Sixty seconds on . . . potassium
BMJ 2017; 359 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j5482 (Published 28 November 2017) Cite this as: BMJ 2017;359:j5482
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Dear Sir
Salt content replacement with potassium (15% to 25%) is beneficial for cardiovascular health. Cooking reduces nutritive values of food mainly Vitamins, amino acids and some minerals like potassium (1). Traditional cooking (boiling - 100 degree Celsius) causes the reduction of nutritive values caused by the degradation of thermo‐labile vitamins, the destruction of amino acids, and loss of mineral salts and vitamins in cooking water. Vegetables cooked with sous‐vide method show higher concentrations of minerals compared to the same cooked with the traditional method. The potassium content is higher in vegetables and legumes cooked with sous‐vide method than conventional cooking (2).
Diets high in ultra-processed foods are increasingly consumed in more countries and they are nutritionally unbalanced (3). Ultra-processed foods have the worst nutrient profile and they form about 80% of packaged foods and they are the most available packaged products (4). In India per capita salt consumption is higher (10.98g/day) than the WHO recommended value (5). Many fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium (spinach, cucumber, tomato, banana, etc). In India and other developing countries, vegetable and fruit consumption is very low. (6) Optimal consumption of fruit and vegetables for better health should be promoted (7), and boiling of vegetables is a common traditional cooking method. Motivation of people to consume more fresh vegetables and fruits may help in increasing potassium intake, which helps to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and cardiovascular mortality.
The Department of Health for England and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition advice on reducing the salt content in foods through the use of potassium based sodium replacers helps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables will also increase potassium intake.
References
1. Gulland A. Sixty seconds on . . . potassium : BMJ 2017;359:j5482
2. Rondanelli M, Daglia M, Meneghini S, et al. Nutritional advantages of sous‐vide cooking compared to boiling on cereals and legumes: Determination of ashes and metals content in ready‐to‐eat products. Food Science & Nutrition. 2017;5(3):827-833
3. Martínez Steele E, Popkin BM, Swinburn B, Monteiro CA. The share of ultra-processed foods and the overall nutritional quality of diets in the US: evidencefrom a nationally representative cross-sectional study. Popul Health Metr. 2017 Feb 14;15(1):6.4
4. Luiten CM, Steenhuis IH, Eyles H, Ni Mhurchu C, Waterlander WE.
Ultra-processed foods have the worst nutrient profile, yet they are the most available packaged products in a sample of New Zealand supermarkets. Public Health Nutr. 2016 Feb;19(3):530-8
5. Johnson C, Praveen D, Pope A, Raj TS, Pillai RN, Land MA, Neal B. Mean population salt consumption in India: a systematic review. J Hypertens. 2017 Jan;35(1):3-9. Review.
6. Miller V, Yusuf S, Chow CK, et al. Availability, affordability, and consumption of fruits and vegetables in 18 countries acrossincome levels: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Lancet Glob Health. 2016 Oct;4(10):e695-703.
7. Rekhy R, McConchie R. Promoting Consumption of Fruit and Vegetables for Better Health. Have Campaigns Delivered on the Goals Appetite. 2014 Aug;79:113-23
Competing interests: No competing interests
Re: Sixty seconds on . . . potassium
Professors Math and Kattimani's rapid reponse brought a smile to my face. A good thing for my blood pressure and cardiovascular health.
A few questions, if I may, to the professors:
1. You advocate sous vide cooking.
May I know if each of you has tried it, successfully?
May I also know whether the PLASTIC BAG required is completely safe?
2. You say that in India, fruit and vegetable consumption is low. My knowledge of their country is very very old. In those days - pre-1960 - the poor seldom ate meat, fish consumtion was confined to the maritime areas, and in a few months of the year, prople living near the River Banks could eat fish. Game -.both feathered and four-legged - was available only to trappers and hunters.
May I know if , to their personal knowledge, carnivorous Homo sapiens have largely replaced the Eaters of Beans and berries and fruits (such as mangoes, pawpaws, pomegranates, oranges, bananas........).
I can believe that the rich, especially those whose pockets have only recently started to bulge may have discarded the vegetarianism enjoined upon the MAJORITY of Hindus. But surely this is not true of the vast majority of the poor folk. And the idea that they might engage in sous vide cooking successfully is a little far-fetched.
Competing interests: No competing interests