20 Potassium Rich Foods and their Benefits
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Our body needs minerals like potassium to function. To ensure that we take enough of this
mineral, in this article we will know which foods are rich in potassium and
their benefits.
Eating in a healthy
and balanced way is the best way to obtain them, however, it is useful to
identify which sources are rich in one or another mineral, vitamin, fatty acid,
etc. Potassium is very necessary for matters as important as the production of
hormones or maintains the osmotic balance of cells.
What is potassium?
Unlike other minerals, potassium is a macro mineral. Most
of it is found inside the skeletal muscle, specifically and to be precise in
the same cells.
Basically, it consists of an electrolyte
mineral that we find in the blood, and that our body obtains mainly from
certain foods. However, a balanced diet is sufficient to provide the
amount of potassium our body needs daily, especially if it is based on a diet
especially rich in fruits and vegetables.
As we indicated, it is one of the most abundant minerals
in our body, so its accumulation is certainly high.
Recommended the daily amount of potassium
The recommended daily amount of potassium depends largely on
age.
From 0 to 6 months: 0.4 grams.
From 7 to 12 months: 0.7 grams.
From 1 to 3 years: 3 grams.
From 4 to 8 years old: 3.8 grams.
From 9 to 13 years old: 4.5 grams.
From 14 to 18 years old: 4.7 grams.
From 19 years and up: 4.7 grams.
In the case of women who are breastfeeding, they need to
consume a higher daily amount of potassium: 5.1 grams. Even so, the most
advisable thing is to consult with a doctor.
Benefits of potassium in our body
- In the brain: it is essential to maintain the normal
functioning of the brain.
- A decrease in potassium can cause low sugar in
the body,
- Avoid muscle contractions. We must have normal
potassium levels, since contractions occur when we have low potassium.
- Cramps: these are also produced by low levels of
potassium, so it is recommended to athletes or people who suffer normally to
consume a banana a day because as we will discuss later contains a high content
of potassium.
- The benefits of potassium are very broad, they can help us
improve the health of bones.
- Reduces anxiety and stress.
- It is responsible for maintaining the water balance.
- Help in the transport of oxygen to the brain.
- Helps to normalize the heart rate (along
with calcium and sodium)
- It is essential for normal growth.
- It promotes the elimination of liquids.
- Stimulates bowel movements.
Effects of potassium deficiency
Its lack can cause a series of disorders, these are some of
them:
- Constipation.
- Alterations of the heart rhythm.
- Bones and joints pain.
- Muscle cramps.
- Alterations of blood pressure.
- Retention of liquids and edema.
- Mental confusion and lack of reflexes.
- Hypoglycemia.
- Alterations of growth.
- Irritability.
- Nausea and vomiting.
Foods rich in potassium
To take care of the skeletal and muscular system, as well as
the cardiovascular system, it is essential to follow a diet with foods that
provide a large amount of potassium to the body.
1. Bananas
One of the best-known foods in relation to its contribution
of potassium, 592 grams per 100 grams of food. In the sports field,
it is precisely the banana that is
one of the most consumed foods after training and high-intensity activities.
Another of the great benefits of bananas is that they are
very rich in antioxidants, so they are of great help to prevent premature
aging of both the skin and the
cells.
2. Avocados
Avocados, along with bananas, are one of the
fruits with the highest amount of potassium, 490 mg per 100 grams of
food. There are countless ways to incorporate avocados into
the diet. In addition, they can be taken at any time of the day.
3. Plums
Plums are another of the richest foods in potassium that
exist. Its content is approximately 1,000 grams per 100 grams of
product. One of the main advantages that plums offer in terms of their
consumption is that they can eat as fruit pieces or incorporate them into a
large selection of recipes.
4. Sesame
Sesame seeds are very rich in potassium, with a contribution
of 468 mg per 100 grams of food. In addition, they are very rich
in fiber, so they help prevent constipation and improve
intestinal transit.
These seeds also provide a large amount of iron, an
essential micromineral for the organism as it fulfills a large selection of
functions: transport of oxygen, production of hemoglobin and collagen, etc.
5. Spinach
The consumption of spinach is especially recommended among
athletes thanks to its high level of potassium. The contribution is
560 mg per 100 grams of food.
In addition, spinach is very rich in vitamins, manganese,
zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium. A cocktail of nutrients that help
regulate blood pressure, strengthen bones and improve metabolic activity.
6. Potatoes
One of the most consumed foods globally are
potatoes. They are an extraordinary source of potassium, with a
contribution of 420 mg per 100 grams of product. To avoid the excessive
contribution of unhealthy fats to the body, it is best to consume potatoes baked or steamed.
7. Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts are another of the most recommended foods to
avoid potassium deficiency in the body. It provides 450 mg per
100 grams of food.
In addition, they are very rich in vitamin C, so they
protect and strengthen the immune system. They also have high fiber
content, so Brussels sprouts are highly recommended to promote intestinal
transit.
