Potassium is found mainly within body cells and plays a major role in ensuring normal cell function, proper nerve signals, heart beats and muscle contractions, as well as making sure nutrients are transported efficiently within the body.
Australian and international research show that a diet high in potassium and low in salt helps to keep blood pressure at normal levels. A diet high in potassium and low in salt is what humans have enjoyed for thousands of years. Only recently have humans regularly eaten high salt foods. Those people eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, low in saturated fat, with plenty of low-fat diary foods generally have a lower blood pressure than those eating a typical Western diet.
The banana is a unique tropical fruit that is high in potassium and salt-free, making it perfect in keeping a normal blood pressure.
Less than 10% of the Australia population get an adequate intake of potassium to reduce their risk of chronic disease, like stroke, which is frequently caused by high blood pressure. Eating more fruit and vegetables will bump up our potassium intake. In fact, adding an extra banana and a small side salad will get nearly half the population to a healthy potassium level.
Another mineral that is found in the banana is magnesium, which is involved in more than 300 enzyme systems in the body, and is especially important in energy generation in the muscles.
You can see there is an important role for foods, like the banana, providing both magnesium and potassium. A medium banana will provide about 10% of daily potassium needs and about 6% of daily magnesium needs, yet it provides only 4% of the kilojoules of a mildly active adult. That is great “value for kilojoule”, especially when you add the vitamins, fibre and antioxidant power of the banana.
