Potassium
Potassium is a necessary nutrient that
the body must have, is present in the body in varying amounts, is
available in almost all foods, and has many important benefits. Among
its benefits: it will lower high blood pressure, it is the body’s
best electrolyte source, and it helps to prevent bone loss. Health
research advocates recommend that 4700 milligrams of potassium be
taken per day, but the key is not so much the amount of daily intake.
More important is the ratio of potassium consumed to the amount of
daily sodium consumed.
The recommended ratio is 4:1, potassium
to sodium, but in recent years the increase in actual consumption of
sodium has jumped in many instances to a one to one ratio which has
caused a multitude of health problems. This increase in sodium
intake has been because of the amount of processed foods in the diet.
Processed foods are loaded with sodium which contributes to the
danger of high blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables have an
abundance of potassium so the recommended ratio can be reached by
increasing the amount of fruit and vegetable servings and cutting
back on processed foods.
Research for many years has indicated
that potassium benefits high blood pressure. Recently a large
clinical study proved that five servings of fruits and vegetables
per day was just as effective in controlling high blood pressure as a
single blood pressure drug. Green vegetables such as broccoli, green
cabbage, lettuce, celery and tomatoes eaten raw will provide an
abundance of potassium with few calories. The raw vegetables provide
better nutritional values than the cooked versions. Other foods with
large amounts of potassium include salmon, cod fish and chicken.
Fruits with large amounts of potassium include bananas, avocados, and
cantaloupes. Do not start this program before reviewing this with
your doctor.
