Potassium MINUTES ON...

The Department of Health has asked its Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to investigate the benefits and risks of reducing the salt content in foods through the use of “potassiumbased sodium replacers”.

A review has found that if the salt was replaced with potassium by less than a quarter, there would be significant health benefits.

It would lead to lowered blood pressure and could also cut the number of strokes every year in the UK by between 3,200 and 9,200, out of a total of 152,000, as well as improve bone health.

People with conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) or diabetes, or who take certain drugs, could be at increased risk of developing hyperkalaemia (too high potassium).

However, the review estimated that even those with stage four or five CKD — currently estimated to be around 157,000 people in the UK — would be unlikely to be severely affected by the condition, which can cause muscle fatigue, weakness and arrhythmias.

The committee says that the Government should ask the food industry to make changes.

However, as the food industry has been slow to meet Government targets on salt reduction, it’s improbable it would be quick to implement any new targets on potassium substitution.

If you want to up your potassium consumption, good sources are leafy greens, fruits on the vine, root vegetables and citrus fruits.

Bananas are also traditionally seen as being high in potassium.