For the heart and muscles. What to eat to get plenty of potassium

Potassium is an essential macronutrient that regulates the water-salt balance in the body and is involved in the functioning of glands, internal organs, blood vessels, and muscles. This element is excreted from the body in large quantities during active sweating, which means that its sufficient supply is a pressing issue for a person actively involved in sports.

The Importance of Potassium for an Athlete's Health

The most important functions of potassium, especially relevant for people involved in sports, are the following:

• Together with sodium, it maintains water-salt balance in the body.
• By stimulating the production of certain enzymes, it maintains the balance of acids, alkalis and salts in the body, removes excess fluid, thereby preventing edema.
• It is necessary for the normal functioning of the heart; if it is deficient, the myocardial cells swell and the contraction of the heart muscle is disrupted. With active physical activity, such a disruption of the organ’s functioning can lead to irreparable consequences.
• Participates in the conversion of glucose into energy; in case of its deficiency, muscles begin to lack energy and contract worse.
• Ensures the unhindered passage of nerve impulses from organs and tissues to the brain and back.
• Provides oxygen supply to the brain.
• Helps the body remove toxins.
• Responsible for a person’s physical endurance, as it reduces fatigue.

Features of potassium absorption by the body

The following features of potassium absorption by the body should be taken into account:

• It is important to maintain an optimal balance of sodium and potassium. Excessive intake of potassium into the body leads to sodium leaching. If there is a lack of potassium, the body tends to replace it with sodium, which cannot perform all the functions of potassium.
• Potassium is poorly absorbed by the body if there is a lack of magnesium.
• Vitamin B6 accelerates the absorption of potassium.
• Caffeine, alcohol, excessive consumption of sweets, stress, heavy diets inhibit the absorption of potassium.

Potassium intake rate

The average recommended dosage of potassium intake into the body for people over 18 years of age is 2 g. For people who have regular training, the potassium intake should be increased to 2.5-3 g. Athletes who are actively gaining muscle mass should have an average daily potassium intake of 4 -5 g.

Foods rich in potassium

Potassium is a common macronutrient in foods. Green tea and cocoa are richest in it. There is a lot of it in spinach and legumes. A storehouse of potassium is dried fruits and nuts. They are rich in fruits, mushrooms, vegetables, and grains. It is found in milk, cheeses, cottage cheese, and liver.

Products	Potassium content, g per 100 g of product
Green tea	2,5
Cocoa powder	1,7
Fresh spinach	0,8
Legumes:
Beans	0,8
Peas	0,7
Green pea	0,3
Nuts:
Almond	0,8
Hazelnut	0,7
Peanut	0,65
Pine nuts	0,6
Sunflower seeds	0,6
Walnut	0,5
Dried fruits:
Dried apricots	1,8
Prunes	0,9
Raisin	0,9
Mushrooms:
Chanterelles	0,56
Porcini mushrooms	0,45
boletus	0,4
Vegetables:
Potato	0,55
Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi	0,37
Tomatoes	0,3
Beet	0,3
Garlic	0,28
Carrot	0,2
White cabbage	0,19
Fruits, berries:
Avocado	0,45
Peaches	0,4
Banana	0,35-0,4
Apricots	0,3
Apples	0,28-0,3
Grape	0,26
Persimmons, tangerines, grapefruit, oranges	0,2
Kalina	0,2
Cranberry	0,19
Cereals:
Buckwheat	0,38
Oat groats	0,36
Wheat groats	0,2
Barley grits	0,2
Pearl barley	0,18
Animal products
Meat	0,15
Liver	0,3
Dairy
Milk powder	1
Cheeses	0,7-1,3
Cottage cheese	0,1-0,15

To maximize the absorption of potassium from foods, you should follow certain recommendations:

• When cooking foods, up to 60% of potassium goes into water. If you do not plan to make soup, then it is better to eat the vegetables fresh or steam them.
• It is better not to cook the cereals, but to pour boiling water over them - this way the taste of the cereals will be better revealed and all the potassium will remain in the product.
• Mushrooms, vegetables, and legumes should not be soaked in water before cooking.
• Beef liver must be stewed.

Almost 100% of potassium is absorbed from raw or steamed foods that contain pyroxidin (vitamin B6) together with potassium: bananas, potatoes, carrots, cabbage.

Vitamin and mineral complexes containing potassium

Manufacturers of vitamin and mineral complexes that are popular today include potassium in their products in small quantities (no more than 2% of the daily “sports” dosage). This is due to the fact that there are many foods rich in potassium, they are found everywhere and are affordable. A balanced diet is the main prevention of potassium deficiency.

