Potassium is the third, most important metal in the human body. He plays a dominant role in our health, as he is responsible for regulating blood pressure, as well as the activity of the muscular and nervous systems.
For the balance of potassium in the body meet the kidneys - through them, its excess is output outside. For this reason, people with kidney disease should not include in their diet foods containing potassium in large quantities.
The lack of potassium in the body is quite rare, as potassium is found in the foods that we usually consume daily (orange juice, bananas, spinach, beans, lentils, yogurt, low-fat milk, salmon).
The lack of potassium in the body can be provoked by the following factors:
- excessive diarrhea;
- uncontrolled diabetes;
- diets too low in calories (less than 800 calories a day);
- chronic alcoholism;
- excessive sports loads;
- long-term use of diuretics and laxatives.
Some of the main symptoms of potassium deficiency in the body are the following:
- a feeling of fatigue and atony in the muscles;
- cardiac arrhythmia;
- severe headaches;
- sweating;
- muscle spasms;
- tremor.
The average daily requirement of an adult in potassium is approximately 2,000 mg per day. Such quantity of potassium we find in the following food products: in 4 bananas, or in 5 tomatoes, or in 4 potatoes.
Foods rich in potassium are especially needed for athletes - in order to cover the loss of muscle mass and potassium, which during intense training is eliminated from the body by sweat.
Many call the cause of high-pressure food containing a large amount of sodium (salt). However, most people do not know that excessive infatuation with food that does not contain potassium can also cause an increase in pressure. The antihypertensive properties of potassium are that it helps to remove sodium salts from the body. In addition, potassium dilates the blood vessels, thereby helping the good work of the heart.
Another important property of potassium is its participation in the brain. Potassium channels in the brain play a dominant role in the processes of memory and learning. Some studies have shown a reduced likelihood of strokes in those people who consume a lot of food that contains potassium. In diabetics, lack of potassium in food can lower blood glucose levels, triggering hypoglycemia.
Some believe that potassium has sedative properties, because it stimulates the body after the stress. Potassium is involved in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, contributing to the cleavage of these nutrients. In addition, potassium is responsible for muscle contraction.
If the potassium contained in foodstuffs enters the body in excessive amounts, its surpluses will give rise to the following problems:
- violation of the heart;
- impaired renal function;
- development of urolithiasis;
- paralysis of the extremities (in especially severe cases).
How much potassium is contained in various foods, you can find out from the following table (mg / 100 g):
- milk in powder fat-free - 1650;
- cocoa powder - 1300;
- milk powder in solid - 1270;
- products from bran - 1070;
- beans - 850;
- nuts salted - 680;
- spinach boiled - 490;
- unsalted nuts - 470;
- garlic - 373;
- Smoked fish - 360;
- bananas - 350;
- boiled potatoes - 330;
- liver fried - 300;
- mature tomatoes - 290;
- leeks boiled - 280;
- a fig - 270;
- sink - 260;
- black cabbage raw - 240;
- lettuce raw - 240;
- sweet green pepper - 210;
- oranges - 200;
- sausages - 190;
- salami - 160;
- sandwich melted cheeses - 150;
- yoghurt wrung out - 150;
- fresh whole milk - 150;
- canned meat - 140;
- onions - 140;
- a lemon (juice) - 140;
- white crackers - 130;
- pears - 130;
- biscuit type crackers - 120;
- watermelons - 120;
- apples - 120;
- corn flakes - 99;
- brynza - 70;
- butter, salted - 15;
- salted margarine - 5.
Include potassium in your diet! Foods with potassium are common and available at prices. Do not forget that potassium balances the high sodium content in the body and can protect your blood vessels - and hence the heart.