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What Is Potassium?
According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, potassium is an underconsumed nutrient, and because there are health concerns associated with low intakes of potassium, it is considered a nutrient of public health concern. Food manufacturers will be required to include potassium content on the new Nutrition Facts label.
Potassium is a mineral that, among other things, helps muscles contract, helps regulate fluid and mineral balance in and out of body cells, and helps maintain normal blood pressure by limiting the effect of sodium. Potassium also may reduce the risk of recurrent kidney stones and bone loss as we age.
Guidelines issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine were recently updated and recommend males 19 and older consume 3,400 milligrams (mg) of potassium per day and females of that same age group consume 2,600 mg daily. Obtaining potassium from foods is preferred, so be sure to discuss dietary supplements with a health care provider before taking any.
Potassium is found in a wide range of foods, such as leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkins, potatoes, carrots and beans. It's also found in dairy products, meat, poultry, fish and nuts.
To meet your daily potassium goal, consider adding some of these foods to your menu on a regular basis:
·1 medium baked potato with skin: 930 milligrams
·1 cup cooked spinach: 840 milligrams
·½ cup raisins: 618 milligrams
·1 cup cooked broccoli: 460 milligrams
·1 cup cubed cantaloupe: 430 milligrams
·1 cup chopped tomatoes: 430 milligrams
·1 medium banana: 420 milligrams
·1 cup raw carrot slices: 390 milligrams
·1 cup low-fat milk: 350 to 380 milligrams
·½ cup cooked lentils: 365 milligrams
·1 cup cooked quinoa: 320 milligrams
Including a variety of foods can help you meet your potassium needs for the day, as well as get other important vitamins and minerals that promote health.
Brain Health and Fish
When is the last time you had fish for dinner? If you can't remember, it may be more than the passage of time that's to blame. Research suggests that improved memory is just one of many brain-boosting benefits associated with eating more fish.
You Are What You Eat
You've likely heard that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your health. But one in particular, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, goes straight to your head.
DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is required to keep the brain functioning normally and efficiently. Brain and nervous system tissues are partly made up of fat, and research suggests they have a special preference for DHA in particular.
If you think higher levels of DHA in your diet might simply help you remember to put fish on your shopping list, keep in mind that studies link DHA deficiencies to more serious cognitive problems than occasional forgetfulness. In fact, low levels of DHA have been associated with a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease in later years.
Signs of memory loss shouldn't be your first signal to boost intake. Think of fish consumption as a savings plan for your brain, not a winning lottery ticket. Long-term consumption of adequate DHA is linked to improved memory, improved learning ability and reduced rates of cognitive decline. To reap the brain benefits of DHA, you need to maintain a consistent intake of DHA-rich foods.
Sea-Worthy Servings
Do you have to be swimming in fish dinners to feed your brain? The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults consume at least 8 ounces of seafood per week. This works out to be two 4-ounce servings of fish. Oily fish such as wild salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herring and farmed trout are great catches with DHA to offer. When you get cooking, think broiling or grilling — the extra fat from deep frying is counterproductive when there's lean protein on the menu. You also can select fish that have a lesser environmental impact and are lower in mercury. Sardines and wild Alaskan salmon are top choices. Meanwhile, shark and swordfish are choices to limit due to high mercury levels.
Brains and Brawn
Add one more plus to the fish list: lean protein. To make sure the body stays in top aerobic condition to power through exercise, the effect of fish on the heart is just one more benefit. Aside from being lower in saturated fat than red meat, swapping burgers for tuna means more omega-3s, which studies suggest may reduce the risk for heart disease.
Seafood or Seaweed?
For individuals who follow vegetarian or vegan diets, all is not lost — getting DHA is possible. Algae is a primary source of DHA, and is used to make vegetarian DHA supplements. Ground flax seed, walnuts and chia seeds are other vegetarian sources of another omega-3 fatty acid, ALA, which the body converts into DHA. However, our bodies may convert only about 5 percent of ALA to DHA.