The most common drug containing potassium is Panangin. It can be easily purchased at a pharmacy. You can also buy an even more affordable product - Asparkam. These two drugs are not very different from each other, only in price, but the doctor told me that Panangin is of higher quality. Anything is possible, because it is sold in a pack, inside of which there is a tightly closed bottle, and the tablets themselves are covered with a coating. Asparkam is sold in ordinary paper wafers, in the form of uncoated tablets; it’s up to you to decide which one is best to buy, or better yet, consult a doctor.

In case of severe potassium deficiency, dietary supplements are prescribed, such as Bio-potassium or Potassium Gluconate. As part of mineral complexes, potassium is necessarily present in combination with magnesium. You can use Basiko concentrate from Nahrin, Multi Mineral Caps from the American company Twinlab.

In complex sports vitamin and mineral supplements, potassium must be combined with magnesium and vitamin B6. Popular today: Animal Pak and Daily Sport from Universal Nutrition, Multivitamin For Men from BioTech, Orange Triad.

Since vitamins usually contain little potassium and it is excreted from the body through sweat, experts recommend replenishing the body's potassium reserves immediately after training with the help of special sports drinks. They will not only prevent you from quenching your thirst, but will also saturate your body with glucose and electrolytes (sodium and potassium). Popular: Carbo Load Drink from Squeezy, Defy Black from Nutrex, Hydrate@Perform from Isostar.

For people actively involved in sports, it is extremely important to eat a balanced diet and periodically consult with a doctor to select individual vitamin and/or mineral complexes, dietary supplements or drinks. Support your body from the outside with the necessary elements - it will be grateful!

The foods we consume are important for our body in their own way. They all contain different substances, each of which has a certain value for the body. And if there is a deficiency of at least one of these substances, the body malfunctions, and ailments begin, and then diseases.

One of these substances is potassium, the absence of which in the required quantity can lead to very unpleasant consequences.

Why does our body need potassium?

Why is potassium so important and what benefits does it bring to us?
Potassium performs one of the most important functions - it promotes the integrity of the walls of every living cell in our body. Sodium is also involved in this important function. (So ​​you shouldn't completely avoid eating salt, which is a source of sodium.)

In addition, potassium is involved in the metabolism of magnesium, which is one of the main substances for our heart.

Ensuring cellular balance by maintaining the required level of potassium in our body is the main prevention of diseases such as cancer, as well as heart disease - arrhythmia, cardiovascular failure.

It plays an equally important role in maintaining normal blood pressure. A lack of potassium leads to hypertension.

Increased fatigue, muscle spasms - all this is also a consequence of potassium deficiency in the body.

You see how important this trace element is for our health. And you can maintain its amount in the body without medications. To do this, you just need to regularly eat foods rich in potassium.

Vegetables containing potassium

The main record holders for potassium content among vegetables are spinach, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi cabbage. Cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, eggplants, green peas and radishes contain slightly less potassium.

Sweet peppers contain a lot of potassium. You can read more about the beneficial properties of bell pepper in this article.

Fruits and berries containing potassium

The most potassium is found in dried grapes (raisins), dried apricots, bananas, peaches and apples. Watermelons, melons, pears and strawberries contain slightly less potassium.

Interestingly, dried fruits contain significantly more potassium than fresh fruits. For example, fresh grapes contain only 255 mg of potassium per 100 g, and raisins - 1020 mg, which is almost five times more!

The same can be said about apricots. Dried apricots contain a very large amount of potassium - almost 2000 mg per 100 g.

For greater clarity, the main foods that contain the highest amount of potassium have been summarized in the table below.

The product's name	Amount of potassium per 100g of product, mg
Beverages
Cocoa powder
Coffee beans
Grape juice
Apple juice
Vegetables
Brussels sprouts
Kohlrabi cabbage
Tomatoes
Green onions
Green pea
Eggplant
Yellow carrots
Red carrots
White cabbage
bell pepper
Berries and fruits
Grape
Citrus
Garden strawberries
Dried fruits
Flour products
Wheat flour
Nuts
Pine nuts
Walnuts
Dairy
Roquefort cheese
Full-fat kefir
Acidophilus
Curdled milk
Russian cheese
Fat cottage cheese
Dutch cheese
Sour cream

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death across the globe. Lack of ecology as such, stress, crazy rhythm of life, constant haste and, of course, an unbalanced diet full of fast food and semi-finished products - all this contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases.

