Potassium or potassium is one of the important minerals needed by our bodies. With the right intake of potassium, many diseases are reluctant to settle in the body. Check out the various benefits of potassium for body health.
Potassium is included as one type of electrolyte that the body needs to maintain fluid balance in the body. Potassium also plays a role in breaking down and utilizing carbohydrates, building protein, building muscle, maintaining normal body growth, and controlling the body's acid-base balance as well as electrical activity in the nerves and heart.
In fact, thanks to this mineral, also known as potassium, the heart, kidneys, and other organs of the body can function normally. In addition to these various benefits, potassium is also very useful for preventing various diseases including heart disease, blood vessels, and stroke.
Food Sources of Potassium
You can get the various benefits of potassium by consuming sources, such as bananas, milk, fish, shellfish, beef, chicken, turkey, bread, potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, soybeans, kidney beans, beans almonds, fruit apricot, oranges, broccoli, kiwi, pineapple, carrots, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, avocado, beets, mushrooms, yogurt, pears, mangoes, nuts pistachios, raisins, and grapes.
But be careful, do not get too much or too little in consuming potassium. The World Health Organization or WHO recommends a potassium intake of at least 3,500 to 4,500 mg daily. If excessive, it can trigger an abnormal heart rate, worsening kidney function, and severe infection. While a lack of potassium can cause muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, or kidney problems.
Benefits of Potassium for Health
Here are the benefits of potassium (potassium) for health:
- High blood pressurePotassium in the form of supplements is thought to be able to lower blood pressure, especially for those who eat foods with high salt content. In fact, eating potassium foods is also thought to help prevent high blood pressure.
- Heart disease
The risk of death from arrhythmias will be higher in people who already have heart problems before. Eating potassium-rich foods every day is also very important to keep the heart rate stable and reduce the risk of developing these heart disorders.
- strokeEating foods that contain potassium is beneficial in helping reduce the risk of stroke, especially ischemic stroke (stroke due to a blood clot that clogs a blood vessel). As long as it is accompanied by reducing the intake of salt (sodium/sodium), saturated fat, and cholesterol.
- Bone healthStudies show that eating potassium-rich foods is thought to prevent osteoporosis, especially among elderly women. Potassium is also thought to be useful for increasing bone density and reducing the excretion of calcium through urine. However, further research is needed to support this statement.
- Inflammation of the digestive tractIn the body of patients with inflammation of the digestive tract, nutrients are often difficult to absorb. This is due to symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting. The doctor will also likely check potassium levels in the body and recommend consuming potassium foods.
- Kidney stonesEating foods containing potassium is thought to reduce calcium levels in the urine. Excessive levels of calcium in the urine are the most common cause of calcium kidney stones.
Potassium is important for the body, but don't forget to keep your intake of other nutrients in balance and provide the maximum benefit to the body. Don't hesitate to talk to a nutritionist about the benefits of potassium and how to get it optimally.