The Facts About Potassium
The Facts About Potassium
Potassium is an important mineral that the body needs to assist with
muscle activity and in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in body
cells. Potassium is also important in sending nerve impulses as well as
releasing energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates during metabolism.
The adult body needs 2,000 mg of potassium on a daily basis. It can be
obtained from breads, cereals and other grain products. Fruits such as
apricots, banana, cantaloupe, grapefruit, and honeydew melon are
excellent sources. In vegetables, aim for asparagus, cauliflower,
mushrooms, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach and tomatoes.
Meat, poultry, fish and milk products also contain satisfactory amounts of
potassium.
To get the most potassium from cooked foods, lessen the water while
cooking. It also helps to shorten the cooking duration as much as you
can.
Potassium Deficiency
Hypokalemia is a disease characterized by insufficient consumption of
potassium, or by excessive loss of the mineral in the body as a result of
diarrhea or vomiting. But certain medications can also accelerate the
removal of potassium from the body such as loop diuretics and various
laxatives.
In these instances, the doctor usually recommends changes in the
patient's diet such as taking big amounts of bananas which are
potassium-rich or taking a supplement. Take note, severe abnormalities in
potassium levels can seriously disrupt cardiac function, which can
cause cardiac arrest!