaneously.”
International experts are now calling for a reevaluation of official recommendations regarding high blood pressure, advocating for an increase in potassium intake for the body.
A global collaboration of researchers from the USA, Australia, Japan, South Africa, and India is also urging the inclusion of potassium in international medical guidelines.
Is it harmful to consume too much potassium?
Typically, for adults, health experts recommend consuming sufficient 3.5g of potassium per day and a maximum of 6g of salt per day.
Potassium is found in many foods, including leafy greens, legumes, and nuts, but the amounts often decrease during processing.
Excessive potassium can lead to hyperkalemia, which affects heart function. However, experts say this condition is very rare and only occurs in individuals consuming excessive amounts of potassium, such as eating hundreds of bananas at once.
