Which mineral, abundant in cherries, is critical for balancing sodium levels and acting as a vasodilator to maintain healthy blood pressure?
Answer
Potassium
For supporting cardiovascular health, the high concentration of potassium within cherries plays an indispensable role. Potassium is essential for maintaining the delicate balance between sodium levels in the body; specifically, adequate potassium intake helps to counteract the negative hypertensive effects of excessive sodium. Mechanistically, potassium functions as a vasodilator, meaning it aids in relaxing the smooth muscle walls of the blood vessels. This relaxation decreases overall vascular resistance, thereby easing the strain placed upon the circulatory system and contributing directly to the maintenance of healthy blood pressure levels.
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