Foods rich in potassium could reduce risk of cardiovascular problems by 24%, study finds

Eating foods rich in potassium, such as avocados, bananas and spinach, could reduce the risk of heart conditions, hospitalization and early death by 24%, a study suggests.

- Andrew Gregory

Previous research has shown that cutting out salt from meals can slash the risk of heart problems. Reducing the number of meals with added salt or ditching it altogether can make a huge difference to heart health.

Potassium increases the amount of salt the body removes from the bloodstream. So in a new study, scientists set out to understand whether more potassium might benefit people by reducing their cardiovascular risk.

The senior study author, Henning Bundgaard, a professor at Copenhagen university hospital, said: "The human body evolved on a potassium-rich, sodium-poor diet - when we were born and raised on the savanna and eating [fruit and vegetables]. We [now] tend to go to a modern diet that is processed foods and, the more processed, we see more and more sodium in the food and less potassium, meaning that the ratio between the two has changed from 10:1 to 1:2 - a dramatic change.