Fruits High in Potassium

Fruits are a natural source of vitamins and minerals. One of the most important minerals, potassium, that forms an integral part of plants and fruits equally, is essential for the growth of the human body. For the optimal functioning of the body, the potassium levels in the blood and cells have to be maintained at proper level. According to scientists, the normal potassium serum level in the body should be 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L. The safe potassium levels in the body is between 3.7 to 5.2 mg. A potassium level above 5.2 mg or below 3.7 mg is dangerous for the body.

A very high or very low potassium level in the body can lead to diseases. High potassium levels in the body can lead to hyperkalemia, which is a dangerous diseases causing cardiovascular attacks. The low potassium levels on the other hand, can cause hypokalemia, which is characterized by various health problems.

Benefits
A high potassium diet is essential for people who have problems of hypokalemia. Fruits that are high in potassium can be included in the daily diet, after consulting with a dietitian. The dietitian will analyze your daily diet and will recommend proper dosage of potassium. If there is a deficiency of potassium in the body, it leads to high blood pressure, diabetes and intestinal pains. Lower levels of potassium in the blood can lead to memory problems and poor functioning of the nervous system.

Fruits Rich in Potassium
People who have been advised to increase the potassium intake in their bodies can opt for various fruits that have high potassium content. Here is a tabular presentation of fruits high potassium.

Tree Fruits
Apricots, bananas, nectarines and mangoes are some of the fruits rich in potassium. These fruits provide nearly 250mg of potassium for a ½ cup of serving.

Dried Fruits
Dried figs, prunes, currants and dates are good sources of potassium and are good for heart health. Besides being rich in potassium dried fruits like figs, apricot, raisins and dates, are also rich sources of iron.

Fruit Juices
Prune juice, grapefruit juice, pomegranate juice and orange juice are effective sources of potassium and they are the fruits 'rich' in potassium. Given below is a tabular presentation of the fruits containing potassium. The quantities in brackets are the serving size.

Fruits	Potassium Content (mg)
Apple (1)	148 mg
Dates (5)	227 mg
Strawberries (1 cup)	254 mg
Watermelon (1cup)	170 mg
Banana (1)	422 mg
Fig (2)	542 mg
Orange (1)	237 mg
Pomegranate (1)	678 mg

There are various fruits with potassium and the list doesn't end here. However, just knowing about the various fruits can't make you healthy. You have to incorporate these fruits in your diet on a regular basis. You can also learn some recipes that involve these fruits, so that, you can try out new things and you don't have to eat the raw fruits every time. People who have deficiency of potassium must consult the doctor and plan out the balanced diet for themselves. This will help in controlling the problems caused by hypokalemia.

According to research, people who consume fresh fruits in their diet are at a lower risk of developing chronic diseases. Besides this, fruits are tasty and they can be used as good nutritional supplements for people on weight loss workouts.