More and more people can benefit from a diet consisting of high potassium foods. It can improve hypertension and osteoporosis. Or if you are young and do not have these problems yet, it can reduce your chance of getting them.
One third of American adults have hypertension. Of those with a normal blood pressure at age 50, ninety percent will develop hypertension sometime in their life. Osteoporosis is almost an epidemic in the U.S., with women being especially prone.
Both these conditions can be improved and prevented by getting enough potassium in the diet. Several varieties of diets are higher in potassium and lower in sodium than the typical American diet. Typical Americans get over 6 grams of sodium and less than 2300 mg of potassium in a day in their food.
Official Recommendations
The official recommendation is 4700 mg or more of potassium in a day. And you should get less than 2300 mg, preferably less than 1500 mg, of sodium in a day. Multiple research studies point to these numbers. These studies include populations naturally eating a diet high in potassium, as well as groups who have been put on such a diet experimentally.
The best way to start is to get food in each of the main categories that has a high potassium to sodium ratio. You will find tables of such foods in each of the major food categories by clicking the tab labeled “Links To Food Potassium Tables” at the top of the page.
First Steps
One of the easiest first steps is to eliminate canned foods. Although not all canned foods are high in sodium, the preservative most commonly added to canned food to prolong shelf life is salt. The difference in the ratio of sodium to potassium is enormous between the canned foods with sodium added and the foods without added sodium.
The next step is to include high potassium vegetables and fruits in your diet. These foods improve your daily potassium intake dramatically. Fruit is a great breakfast dish. And it's a great dessert for lunch and dinner.
You will also find plenty of choices in the categories of meats, nuts and dairy. Each of these categories will provide important macronutrients. So you do not need to worry about being deficient. Choose from the high potassium foods in these categories. You will get the recommended amounts of potassium and sodium. And you will prevent hypertension and osteoporosis. In addition, you will reach your other nutritional goals with ease.
