The potassium is a mineral essential for the health of people. Actually, the organism needs a specific dose of potassium per day for practically all its functioning. And this aspect includes the functioning of the heart , muscle contraction and nerve transmission.
But in addition, different studies have also been able to verify that diets that include good amounts of potassium may be beneficial for patients with diabetes.
One of these studies was produced by a research team from the Shiga University of Medical Sciences in Japan and later published in the journal Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
After the completion of this study, researchers claimed that a diet rich in potassium can help protect the health of the heart and kidneys of patients with type 2 diabetes.
Why it is good potassium for people with diabetes?
People with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of experiencing kidney failure and heart disease. Thus, the researcher Shin-ichi Araki and his research team proceeded to analyze whether a high intake of sodium and potassium could have some relationship with this type of risk.
To do this, they examined for more than 10 years to a group of 623 patients with type 2 diabetes and who presented normal function.
It must be taken into account that type 2 diabetes is a disease that is characterized mainly by the ease of the person’s body to increase blood glucose levels. It is because this person has decreased insulin sensitivity associated with a disorder of the pancreatic beta cells responsible for insulin secretion.
Well, returning to the study, Higher urinary potassium excretion values, which are closely related to intake amounts, were associated with a slower reduction in renal function and a lower incidence of cardiovascular complications.
Similarly, in this study in, sodium levels were not linked to kidney or heart health in patients with type 2 diabetes during follow-up.
In this sense, the Researcher Araki, determined that for many people with diabetes, the hardest part of a treatment plan is determining what to eat. The results of our study highlight the importance of a high potassium diet in the nutritional therapy of diabetes.
Foods with potassium
People with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, should carry out a diet according to the disease with which they live, to avoid the development of any problem associated with an excessively high increase in glucose levels.
In relation to the benefits of potassium, below we expose some of the foods richest in this mineral and that it would be appropriate for people with diabetes to incorporate into their nutritional plan :
- Fruits: Bananas stand out , dried apricots, prunes, orange juice, or raisins.
- Vegetables: Tomatoes, broccoli, acorn squash or potatoes.
Fortunately, potassium is found naturally in a wide variety of foods. Thus, people who carry out a healthy and balanced diet should not have problems to present adequate levels of this mineral.
In any case, it is recommended that people with diabetes go to a medical or nutritional specialist to solve any type of doubts regarding the diet.
The information presented in this publication does not replace in any case the diagnosis or indication by a medical specialist. Before any symptomatology it is essential to consult a medical specialist not to self-medicate without their supervision and.