What is potassium and why do we need it?
Potassium is an essential mineral that is needed by all tissues in the body and it also helps muscles to contract and supports normal blood pressure1.
According to Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health1
"Potassium and sodium are closely interconnected but have opposite effects in the body. Both are essential nutrients that play key roles in maintaining physiological balance, and both have been linked to the risk of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. High salt intake increases blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, while high potassium intake can help relax blood vessels and excrete sodium while decreasing blood pressure. Our bodies need far more potassium than sodium each day, but the typical U.S. diet is just the opposite"
So, one can make the correlation that decreasing salt intake and increasing potassium is a good health goal to have as medical science demonstrates one of the core benefits of potassium is it helps remove sodium from the body.
Luckily, potassium can be found in many fresh fruits and vegetable2 such as in
- Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit (and some dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and dates)
- Cooked spinach and broccoli
- Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Pumpkins
- Leafy greens
- Some Beans and Nuts
With a plant-based diet, you can help increase your intake of potassium with potassium-rich foods.
And, as potassium is found in sweet and savory foods alike, it is easy to incorporate these fruits and vegetables into meals such as:
- Breakfasts - fruits on your muffins, in cereals, or even standalone
- Lunches - healthy salads, bean dips, or sauteed greens
- Dinners - potato curries, spinach or broccoli over rice, or delicious soups made with pumpkin and zucchini
- Snacks - a bowl of dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, or dates
And you can add in other healthy fruits or vegetables to get even more vitamins and minerals
Garden of Vegan makes it easy to eat potassium-rich foods with our healthy ready-made meals and pantry boxes.
Garden of Vegan creates healthy meals that include many potassium-rich foods in their prepared meals, breakfast meals, sides, snacks, and even desserts.
In addition, there are plenty of pantry items that are easy to incorporate into your daily routine and that contain potassium-rich foods. And, of course, the produce boxes have potassium in the veggie box, juicing box, and fruit boxes.
Garden of Vegan's NDIS participants can also increase their potassium intake by choosing healthy meals with potassium-rich fruits and vegetables.
Eligible NDIS participants can have healthy meals, sides, desserts, and pantry items delivered and only pay for the food cost component of the meals they order. NDIS Participants and NDIS plan managers can learn more about Garden of Vegan NDIS plans and healthy meal delivery by filling out our NDIS form and we'll contact you soon as possible.
Garden of Vegan's six meal plans also have many potassium-rich fruits and vegetables!
Visit our Meal Plans to Suit your Lifestyle section and select a nutritional meal plan that is high in fruits and vegetables that contain potassium, or you can add them separately by adding pantry items!
Read more Garden of Vegan nutrition articles
Great Plant-based sources of iron
Fibre: What is it and why do I need it?
How Can I Increase My Protein Intake?
Calories, Protein, Carbs, And Fat, What Does It All Mean?
Great Plant-based Sources of Calcium
References:
1. Potassium - Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
2. Potassium Rich Foods - Nourish by WebMD
