What Are Potassium-Rich Fruits And Foods For Your Health? Let’s Find Out!

Hello readers! Do you ever feel numbness or muscle cramps followed by frequent sweating or urination? If yes, then it's time to work on your body, as these are not very good signals for your health, pointing towards potassium deficiency or hypokalemia.

Potassium is a key nutrient that works as an electrolyte and regulates muscle contraction and cell fluid regulation. However, a lack of enough potassium in the blood contributes to various disorders. 

Eating healthy and nutritious is the natural way to improve your potassium levels. So, in this blog, we will discuss the What are potassium-rich fruits and foods to include in your diet. We will also look for the causes and symptoms of potassium deficiency. Read on!

Table Of Contents

1. Why Do We Need Potassium?

2. What Are Potassium-Rich Fruits And Foods?

3. How Much Potassium Do You Need?

4. What Causes Potassium Deficiency?

5. Symptoms of Potassium Deficiency

6. The Final Say

7. FAQs

8. References

Why Do We Need Potassium?

Well, potassium is the key mineral our body requires to regulate various metabolic processes. It carries a tiny electric charge that activates cells and nerves and helps our body work properly. 

Moreover, it helps maintain normal blood pressure, transport nutrients into your cells, and manage nerve and muscle function. It comes under the category of essential nutrients and thus can only be obtained with foods or supplements to meet your recommended daily needs, also known as the Daily Value. 

Also read: Role Of Potassium In Blood Pressure

What Are Potassium-Rich Fruits And Foods?

Here are the top potassium-rich fruits and foods to improve your health naturally:

1. Fruits

When we talk about potassium-rich fruits, bananas often come to mind first. However, several other fruits have even higher levels of potassium than bananas. For instance, Durian, a popular fruit in Southeast Asia, offers an impressive 1,059 mg of potassium per cup, which is equivalent to 23% of the Daily Value (DV). Additionally, many other fruits are also good sources of potassium.

2. Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are another great choice for meeting your potassium requirement. These are the powerhouse of nutrients, and apart from potassium, they also contain vitamins and minerals. The best thing about them is that they have a longer shelf life and can be stored for months. Some dry fruits with their potassium content are:

Also Read: 10 Types Of High Fibre Foods In India

3. Leafy Greens 

Leafy greens are incredibly nutritious and beneficial for our health. Research has suggested that consuming a serving of leafy greens per day may help slow down age-related cognitive decline. These vegetables are low in calories and abundant in essential vitamins, minerals, and potassium.

4.  Soy Products

Soy products are a great source of potassium and can be easily incorporated into a plant-based diet. Moreover, these are also rich in plant proteins like calcium and magnesium. Some soy products include Soy milk, soybeans, tofu, edamame, and tempeh. Refer to the table to understand the potassium per serving of these products:

5. Beans

Beans are a great source of complex carbs and plant-based protein. White beans have twice as much potassium as a banana, and black beans provide 13% of the daily value in a single serving. Soaking dried beans overnight can reduce their phytate content, which is an antinutrient that may decrease mineral absorption. White and black beans are incredibly versatile and can be added to salads, burritos, and stews.

Also Read: French Beans: Source Of Nutrition For A Strong Body

6. Avocados

Avocados are a great source of healthy fats, vitamin K, and folate. They are also rich in potassium, with half an avocado providing 7% of your daily value. Eating a whole avocado means you will get almost 15% of your daily value. 

Avocados are low in sodium, making them a good choice for people with high blood pressure who need to increase their potassium and reduce their sodium intake.

7. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a highly nutritious alternative to white potatoes. They are packed with potassium, fibre, complex carbohydrates, and some protein. These root vegetables are also rich in vitamin A, essential for good vision. A single serving of sweet potatoes provides over 200% of the Daily Value of vitamin A. 

You can make a balanced and satisfying meal by pairing sweet potatoes with a protein source like beans or meat, some dark leafy greens or colourful vegetables, and some healthy fat.

8. Legumes

Legumes are a great source of potassium, which is essential for your body. They include beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts. For example, a 1-cup serving of lentils contains 15% of the daily value for potassium. Soaking lentils and chickpeas overnight can help reduce their phytate content. Sprouting them is also a good option.

9. Juice

Drinking 100% natural juice, either fruit or vegetable, can help you improve your potassium level in the blood. Moreover, they also provide you with essential vitamins and minerals that help to boost your immunity. You can include the following juices in your regular diet if you are dealing with potassium deficiency:

How Much Potassium Do You Need?

You can refer to the table for age-wise and gender-wise daily requirements for potassium:

Now the question is from where will you get this much potassium? Well, there are various foods and fruits that you can include in your diet to get enough potassium. Let us uncover them all one by one!

What Causes Potassium Deficiency?

There are the following factors that are responsible for decreasing the levels of potassium in the blood:

• Excessive loss of potassium due to frequent vomiting and diarrhoea

• Low magnesium levels in the blood Excessive sweating

• Frequent urination (diuretics)

• Chronic kidney disorder

• Excessive alcohol consumption

• Eating disorders (bulimia nervosa)

Symptoms of Potassium Deficiency

So far, we have understood the importance of potassium in our body now, let's learn what will happen if you fail to get the daily recommended amount of potassium. The low potassium levels in the blood are known as Hypokalemia and can be caused by disturbance in the digestive tract due to vomiting, diarrhoea or laxative use. Here are the symptoms of potassium deficiency:

• Fatigue

• Weakness

• Muscle cramps

• Heart palpitations

• Abnormal heart rhythm

• Tingling or numbness

• Constipation

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Mood changes

• Difficulty concentrating

• Excessive urination (polyuria).

• Excessive thirst (polydipsia).

The Final Say

Potassium is a vital nutrient that helps control the normal fluid levels in the cells, supporting normal blood pressure and helping muscles contract. The normal potassium range for an adult ranges between 2300 mg -3000mg. Due to some activities like frequent sweating, vomiting, diarrhoea or urination, this normal level of potassium gets disturbed and leads to its deficiency.

Including the best potassium-rich foods in your diet is the easiest way to compensate for your potassium loss. You can also follow the above guide to maintain mineral intake or consult your dietitian. For more health-related concerns, visit ToneOp!

FAQs

1. How much potassium is in a banana?

Banana is known for its potassium content, and by consuming 100 grams of banana, you can get around 358 mg of potassium.

2. How can I raise my potassium quickly?

To improve and raise your potassium levels, consume potassium-rich foods like: 

• Fruits: Banana, guava, jackfruit

• Vegetables: spinach, Amaranth leaves

• Beans: kidney beans, lima beans, white beans

• Juices: tomato juice, prune juice, carrot juice

• Soy products: soy milk, tofu

  
  

3. How can I check my potassium level at home?

You can check your potassium level by using urine test strips available in the market. Simply put a small drop of a urine sample on the strip and then compare the colour change to the provided chart.

4. How are Potassium and Health interrelated?

Potassium is one of the key indicators of good health. It controls the blood pressure levels and muscle contraction and maintains normal fluid levels in the cell.

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