High blood pressure (a.k.a. hypertension) can pose serious risks to your overall health over time. Possible complications include heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and more. Luckily, there are ways to reduce your risk of hypertension. As it turns out, in addition to getting regular exercise (which you can learn more about the blood pressure-lowering benefits of here), switching up your diet is one great way to do just that. One of the best you can do is to start consuming more potassium, as this essential mineral helps regulate blood pressure by counteracting the effects of sodium, which is one major culprit of hypertension. Fortunately, there are many health high-potassium foods to add to your plate every day.
To discover some of the best options out there, we asked Catherine Gervacio, registered dietitian and nutrition writer for Living.Fit. She told us that bananas, potatoes, and white beans are all great choices. Learn more about how each of these foods can help regulate your blood pressure levels below.
1. Bananas
Okay, let's start with the obvious: You've probably heard a lot about how bananas are packed with potassium. According to Gervacio, there's good reason for the buzz.
"Bananas probably have the highest reputation when it comes to supplying potassium to regulate blood pressure," she says. "A medium size banana (about 120g) has approximately 422mg of potassium. This accounts for 16% of the Adequate Intake (AI) for adult women and 12% for adult men." Not bad!
In addition to eating bananas on their own, you can also enjoy them in smoothies, on top of your oats, or even in pancakes.
2. Potatoes
While potatoes may get a bad rap for their carb content, they actually offer plenty of health benefits. Gervacio tells us that this includes their high potassium content, which can help keep your blood pressure levels health.
"Potatoes boast 391mg of potassium for every 100-gram serving," she notes. "They are pretty versatile, and they can be added to any meal. However, they're commonly added with a lot of salt which causes blood pressure to spike up. That's why it's best to cook potatoes with a minimal amount of salt (less than 1 tsp) and with less oil as much as possible. Bake, broil, grill or air-fry them—they'll still taste delicious." Perfect!
Here's one great, healthy way to prepare potatoes.
3. White Beans
Beans are a fantastic addition to your diet for so many reasons; this plant-based protein can pack in a wide range of health benefits. As it turns out, white beans, in particular, are a great source of potassium.
"White Beans can provide 1000mg of potassium for every 180-gram cup," Gervacio tells us. "This is also a plant-based protein that provides ample amounts of amino acids for muscles but with no cholesterol. This further helps in reducing high blood pressure." Incredible!
Luckily, there are plenty of tasty ways to enjoy them. "White beans can be stewed, or added to soups, salads, or wraps," Gervacio recommends.
The bottom line
Ultimately, several factors play into your blood sugar levels, from the amount of exercise you get each day to your stress levels (which you can lead more about managing here). However, your diet can play a significant role in reducing your risk of hypertension. When you add potassium to this mix with foods like these, you'll be one step closer to health blood pressure, and a healthier body overall.
