Health Benefits and Sources Of Potassium

Estimated Amounts Needed

•  Estimated Minimum Requirements 2000 mg/day for adults and adolescents.

Benefits/Deficiency Symptoms

• Potassium is essential for the body’s growth and maintenance. It is necessary to keep a normal water balance between the cells and body fluids.
• Potassium plays an essential role in proper heart function.
• Deficiency may cause muscular cramps, twitching and weakness, irregular heartbeat, insomnia, kidney and lung failure.

Fruit Sources

• Avocado
• Bananas
• Grapefruit
• Guava
• Kiwi
• Lychee
• Papaya
• Pomegranate
• Watermelon

Vegetable Sources

• Amaranth leaves
• Butternut squash
• French Beans
• Lima Beans
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Sweet Potatoes 

Nut/Seed/Grain Sources 

• Almonds
• Buckwheat
• Chestnuts
• Coconut
• Oats
• Rye
• Sunflower Seeds
• Wheat - Durum
• Wheat - Hard Red
• Wheat - Hard White