Potassium is an important mineral produced in the body that helps regulate a variety of body functions including muscle control, heart function, intestinal functions, and even tasks of the nervous system. One function especially pertinent to a large population of the American public that potassium helps to maintain is blood pressure. Hypertension is a health condition that Americans are particularly susceptible to due to high levels of stress as well as excessive amounts of sodium in most foods. Studies have revealed that a diet full of potassium rich foods can play a key role in reducing high amounts of sodium in the body and thus keep blood pressure in check.
Insufficient levels of potassium result in hypokalemia, a condition whose symptoms include fatigue, muscle cramps, heart irregularities, constipation, and hypertension. Those who suffer from a severe lack of potassium often require potassium supplements. But to prevent yourself from reaching this point, you simply need add a few potassium rich foods to your diet. It is always more beneficial to naturally correct potassium levels by adjusting your diet accordingly.
Making this dietary change is not difficult since there are so many healthy foods that contain high amounts of potassium. Fruits high in potassium make great snacks. Foods like bananas, oranges, kiwi, melons, dried dates, prunes, and raisins are easy to pack in your lunch for a midday boost of potassium. Peanuts, sunflower seeds, and yogurt are also potassium rich snacks you might fill up on in between meals. Prune juice, milk, and orange juice are beverages full of potassium you can opt for.
It is easy to keep your dinners interesting by changing up the potassium rich foods in your recipes. Tuna, salmon, chicken, and beans are full of potassium and can easily be incorporated into your menu. Vegetables you can serve as sides might include potatoes, spinach, broccoli, squash, and zucchini. You can also add avocadoes and tomatoes to your salads for extra potassium. You will find an unlimited supply of recipes for each of these foods online. A few flavorful spices and a little know-how may introduce you to tasty new favorite potassium rich foods you never knew you loved. Spend an afternoon searching and printing off these recipes to add to your cookbook, then incorporate them into your dinners. These dishes, in addition to some potassium rich fruit in the morning and snacks in the afternoon, will keep your body functions healthy and balanced.