If you’re feeling irritable and fatigued, then potassium rich herbs may be just what you need.
Muscle weakness and high blood pressure are other signs that someone is low in potassium.
If you’ve ever experienced a Charley Horse, then you will know the agony of a muscle spasm that is has a deficiency of potassium as one of the reasons.
Taking diuretics can lead to low potassium levels so it’s important to only take diuretics for a short period of time.
What is Potassium
Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte that is very important for the proper functioning of all organs, tissues, and cells in the human body. Short-term potassium deficiency may result from vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, antibiotics, or chronic conditions such as kidney disease and eating disorders.
Signs of potassium deficiency may include muscle weakness, irritability, high blood pressure, weight loss and constipation. In cases of severe deficiency, there may also be abnormal heart rhythm.
How Much Potassium is Required?
A healthy adult should aim to consume 3,500–4,700 mg of potassium daily from foods. Some groups of people require potassium in larger amounts.
However most people don’t get enough potassium, as 95% of adults in North America get less than the Recommended Daily Allowance, RDA.
Potassium Rich Foods
Good sources of potassium include beet greens cooked (909 mg), baked yams, (607 mg), white potatoes baked (544 mg), avocado (485 mg), sweet potatoe baked, (475 mg), cooked spinach (466 mg), salmon, cooked, (414 mg) and bananas (358 mg.). These are all for a 3.5 ounce or 100 gm. Serving.
Ddark fruit juices, such as black mulberry, tart cherry, and pomegranate are also high in potassium.
Potassium Rich Herbs
But herbs really shine when it comes to high potassium levels.
Parsley is very rich in potassium as 100 mg contains 554 mg. of potassium. But parsley is a diuretic so you want to careful it is not consumed for long periods of time. Chervil is an herb related to parsley which is also high in potassium. The dried leaves contain 4,740 mg of potassium per 100 g.
Cilantro, whose seeds are coriander, is another herb that is high in potassium. The fresh leaves of cilantro contain 521 mg. of potassium per 100 gm.
Stinging nettle is an herb that is available every spring. It is rich in vitamins and minerals like potassium. It has 334 mg. of potassium in 100 gm. Of the blanched herb. Nettle can be cooked and eaten like spinach.
Consider adding the above herbs to your foods so you have enough potassium every day.
