Friday, June 1, 2012

Why nutrients are...um...nutritious

I've been telling you about the benefits of the foods I've been juicing, listing all their nutrients, but I thought....so what?  Why are these vitamins and minerals GOOD for me?  So, I thought I'd do a few posts on some of the biggies.


Today, let's talk about potassium!


The following is copied directly from Livestrong.com:


Potassium is involved in creating the proteins your body needs from amino acids, converting carbohydrates into energy, building muscle, promoting body growth and supporting heart function. It also helps to maintain the acid-base balance in your body. Potassium is necessary for your body to produce a number of enzymes as well.



Potassium is a mineral that your body needs for good health. It is also an electrolyte, along with sodium, calcium, magnesium and chloride, and as such helps to conduct electricity in your body. You need to maintain the proper amount of potassium for your body to function properly.


Getting sufficient potassium in your diet may lower your risk for high blood pressure, kidney stones, osteoporosis and stroke, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. It also prevents hypokalemia, a form of potassium deficiency that causes an irregular heartbeat, weakness, muscle cramps, a lack of energy and an upset stomach.


I did not know that about it helping conduct electricity in our bodies, did you?  Since the sweet potatoes, kale, pineapple and pears I've been juicing this week all have potassium, my guess is it is a great contributor to my feeling good today.

According to WHfoods.com, signs of a potassium deficiency include:irritability, muscle weakness, confusion,  heart problems, chronic diarrhea, and fatigue.  

Some other good sources of potassium are: bananas, fish, citrus fruit, avocados , broccoli, lima beans, peas, kidney beans and spinach.



3 comments:

  1. It's amazing what potassium can do! I got severely depleted after delivering my second and needed IV fluids to replace it just a day after being discharged from the maternity ward. I will say that I felt REALLY weird and even had trouble walking and breathing. Scary!

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  2. I am so glad you are feeling better. I've been thinking about you and hoping all was going well. Potassium is wonderful! I tend to eat avocado allot, and will add extra bananas into my diet when my body feels like it is low on it.

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  3. Thanks for the list! I love trying to get my nutrients through whole foods, and this will definitely help!

    Warmest regards,
    Joy
    http://www.PardonMyPoppet.com

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