Potassium can minimize the effects of sodium on blood pressure.
The more potassium you eat, the more sodium you lose through urine. It also helps to ease tension in your blood vessel walls, which helps further lower blood pressure. Increasing potassium through diet is recommended in adults with blood pressure above 120/80 who are otherwise healthy. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements.
Potassium-rich foods include:
Apricots and apricot juice
Avocados
Cantaloupe and honeydew melon
Fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk
Fat-free yogurt
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice (talk to your healthcare provider if you’re taking a cholesterol-lowering drug)
Greens
Halibut
Lima beans
Molasses
Mushrooms
Oranges and orange juice
Peas
Potatoes
Prunes and prune juice
Raisins and dates
Spinach
Tomatoes, tomato juice, and tomato sauce
Tuna
Potassium can be harmful in patients with kidney disease, any condition that impacts how the body handles potassium or those who take certain medications. The decision of whether to take excess potassium should be discussed with your doctor.
Can you have too much potassium?
Frequently like high blood pressure, there aren’t many symptoms of high potassium (hyperkalemia). Abdominal (belly) pain and diarrhea, Chest pain, Heart palpitations, or arrhythmia (irregular, fast, or fluttering heartbeat), Muscle weakness or numbness in limbs, and Nausea and vomiting can occur with high levels of potassium.
Take advice from a healthcare professional before taking any over-the-counter potassium supplement. You should also ask your doctor before trying salt substitutes, which can raise potassium in people with certain health conditions and those taking ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure.
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