Research published in the Brazilian Archives of Cardiology showed that swap common salt for a version with potassium can help reduce the blood pressure. This type of product replaces part of the sodium chloride with potassium chloride, which brings positive effects especially for those who already have hypertension.
The data comes from a meta-analysis with four clinical trials and more than 1,400 participants. The results indicated an average drop of 5.75 mmHg in systolic pressure (when the heart contracts) and 1.62 mmHg in diastolic pressure (when the heart relaxes). Even reductions considered small are already associated with an important impact: between 10% and 15% less risk of serious events, such as stroke and heart attack.
The benefit occurs because excess sodium favors fluid retention and the narrowing of blood vessels, increasing blood pressure. Potassium, on the other hand, acts in the opposite direction, helping the body to eliminate excess sodium and water, which contributes to reducing blood sugar.
“The ideal is to use a product that is partly sodium chloride and partly potassium chloride,” said cardiologist Fernanda Consolim. She highlights that this replacement can be an ally in treatment, but should not be done without medical advice.
This is because excessive consumption can also pose risks, especially for people with kidney problems. In these cases, the body may have difficulty eliminating the mineral, which can cause complications.
In addition to the use of modified salt, food can also help control blood pressure. Foods such as bananas, avocados, oranges, beans, lentils, fish, chicken, spinach and tomatoes are naturally rich in potassium and can contribute to a balanced intake of the nutrient.
“Before including salt enriched with potassium in your routine, you need to talk to the medical team responsible for the treatment and understand whether or not the change could be beneficial”, explained Fernanda.
According to her, the study analyzed does not draw conclusions about the effects of this type of salt on people with normal blood pressure, which indicates the need for more research to better understand the impact on a large scale.
