Fruits and vegetables enriched with potassium for improving heart health

Potassium is one such crucial element that is required by all cells and tissues in the human body.

Potassium is called an electrolyte due to its capacity to carry a small electrical charge that stimulates various cellular functions. Potassium can be obtained from fruits and vegetables in large quantities. The major role of potassium in the human body is to maintain an optimal concentration of fluid inside every cell. On the other hand, sodium maintains normal fluid concentration outside of cells. Thus, the ratio of sodium to potassium is crucial for the homeostasis of the body. But how do get sufficient potassium from foods? Let's find out in this article.

Some potassium-rich fruits:

Here are some easily available fruits with a high concentration of potassium: oranges, honeydew, cucumber, grapefruit, and Bananas. Besides these, some dry fruits also contain a huge amount of potassium, they are cantaloupe,  raisins, apricots, dates, and prunes.

Potassium-rich fruit juices:

Some people do not like to eat fruits, for them, fruit juice can be a good option to get sufficient potassium. Juice prepared from Grapefruit, Orange, Apricot, Prune, or tomato provides a high amount of potassium.

Vegetables with high potassium content:

Apart from fruits, vegetables can provide a good amount of potassium. These vegetables are spinach, broccoli, sweet potato, potato, pumpkin, and other green leafy veggies.

Potassium-rich beans and legumes:

Beans are an excellent source of potassium. Generally, white beans provide a higher amount of potassium than black ones. However, both are varieties are good in taste. These beans are kidney beans, lima beans, and pinto beans. Among legumes, lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, and peanuts provide a good amount of potassium. To get the maximum benefits, soak them previously and let them sprout. This improves mineral absorption.

Why potassium is required for cardiovascular health?

Sufficient potassium helps cardiovascular health in two ways. Firstly, potassium promotes the removal of excess salt or sodium from the body. Due to this, healthy blood pressure is maintained. As hypertension is linked with several heart diseases, you must consume potassium-enriched foods. Secondly, potassium acts as a vasodilator, relaxing the blood vessels. This also reduces pressure on the heart. Consequently, the risks of stroke, heart attacks, and ischemic heart disease decrease.

The daily requirements of potassium are 3400 and 2600 mg for males and females respectively. Unfortunately, a huge number of the global population remainpotassium deficient even today. As the human body cannot produce potassium, thus, it has to be obtained from the diet.