Foods High in Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium

High blood pressure, though not being a disease in itself, can lead to fatal health consequences like stroke, heart attack or kidney failure. Hence, it is necessary to maintain a proper blood pressure level. Sodium (salt) is the mineral that acts as a catalyst to increase blood pressure. Hence, hypertension patients should avoid consumption of food items that contain high percentage of sodium in them. High percentage of sodium in the diet is one of the causes of hypertension. A proper amount of minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium is necessary to be included in the diet of hypertension patients. For this, one should be aware of the foods that are high in these minerals. Each of these foods rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium have different percentage of each of these minerals and also a small amount of sodium. Let us take a look at list of food items rich in each of these minerals and their combinations.

Potassium Rich Foods
People suffering from hypertension are highly recommended to include foods rich in potassium in their diet. Potassium (K) is also vital for other body functions that include regulation of nervous system, kidney function, heart function, muscle function, etc. Potassium deficiency, hypokalemia, can cause fatigue, problems in muscle coordination, weakness, etc. Foods high in potassium beneficial for diabetic patients, as it helps in proper functioning of pancreas. Potassium is required in higher amounts for people who sweat too much. Very high level of potassium, hyperkalemia, can also cause health problems like kidney failure and hence, it is necessary to keep a check on the amount of potassium consumed. Fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products make some of the best foods that are high in potassium. The detailed list of foods with potassium is given below,

• Apricots
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Chickpeas
• Dates
• Figs
• Kiwi Fruit
• Lima Beans
• Honeydew Melons
• Milk
• Nectarines
• Oranges
• Pears (fresh)
• Peanuts dry roasted, unsalted
• Baked Potatoes
• Prune
• Raisins
• Cooked Spinach
• Tomato Products
• Canned Sauce
• Winter Squash
• Plain Yogurt
• Skimmed Milk

Calcium Rich Foods
Though Calcium (Ca) is necessary for maintaining healthy bones and teeth, it also helps to control blood pressure. It is also helps in healing of wounds, produce important enzymes of body that are related to digestion and metabolism, etc. A proper adequate intake of calcium is a must for people of all age groups. The required intake of calcium increases with increasing age. Children require calcium for growing bones while adults require calcium for maintaining strong bones. There are no specific symptoms associated to calcium deficiency. As every other mineral, calcium intake should not exceed beyond body's requirement. Milk is not the only rich source of calcium, there are plenty of non dairy foods that contain calcium in large percentage. Such foods high in calcium are listed below,

• Almonds
• Blackstrap Molasses
• Beans (White, Chickpeas, Tofu, Navy)
• Brazil Nuts
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Collard Greens
• Flaxseeds
• Instant Oats
• Kale
• Kelp
• Oranges
• Papaya
• Sesame Seeds
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard
• Tahini

Magnesium Rich Foods
Magnesium (Mg) is an essential mineral that plays an important role in metabolism. Many people are unaware of the significance of magnesium and hence suffer from health problems related to magnesium deficiency. Almost 300 bio-chemical reactions take place in body with the help of magnesium. Magnesium is necessary for production and transport of the energy in the body. It also helps to regulate the blood pressure in a natural way. Magnesium contributes in protein synthesis and also helps in functions of some body enzymes. Symptoms of low Magnesium include a number of health problems like heart palpitation, fatigue, fibromyalgia, kidney stones, osteoporosis, tics and twitches, diabetes, etc. For proper magnesium intake one should consume raw food rather than processed food. Read more on Foods Containing Magnesium. Given below are foods high in magnesium.

• Black Beans
• Raw Broccoli
• Halibut
• Peanuts
• Oysters
• Scallop
• Soy Milk
• Cooked Spinach
• Tofu
• Whole Grains
• Whole Wheat Bread

Foods High in Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium
Diet that does not include foods high in potassium, calcium and magnesium may lead to high blood pressure. Researchers still are unable to prove that calcium and magnesium deficiency is directly related to high blood pressure. However, people suffering from hypertension should increase the intake of potassium by consuming foods high in potassium. Even though supplements are available that contain potassium, calcium and magnesium, they should be consumed in controlled amount by consulting a physician. Consuming foods high in potassium, calcium and magnesium is more safer than consuming these supplements. The table given below gives a detailed information of foods high in potassium, calcium and magnesium and also gives the amount of each of these minerals, the particular food contains.

Food Item	Amount of Potassium	Amount of Calcium	Amount of Magnesium	Amount of Sodium
Crude Rice Barn	1485 mg	57 mg	781 mg	5 mg
Hazelnuts (dry or roasted, without salt)	5 mg	7364 mg	39 mg	0 mg
Hazelnuts	680 mg	114 mg	163 mg	0 mg
Hazelnuts (Cooked)	658 mg	114 mg	163 mg	0 mg
Pecans	410 mg	70 mg	121 mg	0 mg
Acorn Flour	712 mg	43 mg	110 mg	0 mg
Dried Acorns	709 mg	54 mg	82 mg	0 mg
Crude Wheat Barn	1182 mg	73 mg	611 mg	2 mg
Raw Acorn	539 mg	41 mg	62 mg	0 mg
Matured Navy Beans (Cooked or Boiled, Without Salt)	389 mg	69 mg	53 mg	0 mg
White Rice Flour	76 mg	10 mg	35 mg	0 mg
Cooked Corn Pasta	31 mg	1 mg	36 mg	0 mg
Lemonade Powder	120 mg	242 mg	1 mg	0 mg
Raw Sweet Cherries	222 mg	13 mg	11 mg	0 mg
Raw Oranges	181 mg	40 mg	10 mg	0 mg
Raw Longans	266 mg	1 mg	10 mg	0 mg
Raw Nectarines	201 mg	6 mg	9 mg	0 mg
Raw Peaches	190 mg	6 mg	9 mg	0 mg
White Raw Grapefruit	148 mg	12 mg	9 mg	0 mg
Raw Plums	157 mg	6 mg	7 mg	0 mg
Raw Asian Pears	121 mg	4 mg	8 mg	0 mg

Certain foods high in potassium and magnesium may contain less amount of calcium, while some foods high in potassium and calcium may contain low percentage of magnesium. For example, raw oranges and lemonade powder are foods high in potassium and calcium and have comparatively less amount of magnesium. While raw longans are foods high in potassium and magnesium and contain low percentage of calcium. The list of foods high in potassium, calcium and magnesium is unending and above listed are some of the important food items.