Potassium Foods: 5 Kalium-Rich Foods for Electrolyte Balance
The name potassium comes from potash (ashes of plants) from which the mineral was first isolated.
Potassium ions are necessary for the function of virtually every cell of the human body. The body needs potassium in balance with sodium to maintain cardiac rhythm and nerve electrophysiology.
We also need proper amounts of potassium for hormone production, sugar metabolism, fluid balance, vascular tone and blood pressure control, and for delivery of oxygen to the brain.
So safe to say that potassium is vital for life, but where do we get it from?
These five foods high in potassium are good to start from:
1. Potatoes
We here at Anabolic Men recommend potatoes as the main source of carbs due to their high-quality carbohydrate composition and low gluten content (plant-protein which may raise prolactin).
Not only are potatoes extremely filling (while being quite low in calories), they also provide many essential micronutrients.
Potatoes are a good source of B-vitamins, vitamin C, copper, and magnesium. Add in some sweet potatoes and you’ll get plenty of vitamin A on the side too.
When it comes to potassium, baked potatoes for example provide about 600 mg’s of potassium per 100 grams (13% RDA). It isn’t a massive amount of potassium, but not many foods go higher, and you should be eating plenty of potatoes anyways.
2. Avocado
Avocados work wonders for testosterone production.
They’re filled with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which have been found to increase testosterone levels in men. With those fatty-acids, avocados also provide good amounts of the fat-soluble vitamin E, and a bitter glycoside by the name of oleuropein, which has been found to increase testosterone levels in research animals.
But what about potassium?
100 grams of avocados provide 485 mg’s of potassium (10% RDA). Again, not super-high in the mineral, but there aren’t many foods that can top it.
3. Spinach
Every man should be consuming some spinach (or another type of dark leafy greens) on a daily basis.
Firstly, because they’re high in natural nitrates, which convert to nitritines by the tongue bacteria, and further into nitric oxide by the gut bacteria…
…And nitric oxide (NO) is very effective at improving circulation and erection quality.
And secondly, because spinach and many other leafy greens contain good amounts of nearly all of the necessary micronutrients needed for testosterone production.
This extends to potassium too, 100 grams of spinach provides 560 mg’s of the minreral (11% RDA).
4. Portobello Mushrooms
Mushrooms could be considered very healthy for men’s health.
They’re high in polysaccharides, which may promote liver health and immune system function, contain high doses of naturally occurring vitamin D, and can significantly lower estrogen levels through blocking the production and activity of aromatase enzyme.
Portobello mushrooms are one of the best types of mushrooms to consume, due to being the highest in vitamin D, and also very good sources of naturally occurring potassium.
100 grams of portobello mushrooms contain 483 mg’s of potassium (10% RDA).
5. Parsley
Parsley has nitrates, nitrates convert to nitritine in the mouth, and to nitric oxide in the stomach. The same thing as with spinach, this results in improved circulation and erection quality.
Parsley also contains high amounts of apigenin, a flavone which can stimulate the production of StaR (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein), which transfers cholesterol to cellular mitochondria inside the testicular Leydig cells (vital step in testosterone production).
Being one of the greens, parsley is a good source of several micronutrients.
One of these is potassium, 100 grams of parsley provides 554 mg’s of the mineral (11% RDA).
Conclusion
As you can see there are many foods with decent amounts of potassium, but none of them exceeds 15% RDA per 100 grams.
Why? Mainly because our bodies need so much potassium. 4700 mg’s per day to be exact. Considering that even the foods highest in potassium don’t come close to that per 100g, it’s no wonder why potassium deficiency is extremely common even in developed countries.
What’s the solution? Perhaps supplementation with potassium powder? 800+ grams of potatoes per day? Whatever floats your boat.
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Ali Kuoppala
