Potassium is an important mineral and electrolyte necessary for several body functions. Potassium intake is important for adults as well as children as part of a well-balanced diet. While bananas are a popular source of potassium, there are many other nutritious foods filled with this vital nutrient. This informative blog from Healthsaverguide discusses the importance of potassium and shares a list of top five high potassium foods so you can add them to your diet. Scroll down and take a look.
The Role of Potassium in Your Body
As already mentioned earlier, potassium is an important nutrient that your body needs to function properly. It plays a critical role in the following body functions:
- Helps regulate muscle and heart contractions.
- Responsible for maintaining fluid and blood volume in the body.
- Helps move important nutrients into the body cells and waste products out of cells.
- Decrease the risk of kidney stones.
- Lowers the risk of hypertension.
- Helps prevent stroke.
Unfortunately, many Australians don’t get an adequate amount of this important mineral. A low level of potassium in the blood, known as hypokalemia, can cause severe headaches, palpitations, fatigue, muscle cramps, and several other complications. As already discussed above, many individuals consider bananas as a great source of this potassium but there are a variety of high potassium foods that might have an even higher percentage value of the nutrient. The amount of potassium an individual needs per day depends on sex and age. Well, the average daily recommended amounts of potassium are given below in mg (milligrams).
| The Life Stage of An Individual | The Recommended Amount Of Potassium |
| Birth To Six Months | 400 Milligrams |
| Infants Seven To Twelve Months | 860 Milligrams |
| Children One To Three Years | 2000 Milligrams |
| Children Four To Eight Years | 2300 Milligrams |
| Children Nine To Thirteen Years (Girls) | 2300 Milligrams |
| Children Nine To Thirteen Years (Boys) | 2500 Milligrams |
| Teens Fourteen To Eighteen Years (Girls) | 2300 Milligrams |
| Teens Fourteen To Eighteen Years (Boys) | 3000 Milligrams |
| Adults Nineteen And Above (Women) | 2600 Milligrams |
| Adults Nineteen And Above (Men) | 3400 Milligrams |
| Pregnant Teens | 2600 Milligrams |
| Pregnant Women | 2900 Milligrams |
| Breastfeeding Women | 2800 Milligrams |
| Breastfeeding Teens | 2500 Milligrams |
Top 5 High Potassium Foods To Include In Your Daily Diet
As our body cannot produce potassium naturally, it is important to incorporate foods rich in this essential mineral into your routine diet. Here are the common five high potassium foods.
1. Dates
Dates are a great source of potassium, which is an electrolyte your body needs for a healthy heart. 100 grams of dates can deliver about 19 per cent of your daily requirement. Dates can be consumed dried or fresh, much like raisins. You can also add them to many savoury or sweet dishes. Sliced, or chopped dates are a great addition to salads. Consuming dates can be an easy way for you to add a new fruit to your daily diet.
2. Fish
Surprise, Surprise: Widely known to be a superior source of omega 3 fatty acids, fish provides a great deal of potassium as well. When heading to the market, be sure to look out for popular fish like tuna, trout, cod and snapper as they can take you to great health. Eating more fish is not hard. There are several easiest ways to start introducing fish to your meal plan. Add fish to a sandwich or salad. Try swapping meat or chicken with fish occasionally.
3. Green Leafy Vegetables
Green leafy veggies rock the potassium world. It is always recommended for heart patients to add green leafy veggies to their diet as they are excellent sources of potassium, and dietary fibre and are low in calories. One cup of cooked Popeye’s favorite veggie, spinach, can provide 24 per cent of the daily value of potassium. Adding a handful of fresh spinach into fruit-based smoothies is another easiest way to get a healthy dose of leafy green. You can also toss some spinach into your evening soup.
4. White Beans
While white beans might not be the first thing to come to mind, they are good options when it comes to potassium. Besides, they are loaded with magnesium, folate and iron. A bowl of white beans gives you 3636 milligrams of potassium. White beans can be incorporated into your evening veggie soup.
5. Orange
Yes, you read it right! This highly nutritious citrus food is widely known as a good source of vitamin C. Apart from vitamin C, oranges are packed with potassium, fibre and choline. One medium-sized orange contains 240 milligrams of potassium. There are many ways to enjoy these juicy fruits. Consuming oranges included in oatmeal is a good way to start your day.
The Bottom Line
When incorporating these five high potassium foods into your diet, make sure to cut back on your salt intake as well. For more health-related blogs, stay tuned to https://www.healthsaverguide.com.au/.
It is very important to have a good amount of potassium as well as other nutrients in the body. We don’t take potassium seriously but it is very imp.