According to the Harvard School of Public Health, diet is one way to lower blood pressure and therefore keep your heart healthy.
More specifically it advises consuming foods and drinks high in potassium.
This is because the mineral works to remove sodium from the body, something which raises blood pressure.
The more potassium you eat the more sodium the body is able to excrete through urine.
It also works to relax blood vessel walls, further reducing blood pressure.
The health body explains: “Sodium and potassium are two interrelated minerals that play major roles in regulating blood pressure and a healthy heart.
“Eating less salty foods and more potassium-rich foods may significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Potassium is found in many foods, especially fruits, vegetables, legumes, and low-fat dairy.
“But the reverse of eating a lot of sodium-rich foods especially from processed breads, packaged snacks, canned goods, and fast-food meals while skimping on potassium can increase cardiovascular disease risk.”
While there are several foods high in potassium, others contain more than others.
Medical News Today listed four fruit drinks that contain high amounts of potassium.
These are fresh juice from passion fruits, pomegranates, oranges and tangerines.
For each standard cup of these drinks they contain the following amounts of potassium:
- Passion fruit juice – 687 mg
- Pomegranate juice – 533 mg
- Orange juice – 496 mg
- Tangerine juice – 440 mg.
For comparison, an average banana – which is often cited as a good source of potassium – contains around 358 mg of the mineral.
The only way to be sure if your blood pressure is too high is to get it tested – either using an at-home test or by your GP.
Healthy blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and 120/80mmHg, whereas high blood pressure is considered to be 140/90mmHg or higher.
