We all know that sodium or salt should be limited when suffering from hypertension but; Did you know that eating foods high in potassium helps control high blood pressure? Potassium is a mineral that counteracts the effect sodium has on blood pressure. The combination of a diet high in salt and low in potassium raises blood pressure. This mineral works by regulating blood pressure and is important for muscle contraction, maintaining a balanced pH, and maintaining healthy bones, kidneys, nerves, and heart.
All fruits and vegetables contain potassium, as do beans, lentils, and low-fat dairy. These are foods that are recommended on the DASH diet . In addition to potassium, other nutrients that help control pressure are magnesium and calcium.
Potassium-rich foods to control hypertension includes Fiber is another nutrient that supports blood pressure and can be obtained from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In some cases it is recommended to limit the amount of potassium, for example in patients with diabetes and kidney problems or undergoing dialysis treatment.
The recommended amount of potassium per day is 4,700 milligrams (mg) for adults. This level can be achieved if the diet contains nine servings of fruits and vegetables. Eat foods high in potassium and continue to reduce the salt in your diet, as well as processed products that are high in sodium. Staying active is also effective in controlling hypertension.
Here are some ideas for foods rich in potassium:
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Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams
A medium roasted potato with skin contains 926mg of potassium and a cup of sweet potato contains 754mg. Cook them roasted to retain potassium. If you make a potato salad, add tuna to it, as fish such as canned tuna and salmon (3 ounces has 286mg) are also rich in potassium.
Banana and yucca
A cup of cooked banana (sliced) contains 716mg of potassium and a cup of mashed 930mg! Yes, that mofongo with less fat would be excellent to keep in the diet. If you prepare a cactus salad, add avocado (1/5 of an avocado has 152 mg) and tomatoes.
Pumpkins, dark leafy greens, and tomatoes
Make a winter soup with squash (1/2 cup has 319mg). Use the dark green leaves for your salads, example: kale and spinach. Other vegetables include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and chard. Tomato sauces or pasta sauce (1/2 cup has about 400mg) are also rich in potassium.
Beans, lentils, and peas or peas
What a treat! Half a cup of black beans has 306mg of potassium. Make a black bean soup or a black bean soup with corn. If you are using canned beans, discard the water and rinse the beans well to remove the sodium.
Potassium-rich foods like Banana
They are popular with athletes because a medium banana contains 422mg and if you combine the banana in a smoothie with a cup of yogurt (579mg) you will increase the potassium. You can also combine it with a cup of low-fat milk (362mg). Other fruits rich in potassium and popular in our diet are: papaya, mango, soursop, guava, watermelon, apricot, grapefruit, melon and dried fruits such as dates, figs, plums, raisins and apricots.
Juices
Potassium-rich foods includes homemade juices is another way to add potassium to your diet, since all vegetable juices contain potassium. A carrot juice (3/4 cup) contains around 517mg. Other options are orange juice and beet or beet juice.
