Better Nutrition June 2020

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Potassium is an essential mineral that
many Americans don’t get enough of,
yet it’s vital for healthy blood pressure;
proper function of the heart, kidneys,
muscles, and nerves; and for normal
metabolism of carbohydrates and protein.
Until recently, not all experts viewed
lack of potassium as a problem. But
when new food labels were introduced
in January 2020, listing of potassium
18 • JUNE 2020
guide to cutting-edge supplements
Potassium:
How to Get Enough
Most diets are sadly lacking in this key mineral,
but luckily that’s an easy problem to fix
BY VERA TWEED
content became a requirement because
government dietary surveys have found
that Americans generally don’t get
enough of this mineral.
Processed foods are a major contributor
to the problem, as they are generally
high in sodium and contain little or no
potassium. The ratio in healthy foods is
tipped in the opposite direction—fruits
and vegetables contain much more
potassium, with little or no sodium. In
the long-gone days of hunter-gatherers,
it’s estimated that the paleolithic diet
contained 16 times as much potassium
as sodium.
This ratio is important because
potassium and sodium work together.
When there’s enough potassium, excess
sodium is more easily excreted, helping
to maintain healthy blood pressure
and to avoid the perils of hypertension,
including heart disease and stroke.
How to Get Enough Potassium
Vegetables, fruit, beans, and fish are
all rich dietary sources of potassium.
Here’s an example of a meal that will
deliver more than 2,200 mg of potassium,
or almost half of the daily recommended
amount:
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1 medium baked potato with skin:
941 mg
3 oz. wild Atlantic salmon: 534 mg
½ cup cooked spinach: 370–419 mg
¼ medium cantaloupe for dessert:
368 mg
SOME OTHER RICH SOURCES INCLUDE:
1 cup of prune, carrot, or passion
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fruit juice: about 700 mg
½ cup freshly cooked beet greens:
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654 mg
½ cup adzuki or white beans:
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about 600 mg
1 cup of coconut water: about 600 mg
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1 medium baked sweet potato: 542 mg
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1 cup fresh orange juice or canned
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tomato juice: about 500 mg
1 medium banana: 422 mg
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½ cup avocado: 364 mg
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Photo: adobestock.com