A new study suggests that managing dietary potassium, particularly by consuming more bananas, may be a more effective strategy for lowering blood pressure than focusing solely on reducing sodium intake.
The new research, published in the American Journal of Physiology–Renal Physiology, recommends that individuals with high blood pressure incorporate bananas into their diet alongside reducing salt intake for better blood pressure management, The Independent reports. The findings provide an alternative to the common practice of advising patients solely to reduce their sodium intake to regulate blood pressure.
“Usually, when we have high blood pressure, we are advised to eat less salt,” said Anita Layton, one of the study’s authors from the University of Waterloo. “Our research suggests that adding more potassium-rich foods to your diet, such as bananas or broccoli, might have a greater positive impact on your blood pressure than just cutting sodium.”
Nearly one-third of adults worldwide are impacted by high blood pressure, which can lead to serious complications like heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. Sodium and potassium—both vital electrolytes—help regulate muscle contractions and support essential bodily functions, such as maintaining fluid balance.
According to the latest research, increasing the ratio of potassium to sodium in the diet may be more effective at lowering blood pressure than simply reducing sodium intake alone. The findings clarify earlier research that linked higher potassium intake to better blood pressure control, but lacked clear guidance on the ideal potassium-to-sodium balance needed to achieve optimal results.
“Although the relationship between excessive dietary sodium intake and elevated blood pressure is well-accepted among the public, the beneficial effects of higher dietary potassium intake have historically received less attention,” researchers say.
The new study employed a sex-specific mathematical model to assess how the potassium-to-sodium ratio affects the body. Researchers say this innovative modeling approach provides a faster and more ethical means of exploring how various factors affect human health.
“Early humans ate lots of fruits and vegetables, and as a result, our body’s regulatory systems may have evolved to work best with a high potassium, low-sodium diet,” says Melissa Stadt, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Waterloo and another author of the study.
“Today, western diets tend to be much higher in sodium and lower in potassium,” Stadt added. “That may explain why high blood pressure is found mainly in industrialized societies, not in isolated societies.”
