You've probably heard of it about bananas .
Potassium is a mineral salt that is predominantly intracellular, meaning that it is located inside the cell while sodium is on the outside: these two salts work in pairs to maintain neuromuscular excitability, rhythmicity of the heart, osmotic pressure, l acid-base balance and water retention.
Normally its plasma and body concentration is quite regulated, hypo or hyper potassemias are rare unless there are particular pathologies such as kidney diseases, or drugs are not taken. Deficiency symptoms can be arrhythmias muscle hyperexcitability up to the infarct.
Excesses instead cause fatigue, muscle cramps, low blood pressure, slow heart rate and cardiac arrest. Note therefore that both in the case of hyper and hypotaxis the worst scenario that can occur is borne by the heart.
A hypokalaemia also results in an increase in sodium concentration and therefore in hypertension . The two salts must necessarily be in balance.
A recent publication by the World Health Organization [1] recommends a proper food intake of potassium both in adults and in children, necessary for maintaining a correct blood pressure and avoiding the risk of cardiovascular disease (3510 mg per day).
Also find out what foods are rich in potassium
Average content in some foods
Beans and peas - 1300 mg / 100g
Walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, brazil nuts - 600 mg / 100 g
Green vegetables (spinach, beets, parsley) - 550 mg / 100 g
Tubers (carrots, onions, beetroot) - 200 mg / 100 g
Other vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkin) - 300 mg / 100g
Fruit (Bananas, papayas, dates) - 300 mg / 100g
Friends of the heart and sportsmen
Coconut water : 1500 mg / L
Avocado : 485 mg / 100 g
Pineapple : 109 mg / 100 g
[1] Potassium intake for adult and children GUIDELINES 2013