The Vegan Lifestyle

Potassium is a very important mineral that is essential to life. It is the most important among the three electrolytes needed by the body to function properly. The other two electrolytes are sodium and chloride. Potassium and sodium are positively charged molecules, while chloride is negatively charged. These three operate in pairs. These electrolytes, when dissolved in water, conduct electricity around the body.

Our body cells need more potassium. Potassium helps maintain the acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissue, and prevents over-acidity. It is needed in muscle contraction, and helps the kidneys to detoxify the blood. Potassium acts as an electrolyte, converting the blood sugar into glycogen, and storing this in the muscles, liver, and brain. When there is not enough potassium, there is also not enough glycogen for the muscles to burn, thus causing extreme fatigue and muscle weakness. Potassium also promotes hormone secretions in the body.

Potassium deficiency causes sodium (salt) accumulation in the body. This results to edema, high blood pressure, and heart failure. Other deficiency symptoms are constipation, muscular weakness, extreme fatigue, low blood sugar, and nervous disorders.

Potassium works closely with magnesium. Caution: Potassium and sodium must be kept in proper balance at all times to avoid serious heath problems. Too much sodium, disrupts the potassium-sodium balance in the body. A high-sodium, low-potassium diet can cause a lot of diseases such as cancer, high blood pressure, heart attack, and strokes. But a high-potassium, low-sodium diet protects the body from the above diseases.

Potassium is found in almost all vegetables, especially in green leafy ones. Bananas and the thick peelings of white potatoes are rich sources of potassium.

Dosage: RDA 1,875 mg; ODA 2,500; TDA 5,500 mg. Recommended: 1.9-5.6 g. Caution: High dosage of potassium salts in pill form can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and ulcer.