One of the great high potassium foods is beans.
Along with other legumes, they have loads of potassium and other nutrients.
By being low in sodium, as well as being high in potassium, they have been shown in multiple studies to prevent high blood pressure, reduce chance of stroke and cardiovascular disease, and reduce bone loss.
They are full of both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber increases "good" cholesterol, and reduces both "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides.
Insoluble fiber pushes food through the intestines faster to reduce unfavorable effects of fats and meats on the intestines.
Many other desirable minerals besides potassium are present in beans and legumes.
Magnesium and selenium are present in good amounts, the exact quantity depending on the soil the plant is grown in.
For magnesium, the recommended daily allowance for men is 420 mg and for women 320 mg, which is usually 1/2 to 1 cup of most of the raw legumes.
As is true for potassium, cooking in water will pull out the magnesium and other minerals.
Legumes provide most of their calories from carbohydrates.
Foods in the legumes group however, have their carbohydrates bound and thus released slowly.
Processed carbohydrates, such as bread, cake, and noodles are unbound and are released from the food to be absorbed quickly, giving a spike in blood sugar.
A slower release turns the spike into a spread out blip, so there isn't the 2 hour drop in energy that occurs after a spike.
The protein and fat content are relatively low.
Some of the legumes provide 20 to 25% of their calories as protein.
However, usually other sources of protein are needed.
Except for peanuts and some of the soybean products, legumes have a fat content of less than 10% of calories.
The type of fat is favorable, since usually less than 1% of calories come from saturated fat.
There are multiple ways to prepare legumes.
One of the best is no preparation - just eat them raw, as part of a salad or sandwich, appetizer or dip.
Baked, roasted, steamed or microwaved they will retain their potassium.
If boiled or cooked in water, the liquid will have much of the potassium and should be served with the beans.
More information on this and other high potassium foods can be found at http://www.
highpotassiumfoods.
org/
Along with other legumes, they have loads of potassium and other nutrients.
By being low in sodium, as well as being high in potassium, they have been shown in multiple studies to prevent high blood pressure, reduce chance of stroke and cardiovascular disease, and reduce bone loss.
They are full of both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber increases "good" cholesterol, and reduces both "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides.
Insoluble fiber pushes food through the intestines faster to reduce unfavorable effects of fats and meats on the intestines.
Many other desirable minerals besides potassium are present in beans and legumes.
Magnesium and selenium are present in good amounts, the exact quantity depending on the soil the plant is grown in.
For magnesium, the recommended daily allowance for men is 420 mg and for women 320 mg, which is usually 1/2 to 1 cup of most of the raw legumes.
As is true for potassium, cooking in water will pull out the magnesium and other minerals.
Legumes provide most of their calories from carbohydrates.
Foods in the legumes group however, have their carbohydrates bound and thus released slowly.
Processed carbohydrates, such as bread, cake, and noodles are unbound and are released from the food to be absorbed quickly, giving a spike in blood sugar.
A slower release turns the spike into a spread out blip, so there isn't the 2 hour drop in energy that occurs after a spike.
The protein and fat content are relatively low.
Some of the legumes provide 20 to 25% of their calories as protein.
However, usually other sources of protein are needed.
Except for peanuts and some of the soybean products, legumes have a fat content of less than 10% of calories.
The type of fat is favorable, since usually less than 1% of calories come from saturated fat.
There are multiple ways to prepare legumes.
One of the best is no preparation - just eat them raw, as part of a salad or sandwich, appetizer or dip.
Baked, roasted, steamed or microwaved they will retain their potassium.
If boiled or cooked in water, the liquid will have much of the potassium and should be served with the beans.
More information on this and other high potassium foods can be found at http://www.
highpotassiumfoods.
org/
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