Saturday, February 26, 2011

Potassium - Sodium's Partner

What does potassium do?  It is critical for the ongoing health of every cell in our body.  That’s a pretty important job!  Along with its partner sodium, the two minerals balance the nutrient and waste exchange of each cell.  Potassium is involved in nerve and muscle functioning where it again teams with sodium.  It also maintains our body’s fluid balance, electrolyte balance, and pH balance.

Additional functions of potassium include aiding in sugar metabolism, activating enzymes, supporting healthy heart function, and calming the nervous system.

While we often hear of bananas as being a great source of potassium, they are also quite high in sugar.  Here are some additional healthy options to get in your potassium: almonds, artichokes, avocado, beet greens, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, kale, lentils, lima beans, oranges, papaya, pinto beans, prunes, raisins, spinach, sunflower seeds, Swiss chard, tomatoes, wheat germ, winter squash, and yams.  Plenty of healthy options!

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