Potassium – The Electrifying Electrolyte

Potassium is one of many essential micro-nutrients that are required for optimal health. Higher serum potassium has been associated with lower blood pressure and a reduced risk for stroke. Potassium may also contribute to bone strength.

Although potassium has many important functions, the most notable is its importance in regulating body fluids and other electrolytes. Most importantly, higher levels of potassium in the blood have been shown to improve the ability of the kidneys to eliminate excess sodium, which is likely at the root of the correlation between higher potassium intake and lower blood pressure.

It is generally agreed that optimal health requires the daily intake of between 3,500 and 4,500 mg of dietary potassium per day.

We base our Optimal Daily Intake (ODI) for all adults in our calculators and charts on 4,000 mg per day which is in line with the consensus on the topic.

As with most vitamins and mineral it is universally agreed that meeting these dietary recommendations through consumption of foods high in potassium is superior to potassium intake through supplements.

The 10 Best Foods for Dietary Potassium are:

• Avocados
• Beet Greens
• Other Greens
• Spinach
• Salmon
• Swiss Chard
• Broccoli
• Tomato Paste
• Sweet Potatoes

Go to our Macro and Micro Calculators to see how these foods fare with regard to other important nutrients.

And prepare any of the great potassium-rich meals below to insure optimal health.

Nutrition Studies that Work.