Potassium in food. Foods high in potassium

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The key to good he alth is a balanced diet, rich in all the necessary micro and macro vitamins. An acute shortage of at least one of them very often leads to the failure of several organs at once, and, regardless of the age of the person. Today we will look at a macronutrient such as potassium.

In this article you will find information about its role in the processes of work of various organs, daily consumption rates, as well as the consequences of a shortage and overabundance of this element in the body. And we will tell you about what foods contain potassium in large quantities. After all, everyone knows that nutrients are much better absorbed not from drugs, but from natural products.

Key functions of potassium

In order to prevent a deficiency of a particular substance in the body, it is very important to eat varied. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, dairy and sour-milk products, meat, fish - all this is an excellent source of nutrients necessary for normal work.internal organs. This is especially true for potassium - it is found in all cells of our body, and its s alts are one of the main components of the intracellular fluid.

The use of this macronutrient is vital for all internal organs, muscles and blood vessels. So, the main functions of potassium are:

• support for normal cell wall function;
• maintaining water-s alt balance;
• preserving the concentration of magnesium in the body (which is also extremely important for the functioning of the heart and nervous system);
• normalize heart rate;
• providing oxygen to brain cells;
• stabilizing blood pressure;
• general strengthening of immunity;
• increase the endurance of the body.

Potassium Absorption

This process depends on a number of factors. Among them: drinking alcohol, dieting, taking hormonal drugs and laxatives, constant stress, excessive consumption of coffee and foods high in sugar.

Potassium absorption is carried out in the small intestine and this process is accelerated with sufficient levels of vitamin B6 and neomycin in the body. At the same time, an increased sodium content leads to the leaching of potassium from the cell walls.

Daily Values

Because almost all nutrients come from food, it is important to know what foods contain potassium and how much to consume daily. organisman adult he althy person contains at least 200 grams of potassium. Most of it is in the liver and spleen.

To maintain the normal functioning of these and other organs, an adult needs to consume from 1800 to 2500 milligrams of potassium in foods. For children, it is more convenient to calculate the amount of a macronutrient based on the dosage for each kilogram of weight - from 18 to 35 milligrams. Thus, for a child weighing 20 kilograms, the required daily intake of potassium in foods is from 360 to 700 milligrams.

Extra Potassium

In some situations, the standard dosage must be increased. These include:

• bearing period;
• high physical activity (professional sports);
• age over 50.

Due to the high load on the work of the heart and blood vessels in the above situations, potassium in foods in the usual dosage may simply not be enough for the body. That is why it is worth increasing the amount of their consumption.

Potassium in food

In this section, consider those natural foods that contain the maximum amount of potassium. The richest sources of this macronutrient are legumes, cereals, mushrooms, dried fruits and seafood. For your convenience, we have prepared a table of potassium content in foods.

Product name	Potassium content in milligrams per 100 grams of product
Black tea	2470-2500
Cocoa	1689
Bran	1190-1260
Beans	1100
Soybeans	1610-1850
Nuts	660-1030
Cereals	280-520
Powdered milk	1100
Coffee beans	1680
Pumpkin seeds	880
Beef and turkey meat	150
Milk chocolate	485
Poppy	589
Whole milk	147
Pork	353

In addition, there is a sufficient amount of potassium in Poshekhonsky and Dutch cheeses - at least 100 milligrams per 100 grams of product. Therefore, a cup of black tea with a sandwich of grain bread and cheese is an excellent snack that saturates the body with potassium. In general, fermented milk products can hardly be called champions in terms of potassium content, but for a complete and varied diet, they should not be excluded from the daily diet.

Grains also contain a considerable amount of potassium. For example, in buckwheat it is almost 400 milligrams, in oatmeal about 330 milligrams, in wheat and corn grits about 250 milligrams, in barley and pearl barley a little less - no more than 200 milligrams.

Potassium in vegetables

Vegetables are not only a source of fiber, but also a storehouse of vitamins and macronutrients. The daily diet mustinclude a large number of different vegetables and herbs also because of the high content of potassium. In plant-based products, especially green ones, the amount of this valuable substance is incredibly high.

