One of the sorts of food that is consumed the most frequently all around the world is sodium, which is more commonly known by its common name, salt....CONTINUE READING
Salt not only adds flavour to our food, but it is also an essential nutrient for our bodies. Multiple body processes rely on sodium, including muscle contraction and relaxation, nerve impulse conduction, and the regulation of fluid balance by the kidneys to prevent dehydration.
Sodium is essential for the body’s proper functioning and has many other important functions. But sodium in excess might have the opposite effect. WebMD reports that eating foods high in sodium causes blood volume to rise within the arteries.
The arterial walls become more stressed due to the increased blood flow, which increases the risk of injury and plaque buildup.
Plaque accumulation makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can elevate blood pressure, which can exacerbate weight gain and bloating. Therefore, the kidneys, aorta, and heart are more vulnerable to damage when people consume too much salt.
Given the foregoing, it is evident that lowering one’s sodium intake is an efficient technique for lowering one’s chance of acquiring a number of health problems associated with excessive salt consumption.
If you’re eating a lot of manufactured and restaurant foods that are high in salt, making some changes to your diet may help.
Increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods is another effective method for reducing your salt intake since these foods promote the excretion of excess sodium from the body.
According to Medicalnewstoday, lowering your blood pressure is an effective way to lessen your risk of cardiovascular disease.
If that’s the case, what are some potassium-rich foods you may eat to flush out the extra sodium and reduce blood pressure? There are a total of five (5) such foods, and we’ll go over each of them below.
1. Bananas
According to a report by Gord Kerr of Livestrong, a medium banana has 422 milligrammes of potassium and 1 mg of sodium (422:1). The high potassium content of bananas is commonly recommended to flush out excess sodium because they aid in maintaining intracellular fluid levels by moving sodium from within to outside the cells and vice versa.
2. Black beans
Black beans, like many fruits and vegetables, are a good source of potassium and may help lower sodium levels in the body.
According to the health site Livestrong, half a cup of black beans has 1 mg of sodium and 305 milligrammes of potassium. Regular use of black beans may reduce the salt intolerance that contributes to hypertension.
3. Oranges
Oranges, as a fruit, are rich in numerous nutrients, not simply vitamin C. The potassium content of one medium orange is believed to be 232 milligrammes, whereas the sodium content is just 1 milligramme (a ratio of 232:1). This makes it an effective diet for cleansing the body of salt and reducing hypertension.
4. Nuts
Peanuts are often cited as a great source of potassium. It has been estimated that a serving of dry-roasted peanuts has 280 milligrammes of potassium and only 3 milligrammes of salt, for a stunning ratio of 93:1. Because of this, consuming peanuts is connected with lower risks of hypertension and cardiovascular disease-related death.
