79 Foods Rich In Potassium

About Potassium

Potassium is a mineral that is classed as an electrolyte rather than a nutrient; this means that it plays an important role in regulating the electrical activity in the body, particularly the heartbeat. It is also very important in ensuring that muscles contract properly and at the correct times.

Because potassium is an electrolyte and, therefore, water soluble it is usually excreted by the kidneys in urine, but is also lost through sweating, diarrhoea and vomiting.

The human body tends to have about 120g of potassium locked away, with around 98% of it stored in our cells; indeed, potassium is the main positively charged ion that is found within our cells, with the remainder being in our blood serum, red blood cells and other parts of the body.

When doctors want to assess the levels of potassium in a person’s diet, they usually test the levels found in the red blood cells since these are often the best indicators of potassium levels.

A deficiency of potassium is referred to as hypokalaemia and having too much potassium in the bloodstream is referred to as hyperkalaemia. Both of these conditions can have serious side effects, therefore it is sensible to ensure that a balance is maintained by eating a rich and varied diet.

Why Is Potassium Important?

Potassium is one of the most commonly prescribed supplements by medical professionals because low potassium levels, or hypokalaemia, can cause a number of health problems and is far more common than high potassium levels, or hyperkalaemia.

The importance of potassium in the diet is highlighted by such problems and with that in mind we will examine some of the most common conditions associated with not having enough potassium in the diet.

Understandably, the most important function of potassium is to prevent hypokalaemia occurring at all. Despite the fact that this condition is caused by low potassium levels, it is not usually caused by a lack of potassium in the diet but is actually the result of too much potassium being excreted in the first place.

Common causes include taking diuretic medications or consuming too much salt and alcohol, all of which encourage more frequent urination and sweating; this in turn increases potassium excretion. Hypokalaemia is also a risk after a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea.

Research in to how the diet affects bone health is plentiful and studies in to how potassium specifically affects bone quality are also beginning to gain momentum as researchers begin to understand the importance of this mineral.

Notably, in 2008, a study reviewed all of the research that was available at the time and concluded that a diet rich in potassium  may well help reduce bone turnover, which is the rate at which bone is lost; however, they appreciated that more research in this area needed to be conducted.

In 2012, another study showed that supplementation with potassium citrate helped to repair the damage caused by treatment received by kidney transplant patients, particularly the increased acidity levels which resulted in damage to muscle and bone quality.

People who have high levels of potassium in their diet are far less likely to suffer a stroke than those who don’t. Indeed, a 2014 study by the American Heart Association found that women who had diets with high levels of dietary potassium had a much lower risk of experiencing a stroke than those who had low levels of dietary potassium, even if they had high blood pressure. That said, those who had high levels of dietary potassium, but low blood pressure were far less likely to experience a stroke than their counterparts who had high levels of dietary potassium, but high blood pressure.

Continuing with the topic of high blood pressure, it is understood, thanks to a recent study, that a diet that is high in sodium, or salt, but deficient in potassium increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. Therefore, it seems prudent that lowering salt intakes and ensuring that adequate potassium is being consumed is the best method for helping to prevent the development of high blood pressure, alongside other sensible lifestyle choices.

Recommended Intakes

At present, the recommended daily allowance is based upon what nutritionists believe to be an adequate intake of potassium each day to ensure that the body can work efficiently and correctly. So the following recommended allowances are established to enable us to ensure that we get enough potassium in the diet without consuming dangerously high levels. Always speak to a doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

Babies under a year old have significantly lower potassium requirements than older children, with those under six months requiring around 400mg/0.4g a day and those aged seven to twelve months requiring roughly 700mg/0.7g a day.

Under the age of nine years old, the recommended daily allowance of potassium for boys and girls is the same, with children aged between one and three years needing around 2,000mg/2g a day and children between the ages of four and eight years old needing around 2,300mg/2.3g a day.

Boys aged nine to thirteen years of age should be getting 3,000mg/3g of potassium a day, whilst girls should be getting 2,500mg/2.5g a day; boys aged fourteen to eighteen years of age need roughly 3,600mg/3.6g a day and girls need about 2,600mg/2.6g.

As adults, men generally need about 3,800mg/3.8g of potassium a day and women need 2,800mg/2.8g; however, during lactation women’s needs increase to 3,200mg/3.2g a day, but remain the same during pregnancy.

Deficiency

Thankfully, ensuring that you have enough potassium in your diet is relatively easy since most foods contain potassium, although some are obviously richer in potassium than others. That said, there are groups of people who are at risk of developing deficiencies in potassium and they include:

• The Elderly– older adults are more likely to develop health conditions that mean they to need to take medications that can affect the body’s ability to properly absorb potassium. They are also more likely to suffer from illnesses that cause diarrhoea and vomiting which results in more potassium being lost than is normal.
• Alcohol Dependent People – consuming too much alcohol greatly affects the body’s ability to absorb potassium effectively because it encourages us to urinate more frequently, as well as making us more likely to make poor diet choices and choose foods that are high in salt, sugar and caffeine, all of which affect potassium absorption and excretion.
• People On Diuretic Medication – people on diuretic medications are more likely to urinate or sweat, which, as explained above, increases the amounts of potassium lost from the body.
• People Consuming Poor Diets – the average diet tends to contain far more sodium, or salt, than is good for us, this in turn can have an adverse effect on potassium levels because sodium encourages urination which increases potassium loss. A healthy, balanced diet that is low in salt, caffeine and sugar, whilst being high in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and fish is the most ideal solution to preventing low potassium through poor diet.

Early signs of a potassium deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, dry skin and slow reflexes. If not corrected, these symptoms can develop into a more serious problem. Signs of a more serious deficiency including insomnia, irregular heartbeat and nervous disorders. In the most extreme cases, potassium deficiency can lead to bone fragility, a decreased heart rhythm, problems with the central nervous system and even death.

Risks And Warnings

Toxicity can occur from consuming too much potassium, usually in the form of supplements, therefore taking potassium supplements should only ever be done under the direction of a medical professional and, generally speaking, should never be given to infants under the age of twelve months.

Anyone suffering with kidney disease should not take potassium supplements because their kidneys are not in a position to effectively eliminate excess potassium from the body, which in turn can lead to a dangerous build-up of potassium.

It is important to recognise that the symptoms of hyperkalaemia include fatigue, muscle weakness, breathing problems, nausea and an irregular heartbeat and if you experience any of these, consult your doctor right away.