It's better than giving up salt: the nutrient that could save you from high blood pressure

Hypertension is a problem that affects millions of people worldwide, and researchers have recently discovered a surprising finding. Current studies suggest that increasing dietary potassium intake may be even more beneficial than reducing salt intake , challenging one of the most long-standing recommendations for cardiovascular health.

This finding, published in the American Journal of Physiology – Renal Physiology, could change the conventional approach to treating and preventing high blood pressure, one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease globally.

As noted in an article published by Muy Interesante , the results of this research will not only make it possible to rethink prevention strategies, but also offer a more accessible and sustainable alternative for millions of people living with hypertension around the world.

Using an advanced computational model that simulates the interactions between the renal, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and hormonal systems, researchers observed how different combinations of sodium and potassium intake affect blood pressure. The result is striking: a potassium-rich diet contributes significantly to lowering blood pressure, even when salt intake remains high. According to experts, the problem isn't just how much sodium we consume, but the imbalance in potassium.

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It is important to note that modern diets, especially in industrialized countries, are excessively high in salt and low in fruits, vegetables, and legumes—natural sources of potassium—which tends to unbalance the body's osmotic pressure and overload the kidneys and circulatory system.

“The human body evolved in an environment where potassium was abundant and sodium scarce. Our physiology still reflects that adaptation,” explained Melissa Stadt, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Waterloo.

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The action of potassium in the body

Potassium is found in a wide variety of foods of both plant and animal origin. Prominent sources include:

- Fruits: bananas, oranges, melons, apricots, kiwi, grapes, guavas, apricots, and dried fruits such as dates, apricots, and figs.

- Vegetables : spinach, kale, chard, lamb's lettuce, arugula, carrots, potatoes (including sweet potatoes), tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, zucchini, and artichokes.

- Legumes and nuts: soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, beans, lupins, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

- Whole grains: brown rice, whole wheat, whole wheat bread and pasta, wheat germ

This nutrient plays a key role in regulating body fluids, cellular electrical impulses, and muscle function, including the heart. When its intake is increased, the body excretes more sodium (a process known as natriuresis), which reduces blood volume and relaxes blood vessel walls.

This mechanism not only helps reduce blood pressure, but also protects organs such as the kidneys and heart from the harmful effects of excess sodium.

Based on recent findings, researchers suggest that the potassium-to-sodium ratio is a more accurate indicator of hypertension risk than the individual amounts of each nutrient.