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In a study posted in the January 2009 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, it has been found that seniors with a higher potassium intake will reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Potassium is found to counteract the amount of sodium in a person's daily intake and groups studied show that a lower sodium to potassium ratio in their urine led to less chance of heart disease. Sodium-potassium ratios were found to be better indicators than looking at individual sodium or potassium amounts.
It is known that high levels of sodium is dangerous for adults and continued increased consumption can cause a rise in blood pressure and pre-hypertension. Currently, one out of three adults have high blood pressure and 37% show signs of pre-hypertension. These numbers are higher in senior citizens (ages 65 and older). It is difficult for adults as well as seniors to control the amount of sodium that is added to food. How does one find a prepared dish that hasn't been made with a least a small amount of sodium? Potassium may be the answer. While it is commonly known that high sodium is not good for your diet, it is not well known that potassium is effective at counteracting sodium intake. Adults should consume 4.7 grams of potassium per day unless directed otherwise due to a pre-existing condition or medication. Foods that are good sources of potassium include: Food, Standard Amount | Potassium (mg) | Calories | Sweetpotato, baked, 1 potato (146 g) | 694 | 131 | Tomato paste, ¼ cup | 664 | 54 | Beet greens, cooked, ½ cup | 655 | 19 | Potato, baked, flesh, 1 potato (156 g) | 610 | 145 | White beans, canned, ½ cup | 595 | 153 | Yogurt, plain, non-fat, 8-oz container | 579 | 127 | Tomato puree, ½ cup | 549 | 48 | Clams, canned, 3 oz | 534 | 126 | Yogurt, plain, low-fat, 8-oz container | 531 | 143 | Prune juice, ¾ cup | 530 | 136 | Carrot juice, ¾ cup | 517 | 71 | Blackstrap molasses, 1 Tbsp | 498 | 47 | Halibut, cooked, 3 oz | 490 | 119 | Soybeans, green, cooked, ½ cup | 485 | 127 | Tuna, yellowfin, cooked, 3 oz | 484 | 118 | Lima beans, cooked, ½ cup | 484 | 104 | Winter squash, cooked, ½ cup | 448 | 40 | Soybeans, mature, cooked, ½ cup | 443 | 149 | Rockfish, Pacific, cooked, 3 oz | 442 | 103 | Cod, Pacific, cooked, 3 oz | 439 | 89 | Bananas, 1 medium | 422 | 105 | Spinach, cooked, ½ cup | 419 | 21 | Tomato juice, ¾ cup | 417 | 31 | Tomato sauce, ½ cup | 405 | 39 | Peaches, dried, uncooked, ¼ cup | 398 | 96 | Prunes, stewed, ½ cup | 398 | 133 | Milk, non-fat, 1 cup | 382 | 83 | Pork chop, center loin, cooked, 3 oz | 382 | 197 | Apricots, dried, uncooked, ¼ cup | 378 | 78 | Rainbow trout, farmed, cooked, 3 oz | 375 | 144 | Pork loin, center rib (roasts), lean, roasted, 3 oz | 371 | 190 | Buttermilk, cultured, low-fat, 1 cup | 370 | 98 | Cantaloupe, ¼ medium | 368 | 47 | 1%-2% milk, 1 cup | 366 | 102-122 | Honeydew melon, 1/8 medium | 365 | 58 | Lentils, cooked, ½ cup | 365 | 115 | Plantains, cooked, ½ cup slices | 358 | 90 | Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup | 358 | 112 | Orange juice, ¾ cup | 355 | 85 | Split peas, cooked, ½ cup | 355 | 116 | Yogurt, plain, whole milk, 8 oz container | 352 | 138 |
Source: Nutrient values from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17.
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