It is even better “dry”.
High blood pressure is a disease that affects a third of the population. This increase in blood pressure often goes unnoticed, particularly because its symptoms are often attributed to other pathologies (headaches, vision problems, dizziness, increased heart rate, etc.). One of the main risk factors for high blood pressure is diet, particularly foods high in salt. “Too much sodium (salt) has been shown to increase blood pressure”warns the American Heart Association. Fortunately, just as salt can raise blood pressure, other foods can help lower it.
To manage high blood pressure,American Heart Association (AHA) advises reducing the effects of sodium with potassium. The latter is necessary for the normal functioning of cells, nerves and muscles. “The more potassium you eat, the more sodium you lose in your urine.”the organization says. In fact, it helps relieve tension in the walls of blood vessels. To prevent or treat high blood pressure, the AHA recommends eating “3,500 mg to 5,000 mg of potassium every day.” But where to find all this potassium?
The AHA has drawn up a food list as excellent sources of potassium. These fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products and fish are particularly consumed as part of the DASH diet, a diet meaning “Approaches to Stop Hypertension”. In this list, a fruit that we love in summer stands out in particular for its richness in potassium.
Its “dried” version is the richest in potassium (it contains 1,400 mg of potassium per 100 g of fruit according to the Ciqual table of theHandles). Its “fresh” version is also interesting because it provides 260 mg of potassium per 100 g of fruit, which is equivalent to about 2 fruits (without pit). This allows us to cover 13% of our daily potassium needs.
This potassium mine is none other than the apricot. Beware of potassium overdoses which can have serious consequences for your health. So be careful not to abuse apricots (do not eat dried apricots like candy). Also, before supplementing with potassium, it is advisable to ask a health professional, especially for people with kidney disease or taking certain medications.