If you’re like the majority of Americans, your diet probably doesn’t provide you with enough potassium.
Like calcium and sodium, potassium is a mineral that can be found in some foods. Since eating the right amount of potassium in your diet helps to keep you healthy, it is imperative to consume a lot of potassium-rich foods.
Dietary sources of potassium
You already consume a lot of potassium-rich foods. The foods listed below are high in potassium. If you need to enhance the amount of potassium in your diet, choose healthy meals by include the foods listed below to your menu.
Several fresh fruits and vegetables are high in potassium:
- Fruits such as bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, and grapefruit (some dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and dates, are also high in potassium)
- Prepared spinach
- Prepared broccoli
- Potatoes
- The sweet potato
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Pumpkins
- Slender leaves
Fruit juice high in potassium is another healthy option:
- Citrus juice
- Tomato nectar
- Cherry juice
- Apricot nectar
- Orange juice
Milk and yoghurt are two dairy items that contain a lot of potassium (low-fat or fat-free is best).
Some fish have potassium in them:
- Tuna
- Halibut
- Cod
- Trout
- Rockfish
High potassium-content beans or legumes include:
- Beans in lima
- Lima beans
- Mung beans
- Soybeans
- Lentils
Additional foods high in potassium include:
Salt alternatives (read labels to check potassium levels)
- Molasses
- Nuts
- Livestock and meat
- Porridge made from brown and wild rice
- Whole-wheat pasta and bread
How much is required
Men should consume 3,400mg of potassium daily, while women should consume 2,600mg. Most Americans fall short of that objective.
If you have renal illness, your needs may change. Some persons with renal illness should get less potassium than the standards. Too much potassium could remain in your body if your kidneys aren’t functioning properly, which could lead to issues with your muscles and nerves. Ask your doctor about it if you have kidney illness and they haven’t already informed you of your potassium limit.
The label?
Potassium wasn’t always included on the Nutrition Facts labels of packaged foods. But as of May 2016, potassium will now be reported under the new Nutrition Facts regulations. Prior to January 2020, businesses must change their food labelling. You should find it simpler to monitor your potassium consumption as a result for greater health.
Why Potassium Is Important
It lowers blood pressure as a start. It accomplishes this in two distinct ways:
- First, potassium aids in the removal of excess sodium from your body through your urine with the help of your kidneys. This is advantageous because a high salt diet might result in elevated blood pressure.
- Second, potassium aids in the relaxation or loosening of the blood vessel walls. They can develop high blood pressure when they are overly tense or inflexible, which might result in heart issues. Your heart benefits from getting adequate potassium.
In order for your muscles to flex or contract as they should, you also need to consume enough potassium. And potassium is necessary for your nerves to function properly.