However, this list can be supplemented with one more important item: as it turns out, in the diet of most people there is an obvious lack of potassium and magnesium, and these two elements are responsible for the health and safety of the heart. In order to avoid this deficiency, we will now figure out which foods contain the most potassium and magnesium.

It turns out that it’s not at all difficult to provide yourself and your entire family with potassium-containing foods, just consume something from this list every day:

• lean meat;
• cereals: buckwheat, millet, oats;
• potatoes in skins;
• sprouted wheat;
• green peas, beans and soybeans;
• Champignon;
• carrots, beets, radishes, peppers, pumpkin, eggplants, cabbage, corn;
• watermelons and melons;
• cherries, apples, currants, cherries, kiwi, pears, avocados. blackberries, grapes;
• dates, dried apricots, raisins, prunes, figs;
• walnuts and hazelnuts.

The combination of potassium, calcium and magnesium in products is highly valued. This is exactly the set that hard cheeses can provide you with. As you can see, potassium can be found in most foods typical for our region. All that remains is to find out in what quantities we need it:

The norm for a healthy adult is 2 g per kilogram of weight. For pregnant women, the norm increases to 3g, and for children – 20 mg/kg.

We've dealt with products containing potassium, now it's time for magnesium:

• bananas, apricots, raspberries, strawberries, wild strawberries, peaches;
• white beans;
• sesame;
• potatoes, spinach;
• nuts;
• fatty sea fish;
• rabbit meat.

Both potassium and magnesium are found in meat and dairy products. For greater health benefits, we recommend that you still choose low-fat foods, as no amount of potassium will help remove all the fat from a lunch of fried, fatty pork.

Daily value of magnesium:

• children – 100 mg;
• teenagers – 100-200 mg;
• adults – 300 mg;
• pregnant women and women during lactation – 400-500 mg.

Foods that lower potassium and magnesium

If you consume a lot of coffee. strong tea, and also go too far with sweets, you can be sure that consuming potassium and magnesium in foods will not help you. The above-mentioned drinks reduce the level of all microelements. Pickles, alcohol and carbonated waters act in the same way.

Benefit

You probably already remember where potassium and magnesium are found. Now let’s take a closer look at their benefits.

Everyone knows that potassium and magnesium are microelements of the heart, let’s look at what processes they participate in:

• improve the elasticity of blood vessels;
• reduce blood viscosity, thereby protecting against blood clots;
• serve as an ideal prevention of the occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques;
• responsible for the speed of the heart impulse;
• participate in the supply of nutrients to the heart muscle;
• regulate metabolic processes.

Here is a partial list of their functions. Impressive?

If your diet does not contain sufficient amounts of potassium and magnesium, the myocardium begins to swell, it becomes more difficult for it to relax and contract, and its nutrition and oxygen supply also deteriorate. Don’t torture your body, it will thank you for every useful product. Avoid harmful foods, they will not lead to anything good, consume only fresh and healthy foods, and most importantly, take care of your heart in advance, then it may be too late.

The vital activity of the body is a series of continuous chemical processes, for the normal course of which, among other substances, potassium (K, Kalium) is required. When a deficiency of this element occurs, almost all body systems fail. Food is the main source of nutrients in the body, so you should approach the formation of your diet with all responsibility. What foods contain potassium? What is the importance of this element?

The average adult needs to consume 3,500 mg of potassium per day. This figure may change based on lifestyle, health, and age. For example, infants need only 400 mg per day, for children from one to three years the consumption increases to 1300 mg, and up to 14 years the norm is 3800 mg. During pregnancy you need to consume 4700 mg of the substance. Women who are breastfeeding have the greatest need for potassium. Their body should receive 5000 mg daily.

Effect on the body

Having imagined the human body as a complex system of chemical elements, it becomes clear that each of them is necessary to maintain balance. A person needs potassium in especially large quantities, because it is involved in almost all processes. The more you learn about the effects of a substance on the body, the easier it will be for you to regulate your diet.

Positive properties

There is no doubt that potassium is vital for humans. But healthy curiosity pushes us to learn more about the effects of a substance on the body. It is worth highlighting eight significant points regarding the benefits of potassium.

1. To normalize blood pressure. Potassium gives the walls of blood vessels elasticity, preventing them from clogging. People suffering from hypertension need to form a diet based on foods rich in this substance.
2. For kidney health. Maintaining a constant normal level of potassium prevents the formation of kidney stones. This is due to the fact that the substance fixes calcium in the bones, preventing it from being washed out.
3. For muscle work.
4. The element takes an active part in the process of converting glucose into energy resources necessary for physical activity. The mineral also gives muscle fibers elasticity and strength. This property is extremely important for the heart.
5. For the brain.
6. The mineral helps oxygenate brain cells. As a result, mental activity increases and the ability to remember information increases.
7. For skin. The substance normalizes the moisture balance in epidermal cells. As a result, the skin is protected from premature aging and external negative influences.
8. For hair. Prevents hair loss and improves the functional state of strands. For the nervous system.

