Potassium is a highly important mineral for the body. It helps to regulate fluid levels and eliminate waste, as well as to maintain healthy muscles (including the heart) and nerves.
It is also essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and preventing strokes. Research has revealed that reduces blood pressure in people with hypertension.
Potassium foods
If you make healthy food choices, you should not worry, since you are most likely providing your body with enough potassium. And is that many fruits and vegetables are rich in this nutrient, such as…:
- Banana
- Orange
- Watermelon
- Kiwi
- Dried grapes, apricot, plums and figs
- Broad beans
- Pomelo
- Strawberry
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Potato
- Sweet potato
- bean
- Soybean
- Lentils
- Avocado
- Peanuts
- Beet
- Pumpkin
- Sunflower seeds
It should be noted that, although they are the best way to obtain it, vegetables are not the only ones that provide us with potassium. In addition to this food group, we can count on dairy (milk, yogurts ...), fish and meat, which also do their bit to help us maintain optimal levels. Generally, the lower in fat the milk, the more potassium it contains. When it comes to fish, some contain more than others, such as wild salmon, tuna or halibut. One tip for both fish and red meat, chicken, and turkey is to avoid frying them.
Be aware that some cooking techniques, such as boiling, can strip potassium from certain foods listed above. A good trick is to eat them raw whenever possible.
Recommended daily amount of potassium
In addition to hypertension, low potassium levels have been associated with heart disease, stroke, arthritis, digestive disorders, cancer, and even infertility. Therefore, it is important not to neglect its consumption.
People need 4.700 mg (5.100 lactating women) of potassium daily, except if you have kidney disease. In this case, nerve and muscle problems can occur due to the accumulation of this mineral in the body. If your kidneys are not working well, check with your doctor about your daily limit.
How much potassium is in a banana
Banana is one of the best-known potassium-rich foods. With their 422 mg potassium, a banana covers 9% of your daily needs of this mineral. You can eat it natural or add it to your cereals, smoothies and breads. Although it is an excellent food rich in potassium, it should be noted that there are foods that make it even better.
A medium potato (20%), a cup of tomato sauce (15%), two slices of watermelon (14%), a cup of musk squash (12%), a cup of spinach (11%) or a cup of beet (11%) exceed the potassium content of bananas. Being aware of the many foods rich in this mineral will allow you to add more color, flavor and nutrients to your diet.
What are the symptoms of a lack of potassium
If you don't get enough potassium, your muscles and nerves may stop working as they should. When the body lacks enough potassium, muscles can weaken. Thus, one of the signs is fatigue. Likewise, it can also manifest itself through colic or constipation.
Although it may be due to a poor presence of this mineral in the diet, hypokalemia is usually caused by severe vomiting or diarrhea, excessive use of diuretics or laxatives, and alcohol abuse.
Too much potassium (hyperkalemia)
Too high a blood level can also lead to health problems, which is why taking supplements without medical supervision is not advised. Its symptoms are muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, and nausea. People most prone to hyperkalemia - which can even lead to coma - are those with kidney disorders. It can also occur due to certain medications or because the body does not make enough of certain hormones.
It is usually treated with medicine or dialysis (a machine that helps the kidneys do their job of cleaning the blood).
Potassium benefits
The nutrient that concerns us on this occasion helps remove excess sodium from the body through urine with the help of the kidneys. This prevents high blood pressure, as this can be caused by too high levels of sodium.
Another advantage it represents for blood pressure has to do with the walls of the blood vessels. When they are too stiff it can lead to high blood pressure. And this mineral helps them relax.
As you age, your bones tend to become brittle. This problem can be aggravated by excess acid, a consequence of a diet rich in meat and dairy. Replace them with foods rich in potassium - mostly fruits and vegetables. can slow down osteoporosis.
Potassium is good for the heart, participating literally in every beat, as well as for the entire cardiovascular system in general. Furthermore, it also plays a role in preventing painful kidney stones.