The benefits of potassium! Potassium is an element that contributes to tons of benefits towards the body. It can help lower sodium levels, help you avoid muscle tension, and even lower your blood pressure! Although potassium is in many foods, it is said that many people don’t get as much potassium as they need for each day – however it is also possible to have too much, in case of certain conditions. The required amount would be 4.7 grams every day, but if you’re a training athlete, you might need a little more more. Many people know that bananas are a great source of potassium, but there are many great potassium sources out there. Spinach, Cooked Although the “Popeye” tale about spinach being super-rich in iron was a famous scientific mistake, our lovable spinach-eater actually wasn’t fooling when he said his favourite snack could make him strong. Since potassium helps keep muscles from cramping by lowering lactic acid, it’s no wonder why this vegetable is in top athletes’ diets. A single cup of cooked spinach has a whopping 839 mg of potassium. Not only that, spinach is jam packed with antioxidants that can help combat different kinds of cancer such as ovarian and prostate. By just having a cup of spinach added into your diet each day, you’ll be giving your whole body a treat. White Beans, cooked All beans in general have great potassium content, but white beans have an especially high number per cup, plus there are tons of delicious ways to cook them. White beans, per cooked cup, contain 1004 mg of potassium. White beans are also a great substitute as they are high in protein and also do not increase your blood sugar level, meaning you will get fewer cravings and also lowers your risk for heart disease. So cook up some of these in a vegetable stew or nice soup and chomp away to a healthier diet. Avocado This miracle fruit isn’t just something we put in our guacamole anymore. Avocado is one of the most vitamin rich fruits, and it is also full of potassium. Eating one whole avocado will give you 975 mg of potassium, almost twice as much as a banana. Some health experts suggest ingesting one avocado a day for the best benefits. With that, you will also gain defense against oral cancers and strokes. Tomato Sauce Believe it or not, tomato sauce is actually a great source of potassium. Mix it in with your favourite low fat pasta and you’ll be getting 909 mg with every cup. Be careful, however. Use your smart shopper skills and check the label. If you see an alarmingly high amount of sodium or sugars, don’t buy it. Pick those that are almost purely tomato sauce and combine it with a good low fat pasta noodle. By picking the right kind of tomato sauce, you’ll not only get potassium but Vitamins A and C plus lycopene, which is a great antioxidant. Better still – use fresh tomatoes and make your own! Baked Potato When you hear the word ‘potato,’ you might be reminded that it isn’t the healthiest food out there. But that’s only when you cook it in such a way that other factors like oil or salt is added in. The baked potato, however, has lots of surprising health benefits, and one is its potassium content. One whole baked potato has 925 mg of potassium, and if you enjoy its cousin, the sweet potato, that’ll give you 694 mg. The potato may be considered as “The Devil’s Food” by some, but with the right cooking (i.e baking), the potato can provide not just potassium but also fibre and a way to lower cholesterol. Banana Of course we couldn’t have this list without the banana. Probably the biggest reason why bananas are regarded as the most popular source of potassium is that it’s very accessible and tasty. Bananas are a very versatile fruit as well so you can put them in a healthy shake, cook them, or just eat them on their own. You’ll also get great heart and hair benefits from bananas to. Milk An 8 ounce glass of milk has 322 mg of potassium plus a lot of other great vitamins and of course, calcium. If you think that whole milk isn’t a good option, especially if you’re on a diet, note that 1% milk will still give you the benefits you need, without the extra calories. Mark
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 06:24:45 +0000
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