The Impact of Potassium on Your Blood Pressure

Potassium is like the secret weapon in the war to lower your blood pressure.  When you increase potassium in your diet, you will decrease the impact of sodium.  Consider adding foods that are high in potassium to your diet.

The recommended daily intake of potassium for an average adult is about 4700 milligrams per day.  We only take in about 2600 milligrams a day.  If you consume more potassium in your diet than sodium, you will begin to lower your blood pressure through diet alone.  

Foods that are high in potassium include fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and beans.  If you increase these in your diet, and work to lower the sodium in the foods you are eating, you can have a major impact on your blood pressure.  Here are a few examples of the amount of potassium in foods.