New studies suggest that slashing sodium intake isn’t necessary for heart health—and consuming potassium could offset sodium’s effects and protect your heart.
If you’re a fan of salty foods but also want to keep your blood pressure in check, take heart. A new study on sodium intake from McMaster University indicates that switching to a very low-sodium diet might not be necessary—and in fact, consuming too little sodium could actually increase the risk of heart problems and death. During the nearly four-year-long study, people who consumed 3 to 6 grams of sodium a day (about 8 to 15 grams of salt) had the lowest risk of heart problems or death from any cause. Higher or lower sodium consumption raised their risk.
And here’s another encouraging finding: Consuming potassium—a mineral that is abundant in fruits and vegetables, including bananas, potatoes, cantaloupes, beans, avocados, leafy greens, nuts, apricots, and mushrooms—seems to offset sodium’s effect and lower blood pressure and heart risks. Another recent study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that older women whose diets are rich in potassium are less likely to suffer strokes and die than women who consume less of the mineral.
So consider this news your permission to go bananas (and potatoes, cantaloupes, etc.)! The following are some tasty recipes to get you started:
