Iranian adults who eat more potassium — like from fruits and veggies — tend to have much lower chances of heart problems over 10 years, even if they have other risk factors.

If adults eat more potassium—like from bananas, spinach, or potatoes—they might lower their chances of heart disease by nearly a third for every extra 1000 mg they eat each day, and this seems to help no matter other heart risks they have.

For adults between 30 and 84, having too much sodium compared to potassium in your diet might nearly double your chances of having a heart problem — it’s not just about salt or potassium alone, but the balance between them.

If Iranian adults eat a diet where they get more sodium than potassium—specifically, a ratio over 1.26—they might be more than twice as likely to get heart disease over time.

If older Dutch people who’ve never had heart problems or high blood pressure eat more potassium-rich foods like bananas and spinach, they’re less likely to die from any cause over the next five years—so eating more potassium might help them live longer.

Eating more potassium-rich foods like bananas, spinach, and potatoes is linked to a lower risk of heart problems.