Most Americans only consume about half of the recommended 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Increasing your potassium consumption to at least the recommended levels with a high-potassium diet could help lower your risk for high blood pressure, kidney stones and osteoporosis.
Lower Blood Pressure
Potassium counteracts some of the blood pressure-raising effects of sodium, since it increases sodium excretion from the body. This doesn't mean you can consume as much sodium as you want as long as you increase your potassium consumption. A study published in "The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia" in November 2012 found that eating a meal higher in potassium helped decrease blood pressure levels after the meal, but not by as much as eating a low-sodium meal.
Decreased Risk for Kidney Stones
A higher-potassium diet, such as the dietary approaches to stop hypertension, or DASH, diet, may also help decrease your risk for kidney stones. A study published in "The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" in August 2009 found that when men and older women started following the DASH diet and increased their potassium intake they were less likely to develop kidney stones.
Stronger Bones
Increasing the amount of potassium in your diet may also improve your bone mineral density and decrease your risk for osteoporosis. Older women who consumed the most potassium had higher bone mineral density scores than those who consumed the least potassium in a study published in "Osteoporosis International" in February 2009.
Increasing Potassium Consumption
Taking potassium supplements isn't advised unless your doctor recommends it, since these supplements could interact with certain medications or cause adverse effects. Instead, add more potassium-rich foods to your diet. High-potassium foods include milk, yogurt, nuts, cooked dried beans, chicken, turkey, fish, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, celery, winter squash, cantaloupe, apricots, bananas and orange juice. Many other fruits and vegetables contain potassium as well, so following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's recommendation to fill half of your plate at each meal with fruits and vegetables will help you meet the recommended potassium intake.
