When you get to a certain point in your life, slowing down the ageing process can suddenly seem like something that is worth taking an interest in.
Ador was fascinated to read recently how scientists from Tufts University in Boston, USA have found that having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables – and so rich too in the mineral potassium – can slow down the rate at which our bodies lose muscle.
Losing muscle mass is a natural part of the ageing process and accounts for gradual loss of strength and increasing frailty, along with a lowering of our metabolic rate (which means that we burn fewer calories each day).
This loss of muscle may in part be due to the gradual acidosis that occurs in our bodies, with the more acid environment triggering muscle wastage. Eating alkali producing fruits and vegetables appears to help to reduce this process.
In a study of nearly 400 male and female volunteers over 65, those eating a fruit, vegetable and potassium-rich diet averaged 3.6 more pounds of lean muscle mass in their bodies over an 18-month period than those having half the potassium.
As the scientists who carried out the work explained, this almost offsets the 4.4 pounds of lean muscle typically lost in a decade in men and women over 65.
In the UK, the most recent nutritional survey of adults suggests that women are averaging 2,653mg of the 3,500mg daily target (and men 3,367mg).
Meanwhile, in America, the last US federal dietary guidelines issued stressed the importance of older adults getting at least 4,700mg of potassium daily. So given that we do not meet even our lower target of 3500mg, it seems that upping our intakes may be a good thing.
Eating at least ‘five a day’ of fruit and vegetables is a good place to start. A medium-sized baked potato has 1,134mg of potassium, a boiled parsnip has around 675mg, a banana or half a papaya has 400mg, a serving of cooked spinach 270mg and an orange and a pear both have 240mg each.
Other foods also contain potassium and can further boost intakes. A pint of milk gives you 912mg, an individual yoghurt 255mg and two thick slices of wholemeal bread provide 250mg.
So you can see that to meet even the UK target, you really do need to eat a pretty healthy diet – which has got to be a good thing!
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