Today’s Usage Tip: Protect your Heart with High Potassium Fruit and Veggies.

High blood pressure so sad is a common challenge in Africa, even at the global stage especially with adults (cases of young people are few). This can be associated with daily stress and other emotional issues coupled with bad diet. However, Fruits and vegetables are one of the best sources for getting heart-healthy potassium. Because potassium is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, it is highly absorbable and can be used by the body in a variety of ways.

Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte that regulates blood pressure as well as muscle function. Symptoms of a potassium deficiency are muscle weakness, aches, cramps, nausea, anxiousness, drowsiness, weakness, and an irregular heartbeat. However consuming an adequate amount of potassium is not too difficult if a few easy foods are consumed with regularity. I have put together a compilation in no particular order of some fruits and vegetables that are high in potassium. Enjoy.

Bananas – 422 mg

Let’s get the most obvious fact that just one Banana contains 422mg of potassium. Bananas are famous for their potassium content but are also high in the vitally important mineral, manganese, as well as both vitamin C and fiber. 

Here’s a tip for peeling a banana; pinch the tip on the end opposite to the “handle” (stem) and peel from that end and you won’t have any more bruised bananas. I got this tip by watching monkey’s eat bananas on the Discovery Channel.

Prunes – 637 mg

Although commonly used in cases of ‘plumbing problems, prunes are high in potassium as well as free-radical-busting antioxidants. if you’ve ever wondered why prunes have an almost magical power to relieve constipation, it’s because they are high in a natural laxative known as dihydrophenylistatin. Remember this fact and you can really help your friends with this.

 

Potatoes – 763 mg

Before you justify those frequent trips to fast foods for a side (meal) of fries let me preface by saying that the heart-healthy attributes of potassium in potatoes can be quickly negated if you add enough hot grease and salt. With that said, potatoes pack some pretty potent potassium. The starchy tubers are a great source of other nutrients such as Vitamin B6 and manganese. It also has more Vitamin C than most citrus fruits but most is denatured (destroyed) when the spud is cooked. Just in case you are tempted to try and eat the potato raw, don’t, you’ll end up with a belly ache because the starch in potatoes is only digestible when broken down by heat (cooked not fried).

Tomatoes – 292 mg

For over a hundred years, this fruit (that’s right, they actually are a fruit) has been unfortunately included in the lineup of such notorious vegetables as brussel sprouts and broccoli (just kidding, I love both). It actually was an act of congress that led us all down the wrong nomenclature path into calling tomatoes veggies. Way back in 1887, a U.S. tariff law imposed taxes on vegetables but not on fruits. Since the lawmakers weren’t really any more honest back then, they reclassified all sorts of fruits as vegetables in order to increase veggies revenue. I wonder if it was called “The Tomato Scandal of 1887” Regardless, to this day, such fruits as tomatoes, cucumbers, and even pumpkins, while technically fruits are considered vegetables. I say leave that debate in the past and focus on what’s important; tomatoes are a delicious source of potassium!

Spinach – 420 mg

While spinach was originally chosen as “magic food” for its high iron content, that wasn’t the only thing transforming his strength from a wimpy weakling to a hulking hero. The high amounts of potassium in spinach will protect you blood pressure. Take note!