What do baked potatoes, bananas, white beans, tomato paste, and dried apricots have in common?
Yes, they taste great. But more than that, they are all rich sources of potassium.
This vital mineral has long been known to help reduce high blood pressure. A recent study conducted by Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York highlights another important health benefit of dietary potassium: its effectiveness in preventing stroke in women after menopause.
The 11 year study of 90,137 postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 79 established that women who ate the most potassium were 12 percent less likely to suffer stroke in general and 16 percent less likely to suffer ischemic stroke than women who ate the least. All of these women were stroke-free when the study began, and each one consumed potassium through their diet, not supplements.
“Potassium is a vital component of cellular function,” says Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, who led the research. “It affects endothelial cells which line blood vessels, so perhaps it may provide more blood flow to critical areas.
But are we getting enough potassium in our diet? Far from it. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended daily intake of potassium for an average adult is about 4,700 milligrams per day. But The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that less than 2% of American adults consume the recommended daily intake of potassium. This means that too many of us are depriving ourselves of a mineral that builds muscle, strengthens bones, protects the heart, and also guards against stroke.
Yes, they taste great. But more than that, they are all rich sources of potassium.
This vital mineral has long been known to help reduce high blood pressure. A recent study conducted by Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York highlights another important health benefit of dietary potassium: its effectiveness in preventing stroke in women after menopause.
The 11 year study of 90,137 postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 79 established that women who ate the most potassium were 12 percent less likely to suffer stroke in general and 16 percent less likely to suffer ischemic stroke than women who ate the least. All of these women were stroke-free when the study began, and each one consumed potassium through their diet, not supplements.
“Potassium is a vital component of cellular function,” says Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, who led the research. “It affects endothelial cells which line blood vessels, so perhaps it may provide more blood flow to critical areas.
But are we getting enough potassium in our diet? Far from it. According to the American Heart Association, the recommended daily intake of potassium for an average adult is about 4,700 milligrams per day. But The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that less than 2% of American adults consume the recommended daily intake of potassium. This means that too many of us are depriving ourselves of a mineral that builds muscle, strengthens bones, protects the heart, and also guards against stroke.
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