For example, do you know how much potassium is in cabbage? Varieties such as white cabbage, Brussels sprout, and Beijing download contain about 300 milligrams for every 100 grams of vegetable. But mushrooms are rightfully considered to be the real champions in potassium content. White dried mushrooms contain about 4,000 milligrams per 100 grams.

The rest (oyster mushrooms, mushrooms, champignons, boletus, etc.) are slightly less rich in this macronutrient - from 250 to 550 milligrams. In the greens of dill, parsley, cilantro, sorrel and garlic, potassium is from 300 to 800 milligrams. So be sure to add them to salads and other dishes.

Potassium in fruits and dried fruits

Fruits are rich in various vitamins and minerals necessary for the proper functioning of all organs. And even more useful are dried fruits and berries. For example, raisins contain about 1000 milligrams of potassium, while fresh grapes contain no more than 300 milligrams per 100 grams. As much potassium as in dried apricots, you will not find in any fresh fruit - almost 2000 milligrams.

Prunes, dried figs and dates are also rich in this beneficial substance - from 600 to 1000 milligrams for every 100 grams of product. In general, potassium content in fresh fruits varies from 200 to 600 milligrams, in fresh berries it is even lower - from 100 to 350 milligrams.

Potassium preparations

Despite the fact that the best absorption of nutrients by the body occurs with the use of natural products, there are situations in which doctors prescribe additional potassium supplements. Experienced nutritionists, when drawing up a nutrition plan, must take into account the content of vitamins and minerals in the daily diet.

For example, if you are allergic to a particular product, completely intolerant to it, or lack potassium in foods consumed by a person on a daily basis, the intake of a macronutrient into the body is significantly reduced. It is in such situations that medicines and biologically active food supplements are prescribed - Asparkam, foamy potassium and potassium chloride. Before prescribing a dosage, the patient must pass the appropriate tests.

Danger of excess

Hyperkalemia is an excess of potassium in the body. Such a disease occurs quite often, and therefore you should carefully listen to the body and try to maintain a balance of nutrients. You can recognize hyperkalemia by:

• excessive excitation of the nervous system;
• failure of the heart;
• disorder of the kidneys, and as a result, increased diuresis;
• pain in the muscles.

The main danger of excess potassium is its ability to develop calcium deficiency. You should not try to diagnose hyperkalemia on your own - consult a doctor who will prescribe the necessary examination and conducttreatment.

Since this disease can be detected only after blood tests and other diagnostics of internal organs, the above symptoms alone are not enough to make a diagnosis. Fortunately, getting rid of this disease is quite possible and in a fairly short time.

The main measure aimed at reducing potassium in the body, of course, is to maintain a diet and reduce the consumption of foods that are rich in it. Very rarely, medications are used for treatment that accelerate the process of reducing the potassium content in the body.

Sometimes hyperkalemia develops after the use of drugs with potassium, prescribed against the background of its deficiency. In this case, simply stop using the prescribed medication, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Macronutrient deficiency

Lack of potassium in the body most often leads to metabolic disorders and water-s alt balance (increased loss of fluid, consisting in profuse sweating and frequent urination). Which, in turn, provokes a violation of the work of the heart and blood vessels. Also, a deficiency of this element affects blood pressure and leads to the formation of ulcers and erosion on the mucous membranes.

Insufficient intake of potassium in foods also affects children - growth slows down and bone formation processes worsen. Sometimes a lack of potassium is the cause of miscarriage and other problems in the genital area. The main symptoms of potassium deficiency are:

• dry skin prone to microcracks;
• thin and brittle hair;
• long healing period for skin lesions;
• nausea and vomiting;
• frequent urination;
• headaches and muscle pain;
• cramps (most often calf muscles);
• kidney failure;
• feeling constantly tired and sleepy;
• increased sensitivity of capillaries, leading to bruising and bruising even with weak mechanical action.

Compensation for the lack of potassium mainly consists in enriching the diet with foods saturated with this macronutrient. In some, especially serious cases, special drugs are prescribed.