Foods High in Potassium

How Potassium Can Help Lower High Blood Pressure — And What Aussies Should Know

High blood pressure (hypertension) affects millions of Australians and is a leading risk factor for stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, and premature death. While medication plays a key role in managing hypertension, dietary changes — especially increasing potassium intake — are a powerful and evidence-based tool to help control blood pressure naturally.

Hypertension in Australia: The Big Picture

High blood pressure doesn’t always cause symptoms, which makes it a sneaky health risk for many people.

According to the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data for 2022:

11.6% (~3.0 million people) reported having diagnosed hypertension in Australia. Self-reported prevalence increases significantly with age.
When blood pressure was actually measured, 23.3% of adults had high blood pressure even if they didn’t report being diagnosed.
Broader analyses suggest that around one in three Australian adults has hypertension, and many are unaware of it or have uncontrolled blood pressure.
This gap between measured and diagnosed hypertension highlights how common and under-recognized high blood pressure is in Australia.

Why Potassium Matters for Blood Pressure

Potassium is a mineral that plays a critical role in regulating bodily fluids, nerve signals, and blood pressure. It helps the body:

Balance sodium levels — higher potassium intake increases sodium excretion in urine (natriuresis), which reduces the blood-pressure-raising effects of dietary salt. Relax blood vessel walls, improving vascular function. Support kidney function, which in turn helps regulate fluid balance and pressure.This combination makes potassium particularly important for people with hypertension.

Evidence from Research

Multiple high-quality studies support the beneficial effects of potassium on blood pressure:

Randomized clinical trials and controlled studies have shown that increased potassium intake significantly lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with hypertension (1).
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that in adults with hypertension, increasing potassium intake reduced systolic blood pressure by around 3.49 mm Hg and diastolic pressure by 1.96 mm Hg on average, compared with lower intake (2).

How Much Potassium Should You Aim For?

Public health bodies like the World Health Organization and national nutrition guidelines recommend higher potassium intakes (generally 3,500–4,700 mg per day) primarily from whole foods, such as:

Bananas, oranges, and kiwifruit
Avocado
Sweet potato and potatoes (with skin)
Leafy greens like spinach
Beans, lentils and nuts
Dairy products

Clinical evidence suggests that reaching these levels can meaningfully reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension, particularly when sodium intake is high and potassium is low (4) (5).

Precautions and Practical Tips

Before significantly changing your potassium intake or using potassium-enriched salt:

1. Check Kidney Function – potassium is handled by the kidneys. People with chronic kidney disease or those taking certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors, spironolactone) may need to monitor potassium closely to avoid hyperkalemia (high blood potassium) (3).

2. Focus on Whole Foods First – whole foods provide additional nutrients (fibre, vitamins, antioxidants) that support overall cardiovascular health, beyond potassium alone.

3. Combine with Sodium Reduction – benefits are strongest when potassium intake is increased and sodium is reduced. Dietary patterns like the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) embody this combined strategy (3).

Journal sources

American Heart Association. (2025). Potassium-enriched salt for patients with hypertension: A position statement. Journal of Hypertension. (Details available in Taskforce document.)
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023). Hypertension and high measured blood pressure, 2022. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/hypertension-and-high-measured-blood-pressure/latest-release
Crowther, J., Hoek, A. C., Trieu, K., et al. (2025). Stakeholder perspectives on scaling up potassium-enriched salt to reduce cardiovascular disease in Australia: A qualitative study. BMC Public Health, 25, 2525.
He, F. J., Li, J., & MacGregor, G. A. (2013). Effect of increased potassium intake on cardiovascular risk factors and disease: Systematic review and meta-analyses. Journal of Hypertension, 31(6), 1178–1185.
Johnson, C. M., et al. (2024). Dose-response effects of potassium supplementation on blood pressure in adults (Meta-analysis). Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (Preprint)