8. Mushrooms
They are also rich in B vitamins, which are essential for the
proper functioning of the body. To all this we must add that mushrooms are
very low in fat and calories.
9. Nuts
The nuts provide us with many minerals such as
potassium. Nuts, almonds or pistachios are foods rich in
potassium. We can take most of the raw or roasted nuts, and it is
advisable to eat them on a regular basis. Anyway, you should not eat more
than a handful a day, because they give us a lot of fat. It is very healthy
fat, but obviously has caloric load.
10. Pure cocoa
Cocoa is an excellent source of potassium. Normally we
take this great food in the form of chocolate, which can have an impact on its
properties. It is very important to take it in the purest form possible,
or at least with the least amount of sugar possible. When you finally get
used to eating 100% pure chocolate in cocoa you end up enjoying it without
throwing away the sugar.
11. Green leafy vegetables
Highlighting thistle, green leafy vegetables are also good
sources of calcium. They also provide other minerals such as iron, and
some can be taken raw or cooked, and raw is generally a good idea. When we
cook food the minerals some of their properties can be altered. Some
nutrients can get into the water or get lost in the heat of cooking.
12. Fish
Some types of fish have good potassium
concentrations. In some cases, the concentrations are very low, as in the
case of hake. But if we want to take fish with a good contribution of
potassium we must eat any of the following:
Bluefish: trout, pomfret, mackerel, tuna, herring or horse
mackerel.
Whitefish: sea bream, mullet, sea bass, cod or pollock.
13. Legumes
The pulses also provide very good potassium
concentrations. It is essential to eat legumes to ensure a healthy and
balanced diet, and among all, we emphasize the beans (also known as beans or
beans); they are the ones with the highest potassium density of
all. But eating any legume at least once a week is ideal to take advantage
of its properties and benefits in favor of our health.
14. Beet
A vegetable that stands out as a source of potassium. It
is not consumed much but it is undoubtedly an excellent food, because it
contains potassium but also other properties. It is full of antioxidants,
substances that allow to fight against oxidation and therefore the aging of our
tissues. You can eat both raw and cooked in soups, salads or garnishes.
15. Algae
Although algae consumption is not currently widespread in the
West, little consumption is becoming more common. It is the food with
the highest potassium intake. In certain species, it can reach 10,000 mg
per 100 grams of food.
In addition, algae are very rich in other nutrients such
as iodine, phosphorus and calcium. Also in iron, so they are
essential to avoid certain diseases such as anemia.
16. Cardos
Thistles, along with algae, are some of the least popular
foods. However, its consumption is very advisable to ensure
that blood potassium levels are adequate. They provide 400 mg
per 100 grams of food.
In addition, its high inulin content makes
thistles a very healthy food for people with diabetes. This food also takes care of the liver and greatly
favors its functioning.
17. Salmon
His 429mg of potassium per 100 grams makes him clearly
deserving to be part of this list. But there are so many benefits to
health that it can be said that some studies have shown that regular
consumption of salmon can help us live longer and in good health.
18. Yogurt
The natural yogurt has more than 570 mg of potassium, so if
we combine it with a banana, we will make sure to ingest a good amount of this
mineral. In addition, natural yogurt is a food known for a long time for
its different beneficial effects on health. The regular consumption of
this milk derivative is able to strengthen the immune system, improve the
intestinal flora, avoid diarrhea, thanks to the lactobacilli present in
it. Easy to access in supermarkets, so we will take it into account to
include it in the diet.
19. Chard
One of the most prominent vegetables for its contribution of
potassium, around 370 mg per 100 grams. But not only that, chard contains
a very important source of vitamin A, and they are very rich in antioxidants
that fight the action of free radicals. It is also one of the few foods that have
vitamin K in large quantities, helps prevent osteoporosis and is very
beneficial in diets whose goal is weight loss.
20. Chirimoyas
Although it is a seasonal fruit and you cannot get it very
often, this is an excellent source of potassium, barely outnumbering the
banana, you can get 382 mg in every 100 grams. It is also a delicious
natural and healthy dessert.
Diseases due to excess potassium
In the same way that the deficit of potassium can give rise
to different health complications, the excess of this mineral in blood can also
be dangerous. It is called hypokalemia when the level of
potassium in blood is greater than 5.5 mmol / L.
The most common causes are two. On the one
hand, renal failure of a chronic nature. And, on the other hand, the
taking of medicines to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system.
It is an asymptomatic disease, whose main indication is the
change in heart rate.
Conclusion
Taking into account
which foods are richest in potassium, it is advisable to
incorporate them into the daily feeding plan. Its consumption is of great help so that the
organism works correctly. As we have indicated, both the excess and the
deficit of this mineral are harmful to the state of health, so it is essential
to remember what is recommended daily amounts according to age.
