A new study shows that post-menopausal women who eat foods with a lot of potassium - like bananas - have a higher chance of avoiding stroke and living longer than those who don't.

Sylvia Smoller from Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in the Bronx said that potassium consumption can lower blood pressure.

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She believes that this will give women more reason to eat fruits and vegetables because potassium can lower postmenopausal risk of stroke and death.

Their findings showed that women who ate potassium were 12 percent less likely to suffer stroke, and 10 percent less likely to die than those who didn't eat as much.

They also found out that women with hypertension who ate potassium had a lower risk of early death than women who did not eat the mineral.

Researchers said that dietary intake of potassium can benefit people even before high blood pressure could build up.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, women need 4,700 mg of potassium everyday, but only 2.8 percent of women either met or exceeded this level.

The World Health Organization, on the other hand, says that women need 3,500 mg of potassium per day. 

Smoller said that their findings suggest that women need to more eat more potassium-rich foods like sweet potatoes, bananas and white beans.

However, she also warns the public that too much potassium can be dangerous to the heart. That's why women are advised to consult a doctor first on how much potassium they should be eating.

The researchers said there is still a need for further study, particularly on the effects of potassium on men and younger people.