Potassium helps accelerate the transmission of nerve impulses.

For digestion.

Acts as a catalyst for digestive processes and participates in the processing of carbohydrates.

• Potassium is vital for people suffering from diabetes. The mineral normalizes blood sugar levels. It also stimulates the production of insulin by the pancreas.
• Deficiency Symptoms
• Taking diuretics, excessive consumption of salty foods, excessive exercise, bad habits and many other factors lead to potassium deficiency. This condition is called hypokalemia. You can understand that your body is lacking this element by the following signs:
• lack of appetite, aversion to certain foods;
• constant feeling of fatigue and drowsiness;
• bowel dysfunction;
• depressed mood and apathy;
• frequent colds;
• feeling of dry mouth and constant thirst;
• peeling of the skin;
• wounds that do not heal for a long time;
• brittle nails;
• deterioration in hair quality.

Potassium deficiency is especially undesirable for women of reproductive age. A long-term lack of this mineral can lead to the inability to conceive a child, complications during pregnancy, and can also provoke a number of gynecological diseases.

What does excess lead to?

With frequent and uncontrolled intake of vitamin complexes and dietary supplements, the body can become oversaturated with potassium (hyperkalemia). 6000 mg is already a toxic dose, leading to severe illness. The problem can be identified by the following signs:

• low pressure;
• hyperhidrosis;
• swelling of the face and limbs;
• nervous tension and anxiety;
• increased urge to urinate;
• stomach ache.

Not only dietary supplements can cause excess potassium. If you eat potatoes or beans every day, chances are you'll also experience unpleasant symptoms.

What foods contain potassium?

Nature is designed in such a way that everything essential for human health is present in natural products. Indeed, our ancestors did not have pharmacies nearby, but they were much healthier and stronger than us. By including foods containing potassium in your menu, you will make your body more resilient.

Table

In order to maintain the concentration of potassium in the body at a normal level, it is not necessary to take any dietary supplements. It is enough to properly organize your diet, basing it on foods containing a lot of potassium. The table shows the key sources of this element.

Table - Products containing large quantities of potassium

Product	Kcal per 100 g	Amount of potassium, mg/100 g	Share of daily value, %
Cocoa powder	289	1525	32
Dried apricots	215	1512	31
White beans	102	1188	28
Pistachios	556	1043	22
Avocado	160	975	21
Sea kale	25	970	20
Prunes	231	912	19
Pumpkin seeds	556	788	17
Salmon	142	722	16
Raisin	263	649	16
Watermelon	27	641	15
Dates	292	636	14
Potato	192	534	13
Spinach	23	466	10
Champignon	27	450	10
Walnuts	654	441	9
Oatmeal	88	429	9
Brussels sprouts	36	389	8
Lentils	111	370	8
Bananas	96	358	8
Carrot	32	320	7
Broccoli	27	316	7
Beet	42	305	6
Apples	47	279	6
Grape	72	254	5
Tomatoes	20	237	5
Rye bread	165	208	4
Orange	43	198	3

Potassium works in tandem with sodium. The latter helps maintain balance by neutralizing excess potassium. For every three parts potassium there should be a part sodium.

What to include on the menu first

Foods high in potassium are mainly vegetables and fruits. If they make up at least a third of your daily menu, there is no need to worry about a lack of mineral in the body. In addition, they have many other beneficial properties. It is worth paying special attention to six foods rich in potassium.

1. Avocado. Essential for those who watch their figure. This hearty snack helps normalize and stabilize weight when consumed regularly. Before eating an avocado, it is recommended to sprinkle it with lemon juice.
2. Watermelon. Despite the fact that the berry is on the list of foods containing potassium, this is not its main value. It is a source of lycopene, which is necessary to maintain normal heart function. This substance also strengthens bones and prevents cancer.
3. Tomato. Another source of lycopene. The fruit is most useful when eaten fresh.
4. Beet. The value of this root vegetable is determined by the increased content of phytonutrients. They remove toxins and “extinguish” inflammatory processes in the body.
5. Potato. Almost half of the potassium contained in potatoes comes from their skin. Therefore, it is better to bake and boil this vegetable unpeeled.
6. Cocoa. To maintain normal potassium levels in the body, experts recommend drinking two cups of the drink per day.

