Introduction
Potassium is one of the most vital micronutrients that contribute to the overall nutrition you need every day. Aside from balancing the electrolytes in your body, it also helps ensure that you have the right pH levels. Aside from these, the mineral improves your hydration, working alongside sodium at the cellular level so that all your cells function properly.
A person with hypokalemia or low in potassium usually experiences headaches and dehydration. On top of that, it may also cause migraines and heart palpitations. The recommended average consumption of potassium daily is 4700 milligrams. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to follow this since most foods you eat are naturally abundant with potassium.
With that in mind, here are 10 potassium-rich foods you must include in your diet.
Avocados
Aside from packing in good fats, avocados are a great source of potassium. In fact, the potassium content of one avocado is about 975 mg. So that’s already 20% of what your body needs in a day. Hence, it’s a good fruit to eat if you’re suffering from metabolic syndromes.
Additionally, avocados are rich in other vitamins and minerals. These include folate, niacin, riboflavin, as well as vitamins B6, C, E, and K. And the best thing about this creamy fruit is that you can easily incorporate it in a lot of your favorite meals.
Sweet Potatoes
Similar to avocados, the popularity of sweet potatoes has increased over the years. It is usually used as an alternative to regular red or white potatoes because of its low-calorie content. Likewise, its glycemic index is more moderate. So if you have pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome, this is a great veggie to snack on.
Furthermore, you can also find plenty of potassium in this root vegetable. Consuming a one serving of baked sweet potato can give you around 500mg. Plus, the sweet side dish also contains vitamins A and C, and manganese.
Spinach
No doubt, spinach is one of the most nutritious among leafy vegetables out there. It is naturally abundant with plenty of essential minerals you need. Eating a cup of raw spinach can provide you with 167 mg of potassium. Meanwhile, you can get over 800 mg in one cup of cooked spinach.
What’s more, this green wonder of a vegetable boasts 100% of vitamin K’s DRI. It’s also a great source of non-heme iron. Studies even back the anticancer and anti-inflammatory compounds that spinach offers.
Broccoli
There are many reasons why broccoli is known as a superfood. This vegetable is one of the best potassium sources around. A heaping serving of broccoli carries 450 mg of potassium. So basically, that’s already around 10% of the daily recommendation for your 2000 calorie diet.
Also, eating this fibrous vegetable can help reduce the level of your blood sugar and help regulate metabolic syndrome. But it doesn’t stop there as broccoli is a fantastic source of folate and vitamin K as well. Whether you eat the cruciferous veggie raw, steamed, or baked, it will still provide you with a lot of nutritional benefits.
Salmon
Salmon is not only high in protein but potassium as well. This fish contains a lot of other essential nutrients that play a significant role in a healthy diet. One of the most prevalent is Omega-3 fatty acids, which is necessary to keep your brain healthy. This works alongside potassium to support cognitive health.
Consuming a three-ounce serving of salmon can provide you with around 534 mg of potassium. If you’re suffering from depression, having the right level of potassium and Omega 3s can help ease some of its symptoms. Aside from that, it can also sharpen while your mind, while improving your concentration. Even more, incorporating salmon to your diet can also help lower your blood pressure. Likewise, it can soothe eczema and even counteract some signs of ADHD.
Fresh or Dried Apricots
Because of the concentrated character of dried apricots, it’s one of the best ways to provide you with an instant potassium boost. Half a cup of dried apricot holds around 750 mg of potassium. On the other hand, you can benefit from the 400 mg of potassium that a cup of the fresh, tangy fruit provides.
But apricots also offer other nutritional perks. On top of that is that it contains vitamin A that supports eye health. There’s also fiber to help improve your digestion. Moreover, its oxidant count is pretty high. This means that it can lessen the oxidative stress present on your body.
Grapefruit
An entire grapefruit contains over 300 mg of potassium. Your immune system can also benefit from its high vitamin C content. Grapefruit also has a good amount of fiber, making it a good choice if you’re trying to cut down on your calorie intake. Additionally, studies suggest that the citrus fruit can lower the levels of fasting serum. This means that it may support the prevention of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.
Acorn Squash
This type of squash has an acorn shape, a dark green color, and a little harder than others of its kind. And similar to most gourds, it has mild and sweet-tasting flesh that’s rich in potassium.
If you’re on a strict 2000-calorie diet, you can get about 10% or 450 mg of the potassium your diet requires. Moreover, acorn squash is high in antioxidants. Combining this with potassium can promote cell repair. Aside from baking, you can cube and roast or stew the vegetable and serve it as an entree or side dish.
White Beans
White beans are rich in both dietary fiber and potassium. Also called cannellini beans, a single cup of it can provide you with as much as 1000 mg of the mineral. That’s the highest concentration you can find on any food. However, boiling the low-glycemic legume will drop the amount a little. The nutritional profile of this bean is pretty impressive. It has magnesium, antioxidants, and can even inhibit the storage of energy as fat.
Bananas
Of course, this list of foods rich in potassium will not be complete without bananas. Even if this fruit contains less than the amount of the mineral in some of the foods on the list, it is one of the most popular in terms of potassium-rich foods. But aside from this, bananas have other nutritional value under its belt. Some of the most common are manganese and vitamin B6, which are essential for repairing your cells. On top of that, the travel-friendly fruit aids muscle recovery after doing any activity along with balancing water retention.
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