According to a recent study, a high intake of potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, leafy green vegetables and soybeans, may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and coronary artery disease.
Researchers from the University of Naples in Italy analyzed 10 studies that were published between 1966 and 2009 that included nearly 280,000 adults. They discovered that a diet high in potassium was associated with a 19 percent decreased risk of stroke and an 8 percent lower risk of coronary artery disease, according to Health Day News.
The study’s findings were presented on March 3 at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism conference in San Francisco.
Meanwhile, at the same conference, a study presented by researchers from the Wageningen University in the Netherlands found that a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables may also protect against stroke.
After monitoring more than 20,000 men and women, aged 20 to 65, over a 10-year period, the researchers found that people with a high intake of raw vegetables and fruits were 36 percent less likely to suffer a stroke than those with a low intake of the foods.
