Potassium 101

Potassium is a mineral that everybody needs. It plays a number of important roles in the body and deficiencies can lead to a range of health problems.

The main functions of potassium include the maintenance of water and fluid balance, nerve impulse conduction, and blood pressure regulation. It mainly functions alongside its counterpart, sodium, which is another essential mineral.

Potassium is abundant in avocados, bananas, kiwis, oranges, sweet potatoes, and beans of various kinds. The recommended daily intake of potassium for adults in the United States is as follows:

• Women aged between 14 and 18 - 2,300 mg a day
• Women aged above 19 - 2,600 mg a day
• Pregnant or lactating women - 2,500 to 2,900 mg a day
• Men aged between 14 and 18 - 3,000 mg a day
• Men aged above 19 - 3,400 mg a day