The Benefits of Potassium

The Adequate intake for potassium is quite high at 4,700mg per day. Most people actually don't consume a sufficient amount of potassium in their diet plans which is the reason the Adequate Intake level has been set so high.

Diets that are higher in potassium can result in a decreased risk of stroke, an increase in bone density, less chance of developing kidney stones and lower blood pressure.

Potassium plays a big role in making sure our muscles operate properly. Most of the potassium ions in our bodies are found within the muscle cells. If you encounter muscle cramps, it might be due to a potassium deficiency.

Mental function is another area that needs potassium. It's required in higher brain functions like memory and learning. It's also vital that those who are afflicted by anxiety or stress are getting enough potassium. Potassium is actually sometimes used as a treatment for stress.

Potassium also helps reduce blood pressure. It can also change your blood sugar levels. If you consuming enough potassium, it could result in a drop in your blood sugar.

Kidney stones can sometimes be caused by the overuse of supplements, yet in the case of potassium it is believed that it can actually prevent kidney stones from developing.

Potassium is also important for keeping your skin healthier, maintaining your body water balance and regulating your heartbeats.

As you can see, potassium is crucial and we have to ensure we are getting enough of it. There are some unwanted side effects that can be brought on by potassium.

These include intestinal gas, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. If you are consuming too much potassium then you could experience feelings of general weakness, paralysis, tingling or burning, wooziness, general confusion, low blood pressure and even death.

It's actually quite hard to be consuming excessively high amounts of potassium from your diet alone but it's worth baring these potential side effects in mind.

Foods that are potassium rich include bananas, chicken, pork dates, figs, kiwi, orange, tuna, trout, cod, halibut, beef, chia seeds, almonds, beans and peanuts. These are just a few good sources of potassium.

As you can tell, there are many excellent sources of potassium so there's no reason not to be getting enough of it.

Dave Jolly - About Author:
Potassium is only one of the many healthy minerals that can be found in chia seeds. If you want to learn more about where to buy chia seeds, head over to chiaseeshq.com!

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