Potassium Rich Foods

What is Potassium

Potassium is a mineral that helps maintain the normal function of the heart and nervous system. Potassium helps to maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, helps transmit nerve impulses, helps regulate blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke, helps maintain a regular heartbeat, and helps prevent muscle cramps.

How Much Potassium Do I Need?

Adults need to have 4700mg per day. This is for average adults and not for those with medical condition that can change this. Spme people with certain medical concictions will need more and there will need less.

Who Needs More?

Some people with heart failure need to eat foods high in potassium. Why? Because, diuretics and other commonly prescribed medications to get rid of excess fluid can cause potassium loss.

Who Needs Less?

People who have kidney problems or take certain other medications may risk having potassium build up in their systems. And too much potassium can be just as harmful as too little.

Excess Potassium

Excess potassium can trigger a heart attack and result in death. Getting too much from your diet is very unlikely. But it you did you would vomit it up. It is more likely that you would suffer from a deficency of it.

Ways to Increase Potassium in Your Diet

• Add banana and strawberries to your cereal.
• Have a glass of milk or citrus juice with breakfast.
• Add some tomatoes, beans or peas to your salad.
• Have some raisins, prunes, apricots as a snack.

Food Sources of Potassium