Processed foods have too much salt and not enough potassium, which makes it harder for your body to control blood pressure.
Scientific Claim
Processed foods are typically low in potassium, which normally aids sodium excretion and vascular relaxation, exacerbating hypertension when combined with high sodium and refined carbs.
Original Statement
“Now what complicates this further is that many processed foods are also low in potassium which is the counterbalance to sodium in the body. Potassium helps the kidneys excrete sodium and supports vascular relaxation. Whole foods like vegetables, legumes and unprocessed meats are naturally high in potassium and relatively low in sodium. Processed foods inverts that ratio. you end up with high sodium, low potassium, high refined carbs, and often high fructose as well. It's a perfect storm for pressure dysregulation.”
Context Details
Domain
cardiology
Population
human
Subject
processed foods
Action
are
Target
low in potassium exacerbating hypertension
Intervention Details
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Increasing the dietary potassium intake reduces the need for antihypertensive medication.
This study found that eating more potassium can help reduce the need for blood pressure medication.
Contradicting (3)
Postprandial Vascular Effects of a High Potassium Meal in Patients with Treated Hypertension
This study found that a single meal high in potassium did not immediately improve blood vessel function in people with controlled high blood pressure.
Mental health and well-being among Ukrainian female university students: The impact of war over 3 years
This study is about how war affects girls' mental health, not about what they eat or how it affects their blood pressure.
Excess dietary potassium raises blood pressure in male mice by an aldosterone-dependent increase in ENaC
This study found that too much potassium can actually increase blood pressure in male mice, which seems to contradict the idea that more potassium is always better for lowering blood pressure.