Those who are looking for health resources to manage their blood pressure may want to ensure they are consuming enough potassium, following the findings of a new study.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center looked at data relating to over 3,300 patients and concluded that those with the lowest intake of potassium were at a greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology, determined that the link was strongest among African Americans.

“The lower the potassium in the urine, hence the lower the potassium in the diet, the higher the blood pressure,” commented lead author Dr. Susan Hedayat.

She said that potassium had an even stronger effect on blood pressure than sodium.

While potassium shows promise as a way to treat blood pressure, some people turn to oral chelation for this purpose.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, some foods that are naturally high in potassium include potatoes, beans, yogurt, bananas, peaches, tomato products and fish.