Long abhorred as the main culprit for hypertension among teenagers, salt has now come clear. It has now been confirmed that salt intake in teenagers has no correlation whatsoever with higher levels of blood pressure at a later stage.
By analyzing data collected from 2,185 girls aged nine and ten and then their eating behavior through teenage years, health experts have safely concluded that lowering sodium intake did not help bring down the blood pressure levels. The teenagers subject to this study were given 3,000mg salt and 2,400mg potassium daily.
Additionally, the study also revealed that potassium-rich diets can help bring down blood pressure levels immediately. It was found to counter the negative properties of salt in the blood pressure.
“A potassium-increased intake may reduce the risk of death and cardiovascular disease through its effects on blood pressure, or it may simply be a marker of healthy dietary patterns that is rich in potassium like high consumption of fruit and vegetables,” noted the authors of the study.
An increased potassium intake was found to be beneficial for health. Potassium is a natural mineral and is found in many foods. Its most important functions include promoting better blood circulation, promoting kidney function and helping in bringing down blood pressure.
Lynn Moore, a lead author and associate professor of medicine at Boston University, however noted, “Higher potassium intakes were inversely associated with blood pressure change throughout puberty. It may be that potassium is more of a factor of blood pressure than sodium is. The kids who consumed the most potassium had much lower blood pressure by the end of adolescence. What we need to focus on is increasing potassium intake rather than focusing on restricting sodium intake.”
The findings of this study contest a long standing fact and help highlight the fact that a lot of wisdom that has been passed down to us can be (and should be) challenged.
