Written By Sam Henselijn
Healthy Snack Sources of Potassium. In the modern world, we find that we face a constant battle: a war between healthy eating and eating quickly. Work, home, and social schedules all compete to get in the way of a healthy and balanced meal, but there are small ways in which you can improve your diet with hardly any effort at all… and it all starts with the way you snack!
Snacking isn’t the bad influence that everyone seems to have branded it as. In fact, snacking can be quite good for you and provides an alternative way to top up your vitamin and mineral intake without having to plan out and invest time in cooking a meal. There are many snacks out there that are healthy, tasty and that are full of nutritional goodies – you just have to find them! Luckily for you, we have already done the research and all you need to do is read on!
In our quest to expose the full range of vitamins and minerals needed to power the human body; we have come across the mineral Potassium. What is it and what does it do? And why is it so essential that we incorporate it into our meals and snacks? Let’s take a closer look at Potassium and what it does before we move on to examining the treats that it can be found in.
Healthy Snack Sources of Potassium
Potassium is a substance which scientists sometimes refer to as a Macronutrient, purely because of its small size. Technically it is an electrolyte that helps to regulate the level of sodium in the blood, helps regulate the flow and absorption of water through the body and is considered essential – meaning that without it the body starts to misbehave.
Lots of Potassium in the diet is said to decrease the general risk of death via bodily failure by somewhere around the 20% mark. It lowers the blood pressure and thus prevents stroke or heart issues, it preserves the bones, reduces the formation of kidney stones and even protects against loss of muscle mass. When it comes to functions, Potassium is one macronutrient that covers all the bases.
The average adult human requires around 100 mg of Potassium a day for optimal functioning. However, you can suffer from too much Potassium in the body which does adversely affect the health. More likely is the lack of Potassium in the body which likewise causes suffering. Symptoms of lack of Potassium include weakness and muscle pain (that can lead to paralysis in severe cases), fatigue, constipation and eventually respiratory failure. It seems that too much, or too little, of this substance, can do more harm than good.
So now that we know what we are looking for, let’s take a look at some healthy snack foods that will help you boost your potassium intake.
Banana Chips
Although very high in saturated fat, this tasty treat will make a healthy snack that will send your potassium levels skyrocketing. One hundred grams of Banana Chips will get you a whole 15% of your RDA of Potassium – and they keep in the cupboard for a long time. They also have low Sodium levels which mean that the Potassium you absorb from this dried fruit will not be burned up trying to combat the salt levels in your blood. They are also rich in vitamins and Iron.
Raisins
For a snack food that doesn’t cost the earth in calories, Raisins are what you want. As well as being a reliable source of dietary fiber they also provide loads of Potassium – 21% of your RDA, to be exact. They are low in salt and contain only natural sugars… meaning you can still get a sugar high even if you are on a diet. These healthy little powerhouses of Potassium also contain Calcium, Iron and plenty of vitamins… There is a reason we advertise them as a great healthy snack for children.
Dried Apricots
If you are looking for a fruit absolutely packed full of goodness, then the humble dried Apricot is the one you want. It provides 33% RDA of Potassium and a hugely impressive 72% of Vitamin A. They are virtually fat-free, have very little calories per 100g and have no cholesterol or salt in them. Just what you need if you are dedicated to a healthy and balanced diet.
Mixed Nuts
Nuts come fairly close behind dried fruit in the Potassium scales, with a regular, salted packet of mixed nuts containing 18% RDA of Potassium and more than half the daily intake of Magnesium to boot. They contain both Calcium and Iron, have very little sugar to them and contain a little sodium, but just enough to keep you healthy. They are already naturally high in fat though, so make sure not to pick out any ones that have a shell, flavoring, or are fried in oil.
Pine Nuts
The reassuringly expensive Pine nut is harvested from around 20 different species of Pine tree and contains 17% of your daily intake of Potassium. They are high in fat – but it is the healthy kind of fat with a high protein content. They also contain dietary fiber and Iron and Magnesium in large quantities.
So if you need to boost the Potassium in your diet then hopefully this list of healthy snack food sources of Potassium has given you inspiration – or at least some idea of what to look for in future! Hopefully, we have done enough to convince you that your diet might need a little examining. If that’s the case you may want to head on over to L’Orenta Nuts to browse their wonderful selection of premium quality, Gourmet nuts. Find the snack of your dreams by shopping now... and first-time shoppers might even win themselves a discount!
What are you waiting for? The secret to a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet starts today, with you, right now. Visit L’Orenta Nuts and snack like a King from now on!
Sam Henselijn Author’s Biography – Meet L’Orenta Nuts CEO
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