A succession of new learned reports lately has focused an increasingly bright spotlight on the need many of share for a potassium supplement. If all you need is a little extra, why not consider food-based potassium supplementation…
Direct from the source: You can see how this ‘stalk’ of bananas will
break down so easily into the smaller ‘hands’ you usually
choose from at the supermarket? They pick them green
because they ripen so quicky during shipping…
I make the my rounds weekly to the medical journals. Looking for food and diet studies and surveys to share with you. And I’ve been seeing an increasing number of published reports that contend we, as a culture, are suffering increased risk of potassium deficiency.
A number of possible affects
The central theme of these reports is that potassium – in partnership with sodium (from salt) – is responsible for mediating the transmission of nerve signals all round your body. And if you have a potassium deficiency, or even a small imbalance, you could be at risk of compromised function in a variety of important systems.
Not the least of risk factors associated with low potassium, the learned studies tell us, is that of elevated blood pressure. And the MDs agree…
So, for years, my Mom has been trying to add a banana a day to her diet to make sure her potassium levels are where they should be. Literally, doctor’s orders.
But she’s confided recently that she’s getting bored with just stuffing a banana every day. She was looking for something more than the association of her daily banana ‘dose’ with a different meal or accompaniment(s) to make it more interesting.
Dutifull daughter…
Mom has never been one to look forward to ‘pill time’. And she’s already taking a number of pills, capsules and other supplements, some of which require care as to what time of day they should be taken, whether they should be taken with or without food, or whether they’ll conflict with one another if taken at the same time. What a pain…
So, as a dutiful daughter, I decided to commitment some serious time and effort to pinpointing which fresh fruits and veggies are the best natural sources of potassium, so I can incorporate them in her diet.
At the head of the list…
Yep. There is its: the banana. Still right at the head of the list. But I was fascinated to discover that lots of other common foods also deliver useful amounts of potassium through our diets.
The best of the best…
Following is a short list of common, every-day foods that deliver the most potassium in the most-digestible and easily-absorbed forms:
- Dried apricots and other dried fruits.
- Fresh tree fruits — such as avocados, apples, oranges and bananas.
- Leafy greens — such as spinach and kale.
- Vine fruits — such as tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant and pumpkin.
- Root vegetables — such as carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
- Legumes — such as beans and peas.
- Dairy products — such as milk, yogurt and cheese.
- Meat and poultry, — particularly chicken.
- Fish — such as halibut, tuna, cod, and snapper.
My take
Did you know… That the rise in our consumption of processed foods has paralleled the increase in our collective danger of developing potassium deficiency?
Next time you see your family doctor to discuss your annual slate of lab tests… Don’t forget to bring up the subject of potassium. And if the sawbones says you’re down just a little, you can broaden the discussion to ask about their recommendations among the ‘fresh supplement’ banana alternatives!
~ Maggie J.