If for some reason there is a violation of the diet, replenishing potassium reserves in the body is quite simple. Drink half a glass of water, after dissolving a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and honey in it.

How to get the most out of it

Vitamins and minerals vital for humans can lose their characteristics under the influence of internal and external factors. Therefore, even foods with the highest potassium content do not always help replenish the deficiency of the substance in the body. Health is a complex science, consisting of a million secrets and subtleties.

What prevents you from learning...

Potassium is characterized by high bioavailability. Almost 95% of the substance entering the body is absorbed through the small intestine. But in some cases the value of this indicator can decrease significantly. Here's what interferes with the absorption of the mineral:

• alcohol abuse and smoking;
• lack of vitamin B6 in the body;
• frequent use of laxatives;
• insufficient magnesium intake;
• taking hormonal medications;
• excessive coffee consumption;
• the presence of a large number of sweets in the diet;
• nervous tension;
• dietary ration.

... and what contributes

It is not enough to be able to cook delicious food. It is important that it does not lose its natural benefits. Five tricks will help make your food healthy and retain maximum potassium in it.

1. Eat raw foods. Heat treatment reduces the amount of useful components in products by at least a third. Whenever possible, try to consume plant foods in their natural form.
2. Shock treatment. Pour boiling water over cereals, vegetables and other products before cooking. This will preserve more nutrients than with gradual heating. And judging by the reviews, the taste reveals itself better.
3. Do not soak grains. It is enough to wash them well before cooking. Otherwise, the lion's share of potassium will simply go into the water.
4. Less water.
5. During cooking, there should be just enough water in the pan to cover the food, but no more. Steam and bake.

These food processing methods are optimal for preserving beneficial properties.

Potassium is one of the few minerals that is found in some amount in all foods. Therefore, a healthy person whose diet is dominated by high-quality food should not worry about a possible deficiency of the mineral in the body. If you feel unwell and are subject to constant physical, mental and emotional stress, you should look more carefully for potassium in foods, giving preference to foods with the maximum content of this substance.

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Potassium is found in almost all food groups, but due to poor nutrition, a deficiency of this trace element in the body (hypokalemia) can develop. A similar condition is also observed due to excessive fluid loss as a result of vomiting, or after taking certain medications. Potassium deficiency is manifested by muscle weakness, muscle cramps, fatigue, irritability, constipation, and heart rhythm disturbances.

The body's daily need for potassium depends on the person's age. Adults need 4700 mg of potassium per day, children and adolescents from 8 to 18 years old - 4500 mg, children aged 4 to 8 years - 3800 mg, children aged one to three years - 3000 mg, at 6-12 months - 700 mg, up to 6 months - 400 mg. There are groups of people who are prone to constant potassium deficiency in the body. These include patients taking medications with a diuretic effect, people who abuse alcohol, and athletes.

The body can get the required amount of potassium from foods. A lot of this microelement is found in dried fruits: dried apricots (1710 mg), prunes (860 mg), raisins (860 mg), almonds (745 mg), hazelnuts (720 mg), peanuts (662 mg), sunflower seeds (647 mg) , pine nuts (628 mg), walnuts (475 mg). Legumes and cereals are rich in this mineral: beans contain 1100 mg of the mineral, peas - 879 mg, lentils - 663 mg, oatmeal - 380 mg, buckwheat - 360 mg, millet - 212 mg. A lot of potassium is found in vegetables: potatoes (550 mg), Brussels sprouts (375 mg), tomatoes (310 mg), beets (275 mg), garlic (260 mg), carrots (234 mg), Jerusalem artichoke (200 mg), onions (175 mg), red pepper (163 mg).

A large amount of this trace element is present in berries and fruits: bananas (400 mg), peaches (363 mg), apricots (302 mg), grapes (255 mg), apples (280 mg), persimmons (200 mg), oranges (200 mg ), grapefruits (200 mg), tangerines (200 mg), (180 mg), cranberries (119 mg), lingonberries (90 mg), blueberries (51 mg).

Mushrooms also contain quite a lot of potassium: - 560 mg, porcini mushrooms - 450 mg, - 443 mg. Meat and fish contain, on average, 150-300 mg of potassium per 100 g of product. This microelement is also included in milk and dairy products: cheese, kefir, cottage cheese.

To enrich your body with potassium, do not cook vegetables in too much water. In this case, a huge amount of potassium will be destroyed during the cooking process. Prolonged heat treatment also leads to a decrease in the content of this trace element.