What foods have more potassium than bananas?

Potassium – why do you need it and what foods can you eat to be sure you are getting enough of this important mineral?  Most of the students in the classes I teach know we should all be cutting back on the amount of sodium in our diets.  But most students don’t know we should also focus on increasing the amount of potassium in our diets.  Why do we need potassium and why is it so important to good health?

Why is potassium important to our health?  

      1.  Blood Pressure, heart disease -  Maxine Yeung, a Registered Dietitian who founded The Wellness Whisk states, “Potassium is an electrolyte that helps with nerve and muscle function in the body.  And, “Potassium also helps regulate heart and blood pressure by counterbalancing sodium.”  Low intake of potassium is related to high blood pressure, while an increase in potassium helps counteract the effects of sodium and helps keep our blood pressure normal. 

One study found that people who consumed 4,069 mg of potassium a day had a “49% lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed 1,000 mg per day.”

2.  Muscle mass – as people age, they can lose some of their muscle.  Eating enough protein is important but researchers have found potassium is also important.  An NIH study found, “Higher intake of foods rich in potassium, such as fruits and vegetables, may favor the preservation of muscle mass in older men and women.”  Another reason for everyone, including older adults to focus on at least “5 A DAY”, five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. 

3. Bones – most people know we need calcium for strong bones, but we also need potassium.  For those who have broken a bone, having enough potassium n your diet can help rebuild your bone.  How does potassium help your bones heal?  Potassium helps your body retain calcium, which is important in bone healing. 

How much potassium do you need every day?

Men need 3400 mg of potassium and day and women need 2600 mg of potassium a day.  More is OK.  We aren’t trying to limit potassium in our diets.  Get your daily potassium from food, not supplements. 

What foods are high in potassium?

Think fruits and vegetables.  So many people have started gardens this spring and summer.  Good thing, as fruits and vegetables can add a lot of potassium to your day.  No garden?  Think Farmer’s Markets and choose some fresh fruit and vegetables.  Pick up some fresh asparagus and some tomatoes.  Add some fresh tomatoes to a salad or enjoy a BLT.   Not a fan of fresh tomatoes?  Then try some salsa or add more spaghetti sauce to your spaghetti noodles.  Dried fruit provides a lot of potassium.  Bring a small box of raisins with you for a snack or add some raisins to your cereal.  Enjoy that baked potato that many people malign.  Potatoes are loaded with potassium.  I eat a banana every day for breakfast and add raisins to my cereal.  And I am a BIG fan of baked potatoes.  There are so many ways to add some potassium to your day. 

It may surprise you to know real milk and real yogurt are good sources of potassium.    And choose real food.  Real, 100% Orange Juice provides potassium.  SunnyD provides no potassium as it is not real juice.  Surprisingly, even a cup of coffee can add some potassium to your day.

Enjoy some raisins as a snack.

NIH provides a great list of foods rich in potassium. 

Food	Potassium, Milligrams per serving
Apricots, dried, ½ cup	1,101
Raisins, ½ cup	618
Potato, baked	610
Orange Juice, 1 cup	496
Banana - medium	422
Real Milk, 1%, 1 cup	366
Real Yogurt, 6 ounces	330
Tomato, raw, 1 medium	292
Asparagus, cooked, ½ cup	202
Cashew nuts, 1 ounce	187
Coffee, 1 cup brewed	116

This week, add some fresh fruit and veggies to your day.  While enjoying those finds from the Farmer’s Market or from your own garden, you will be adding potassium to your day.

Sources:  Dietitian, pressure,  study , day , found , bones , broken , need, SunnyD , list     Image Sources:  foods , Raisins   , Health