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Preventing Strokes with Diet

Increasing the intake of potassium-rich foods is associated with a significantly lower stroke risk.

December 20, 2012 |
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Preventing Strokes with Diet, 4.5 out of 5 based on 8 ratings

Sources Cited

D'Elia L, Barba G, Cappuccio FP, Strazzullo P. Potassium intake, stroke, and cardiovascular disease a meta-analysis of prospective studies. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011 Mar 8;57(10):1210-9.

US Department of Agriculture. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

Acknowledgements

Image thanks to Bobjgalindo via Wikimedia Commons.

Transcript

A review of all the best studies ever done on potassium intake and it’s relationship to two of our top killers, stroke and heart disease, was recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. A 1600 mg per day higher potassium intake was associated with a 21% lower risk of stroke. That still wouldn't get the average American up to the minimum adequate intake but may still might be able to wipe out a fifth of their stroke risk. “These results support recommendations for higher consumption of potassium-rich foods to prevent vascular diseases.” What does that mean, potassium-rich foods? “Potassium is particularly abundant in fruits and vegetables.” A greater fruit and vegetable consumption has already been shown to protect against the occurrence of stroke. According to another meta-analysis, 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables per day are associated with a quarter lower rate of stroke compared with 3 or fewer servings.” And it's not just bananas. Chiquita must have had some great PR firm or something. Why is that like one of the only things people know about nutrition? In reality, bananas don't even make the top 50 sources, coming in at #86, right behind fast food vanilla milk shakes. And only then bananas. In reality, bananas don’t even make the top 50 common food sources of potassium. According to the USDA, they come in at #86, right under fast food vanilla milkshakes The top five sources are tomato and orange concentrates, and then in terms of the best whole foods: greens, beans, and dates.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Ashley Rhinehart, RN.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Very few people are eating enough plants—see yesterday’s NutritionFacts.org video-of-the-day 98% of American Diets Potassium Deficient. The banana listing reminds me of a similarly humorous finding about the levels of eyesight-saving nutrients. See Egg Industry Blind Spot. Bananas are also kind of pitiful antioxidant-wise (see Best Berries). Is a fruit a fruit or should we really go out of our way to eat plants with the most antioxidants? See Anti-Inflammatory Antioxidants. Tomorrow I'll end this three part video series with a surprising twist—the anti-inflammatory effects of potassium? Stay tuned for Potassium and Autoimmune Disease.

If you haven't yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here.

  • sheof

    Like your videos. But, what is with the 5 yellow star rating if there is no way to rate the video? If it’s a fake star rating I would recommend removing as it questions credibility.

    • Thea

      sheof: Regarding your question about the ratings: I believe that you have to be logged into this site to rate a video. Anyone can watch a video and comment on it. But some features on the site are only for those people who (freely) register and log in. That’s my understanding anyway.

    • Thea

      OK, I just gave it a try. I don’t normally bother logging in, but when I do, I *can* rate the videos. Hope that helps to put your mind at ease.

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

        Thanks Thea for checking–and I’m so glad folks are 4 and a half starring it!

  • Jerryd

    To make the potassium content easier to relate to other foods, I would suggest using the calorie content of the food, not the weight. When you do that I get 1,145 grams of potassium for banana, which is double the potassium of the date on an equal calorie basis. And molasses gets 1,464 grams of potassium. And Wholesome organic molasses blows regular molasses out of the water, too. For a tablespoon of Grandma’s molasses the label says 110 grams of potassium. Wholesome says 720 grams of potassium. I’m using either product labels or CronOMeter for my data.

  • JohnC

    From what I remember there are two kinds of strokes, ischemic and hemorrhagic. Does potassium help prevent both kinds?

    • Dr. Connie Sanchez, N.D.

      Potassium was specifically linked to reduced risk of ischemic strokes, those caused by a blockage in an artery feeding the brain. They account for about 80 percent of strokes.The mineral was not, however, linked to a lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when there is bleeding in the brain. Larsson, et. al., Dietary Potassium Intake and RIsk of Stroke. Stroke. 2011;42:2746-2750.

  • Lauritz

    I’ve found that you have no video on psoriasis yet. Is there anything out there on the nutritional treatment of scalp psoriasis? I have found a coal tar shampoo to be at least mildly effective. But I am concerned about its carcinogenic properties!?

    • http://www.DonForresterMD.com/ Don Forrester MD

      I would be concerned with the use of coal tar shampoo as well. I would try the many other over the counter and prescription options without coal tar before settling on coal tar to control your condition. See my post at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/potassium-and-autoimmune-disease/ in response to psoriasis question raised by Nurzat. Nutrition can play a role in improving or resolving psoriasis. Good luck.

  • Judith McConnell

    That’s funny, because I was doing the Eat to Live diet, avoiding salt altogether, and eating all fruits and veggies and ended up being hospitalizes for low sodium and high potassium, taking 3 bas of saline solution to cure.
    Now I eat some salt and follow your diet and I had the best fasting labs ever!
    Love your incites. Judith McConnell

  • Dr.Dan

    One cup of banana has less potassium than one cup of tomato paste… what a shocker! Who eats a whole cup of tomato paste really?

    • Julian

      Indeed, a failed attempt at mythbusting I’d say. The table says 150g banana (I guess one big banana) have about half the potassium of one cup of beans, beet greens or 178g dates. Which is a lot. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’d eat 2 bananas over the other stuff any time of the day. It only takes a few minutes and is a great snack, too…

    • horsec8z

      The hands down potassium boost is sun dried tomatoes. I do eat these as a sort of vegan jerky when hiking. 3427mg per 100gm. And they don’t get smooshed and black in my backpack. :)

  • beccadog

    Parsley is another green vegetable that is absolutely loaded with potassium. Parsley has 1080 mg in just two little sprigs. I put way more than two little sprigs of parsley in spaghetti sauce, which I use in a tortilla lasagne, or tomato based, Spanish Gazpacho soup, Vegetables are generally lower in fructose than bananas, although, I also love bananas, just have to restrain myself.

    All plants have potassium.especially wasabi root and amaranth leaves. Unfortunately, these are more difficult to find.

    • Lauren Sullivan

      Where are you getting this information about parsley? The USDA nutrient database lists fresh parsely as 55mg for 10 sprigs – leaving just 11mg for 2. Well below bananas.

  • Cory Goldblatt

    Chiquita, which use to be known as the United Fruit Company, did in fact have a PR company. They hired Edward Bernays, the founder of modern public relations. United Fruit Company did a lot a reprehensible things in its glory days of the 50s and 60s. Although this isn’t the site to get into all that…

    On another note, most likely they did in fact try to sell more bananas by convincing the general public they were high in potassium. I would imagine that all kinds of misinformation about nutrition actually started in the minds of PR guys.

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