A new study suggests that in addition to cutting the amount of sodium in their diets to improve heart health, Americans should also increase consumption of a key mineral found in many fruits and vegetables: potassium.
The study, lead by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looked at more than 12,000 adults who participated in a federal nutrition study. It tracked their diets and followed them for nearly 15 years to observe rates of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and death. The study was published in this week's Archives of Internal Medicine.
Sodium, a key component of salt, has been shown to raise blood pressure, which in turn raises the risk of heart disease, but studies have shown inconsistent results as to whether high-sodium diets actually boost the risk of heart-related problems. Potassium has been found to offset sodium's impact on blood pressure.
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