Health benefits of Potassium
December 11th 2007 21:30
Potassium is an essential mineral required for regulating water balance, levels of acidity, blood pressure and also goes hand in hand with fitness as it assists muscle contraction and heartbeat.
A diet that contains sufficient amounts of potassium may also reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke while soothing feelings of anxiety, irritability and stress.
Potassium is found in a variety of dietary sources and they are:
- bananas
- broccoli
- chicken
- citrus fruits (i.e. oranges)
- dried fruits
- fish (salmon)
- leafy green vegetables, i.e. broccoli)
- legumes (beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts)
- potatoes with skins
- tomatoes
Many nutrition experts suggest the daily potassium requirement for men and women to be between 2000-3500 mg. While you may think that a healthy and balanced diet should yield 2000-3500 mg, especially considering the extensive list of dietary sources above, the fact is that many of us don't get the amount we need.
Unfortunately, most of this mineral is lost when the food is cooked so unless you eat only raw, fresh foods, you probably aren't getting adequate amounts.
Thankfully, over the counter potassium supplements are quite easy to come by and can be found at your local chemist. For example, potassium gluconate capsules typically contains 99mg of potassium.
In terms of dosage, it is always best to consult your doctor or healthcare professional to determine how much potassium is suitable for you on top of your existing dietary requirements.
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