BANANAS AND BROCCOLI MAY HELP CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE

ONTARIO, SEPTEMBER 13 /SRNA/ – People with high blood pressure have been advised for decades to reduce their salt intake, but researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have found that getting enough potassium is also important, with bananas and broccoli among the foods that can provide it.

The study found that the balance between potassium and sodium may play an important role in regulating blood pressure. The findings were published in the American Journal of Physiology - Renal Physiology.

High blood pressure affects more than one billion people worldwide. It often causes no obvious symptoms, but body needs to function properly. They help regulate fluid levels, support nerve over time it can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and other serious health problems.

Sodium and potassium are essential minerals that the body needs to function properly. They help regulate fluid levels, support nerve and muscle function, and affect how the kidneys and blood vessels regulate blood pressure.

The problem is that many modern diets are high in salt and low in potassium. Processed foods, takeout meals, sauces and packaged snacks can contain large amounts of salt, while potassium is particularly abundant in fruit, vegetables, beans and other minimally processed foods.

Professor Anita Layton and her colleagues examined how changes in this balance affect blood pressure. Rather than conducting a clinical trial, the researchers developed mathematical models to simulate how different levels of sodium and potassium affect processes in the body.

Foods rich in potassium include bananas, potatoes, spinach, broccoli, beans, avocados and leafy green vegetables. Increasing consumption of these foods may help improve the balance between potassium and sodium in the body, the researchers concluded.