Importance of the Vegetable and Fruit Intake for Health Based on the Relationship between Urinary Potassium Excretion and Cerebro-cardiovascular-renal Events or All-cause Mortality

Abstract

Since it is widely accepted that there is a positive correlation between the salt intake and hypertension or cerebro-cardiovascular-renal events, salt intake restriction is currently widely recommended, especially in patients with hypertension. However, salt intake restriction does not always have beneficial effects. Indeed, an excessively low salt intake has been reported to be harmful to health. While a reasonable vegetable and fruit intake reportedly decreases blood pressure, whether or not vegetable and fruit intake truly leads to reductions in cerebro-cardiovascular-renal events or all-cause mortality remains unclear. We reviewed the importance of vegetable and fruit intake for health, focusing on the relationship between urinary potassium excretion, a marker of vegetable and fruit intake, and cerebro-cardiovascular-renal events or all-cause mortality. In conclusion, vegetable and fruit intake may be essential for reducing cerebro-cardiovascular-renal events and all-cause mortality.