Are you tired of only ever hearing what you can’t eat? Eat less salt, less sugar, less fat. We know these things are important, but wouldn’t it be nice to be told to eat more of something–and even better if that something was delicious?
According to a recent study, you should be eating more potassium. Potassium is a nutrient that can lower blood pressure in adults, which means reducing your risk of heart attack, stroke and other hypertension-related illnesses. Even kids should be eating more potassium to keep their blood pressure low later in life.
So potassium’s important, great. Where do you get it? The USDA recommends adults should eat about 3,510 milligrams every day, though they don’t make specific recommendations for children. While that might sound like a lot, getting your daily dose of potassium is easier than it sounds. For instance, one cup of white beans has 1,200 mg of potassium–almost half your daily requirement. Here are some easy ways to get your potassium along with a great-tasting meal or snack:
- The English love putting baked beans on baked potatoes, and you should too. As we mentioned, white beans are a fantastic source of potassium, as are the tomato products like ketchup you add to make them baked. Potatoes with the skin on will add an extra 1,000 mg of potassium, which means you’re almost done in one meal! Check out some of our favorite baked bean recipes here.
- Out on a hike or on the run from your yoga class to your kid’s ballet classes? Trail mix is a wonderful source of potassium, especially if you’re including raisins in the mix. A cup of tropical fruit mix trail mix will give you about 950 mg of potassium.
- Need one last quick hit to get you over the top? You probably know bananas are a great source of on-the-go potassium. A single banana will net you over 400 mg of the good stuff. Plus, they’re delicious.
Today, do something great for your heart. Make potassium a regular part of your diet with delicious and simple recipes. And remember, always keep yourself powered by beans!
Randall Great Northern Beans are an important part of a healthy diet.
