A mineral called potassium is necessary for the body to function properly. This electrolyte supports cardiac maintenance, neuron and muscle contraction, and assists in supplying nutrients to and eliminating waste from cells. Potassium is important for maintaining fluid and sodium balance in the body. The topic of today’s Better Weigh Medical will be the greatest natural sources of this priceless mineral and how to incorporate it into a daily diet to maximize its absorption and health benefits.
Daily Potassium Intake
Low potassium levels can cause high blood pressure, renal problems such stones, and calcium loss from the bone. Along with poor food, situations including vomiting, sweating, and diarrhea can lead to potassium shortage, which shows up as exhaustion, muscle weakness and cramps, and constipation. Hypokalemia is the medical term for this condition of low potassium. Hyperkalemia, on the other hand, refers to a high level of potassium in the body.
Before we go on, it should be noted that eating can lower the potassium levels in food products. To conserve the amount of this priceless material, it is advised to eat food that has not been “leached” (soak vegetables in water for at least two hours before eating anything that contains it, for example) and that is as fresh as is practical. Fresh food is high in potassium while processed food is high in sodium. However, due to the fact that most minerals have components that are stable at all temperatures of cooking, heating is likely to maintain the potassium concentration.
Because potassium works in conjunction with sodium, another electrolyte, a high sodium consumption may prevent potassium from having its good effects. To ensure potassium’s health, salt intake should range from 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day.
In order to reach the 3,510 mg of potassium per day recommended by the WHO, we propose including this delectable potassium-stored food in your diet.
Potassium-rich food
Potassium
About 700 milligrams of potassium can be found in a medium sweet potato. Despite the fact that potatoes have recently developed a negative reputation due to the way they are cooked (fried in oils, salted, covered with cheese and creams), potatoes contain a variety of nutrients. Consuming tomatoes is also advantageous due to their high levels of iron, fiber, and vitamin C. Try cooking the potato with a salt-free sauce, steaming it with some chicken, or roasting it with olive oil and herbs while adding low-calorie toppings in place of butter to make it a healthier option to consume. Because of its ability to thicken food while still providing nutrients, potato starch makes a fantastic choice when creating soup or broth.
Dry Fruits
Between 750 to 1,100 milligrams of potassium are included in a half cup of dried apricots. When there aren’t any seasons for fresh fruit, dried plums and raisins make excellent potassium sources. 699 mg of potassium may be found in one cup of dried prunes. Remember that added sugar is included in the majority of dried fruit available in stores, and read the ingredients list carefully.
Beans and Legumes
Beans are often a good addition to a meal because they are rich in protein and fiber. Potassium content in beans and peas is roughly 1300 mg per 100 g, kidney beans are 600–700 mg per cup, black beans are 400 mg per half cup, almonds are 600 mg per 100 g, azuki beans, white beans, pinto beans, lima beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans, and canned refried beans are 350 mg per half cup. Lentils have 731 mg of potassium per cup. It’s crucial to thoroughly rinse all beans and legumes before eating them to get rid of the salt.
Fresh Fruit
Bananas are a well-liked and well-known fruit for their 300 mg of potassium per 100 grammes of weight in benefits. Kiwi, however, is the superfruit in terms of potassium as well. Potassium content in one small kiwi is 215 mg, or about the same as in one whole banana.
Oranges are another fruit high in potassium; one cup (200ml) of orange juice contains 500mg of potassium. The same is true for cantaloupe, which has 457 mg of potassium per cup of orange melon. With 707mg in a single cup, prunes and prune juice are also a fantastic source of potassium. You may want to include these more fruit juices with high potassium content to your diet:
juices from carrots and passion fruit (600–700 mg), pomegranates (533 mg), and tangerines (450mg).
Another fruit high in potassium is the avocado, which has 364mg per half serving.
Tomato
Potassium is abundant in tomatoes; however, it is best utilized when they are consumed as juice or puree. This product delivers a predetermined quantity of tomato in a single serving. A medium-sized raw tomato has 292 mg of potassium in it, a half-cup of tomato puree has 549 mg, and a cup of tomato juice has 527 mg. Both alone and in various culinary preparations, tomato juice is a tasty beverage.
Seafood and Fish
One of the many reasons eating seafood is good for your health is that it’s a good source of potassium. In particular, wild Atlantic salmon and clams have a potassium content of about 400 mg per 100 g. In addition, a 3-ounce portion of mackerel (470 mg), halibut (450 mg), snapper (444 mg), and rainbow trout all have high levels of potassium (380mg).
Green Vegetables
When it comes to potassium, cooked vegetables are more advantageous than those that are ingested raw. When cooked, spinach and cabbage increase their potassium content from about 550 mg per 100 grammes to 840 mg per cup. Bok choy has 445 mg and Swiss chard has 1,000 mg per cooked cup. When cooked, amaranth yields 864 mg per cup while broccoli yields 460 mg. These figures encourage us to consume green vegetables not only in salads but also cooked in soups and other dishes for even greater nutritional benefits.
Yogurt and Milk
Additionally, milk-based products offer a sizable amount of potassium on a daily basis. A cup of milk provides 350 mg of potassium, while low-fat milk includes an additional 400 mg. Milk with a reduced fat level has a higher potassium content. There are 350 mg of potassium in Greek yoghurt.
Conclusion
Many people will turn to supplements in the form of pills and capsules when thinking about how to achieve their daily potassium needs. However, due to safety concerns, many supplements cap potassium amounts at 99 mg, which is only 3% of daily guidelines. It is simpler to eat healthily, abstain from excessive sodium, and maintain the ideal potassium level when you make smart food choices.
