It is essential to keep your heart, muscles and nerves functioning properly and well. Unfortunately, potassium is one mineral that Americans struggle to intake sufficient amounts. The RDA is between 3500-4700 mg. However, most Americans reach about 2400 mg a day. It is becoming well known today that insufficient, and, thereof, lack of potassium, is becoming the leading cause of heart and cardiovascular diseases because potassium deficiency weakens the contraction of the heart, muscles and nerve signals. Even the greatest athlete can run into problems if he is not replenishing and recovering properly.
This article will show you how to make a Potassium Smoothie that contains 3160 mg of potassium. You don't have to drink it all in one shot. So, space it out about 3-4 times throughout your day. If you eat one cup of white beans and drink one cup of coconut water with the smoothie, congratulations, you will have successfully reached the RDA for potassium. Or, if you are training and sweating, you will want to drink it after your workout because potassium is lost primarily through sweating. I have never met a marital artist not dripping in sweat after their training, so this is definitely for you.
Consuming the Potassium Smoothie right after training, you will experience less fatigue and replenish energy instantly. Another great benefit is because you are using fruits containing soluble and insoluble fibers, it will fill your stomach and you will not be hungry for a longer period of time and keep your energy up and blood sugar stable. Great to lose weight in the general population and excellent for competition weigh-ins. Let's take a quick deeper look at the importance of potassium before the concoction.
Insufficient potassium leads to unhealthy and potentially dangerous conditions and circumstance like heart disease and diabetes. Low potassium levels create heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, digestive disorders, stiff arteries, increases blood pressure and heart rate. Also, deficiency creates heart arrhythmia, water retention, all increasing the chances for stroke, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Studies show that people with low potassium levels release less insulin, have higher blood sugar levels, and are more likely develop type 2 diabetes.
When the heart does not beat properly, it cannot effectively pump blood to the brain, organs and muscles. Also, low level of potassium, weaken nerve signals in turn causing weak contractions performed by the heart, muscles, and nerves.
Here is the recipe:
200g Mango = 338mg potassium
200g Avocado = 970mg potassium
200g Banana = 616mg potassium
1 TBLS Chia = 57mg potassium
1 TBLS Flaxseed = 85mg potassium
3 cups 1% Milk = 1098mg potassium (The lower the fat in milk the higher the potassium)
Add one scoop of vanilla whey protein. (Potassium is necessary to synthesize and build proteins, so adding whey protein to the smoothie enhances protein synthesis).
You can add 1-2 TBLS of sugar accordingly for sweeter taste. However, adding the vanilla whey protein power, you may not need to add sugar.
The total potassium is 3164mg. The RDA per day is between 3500 - 4700mg.
If you drink a cup of coconut water that is 330mg. And, if you eat one cup of white beans 320mg.
Potassium and sodium work together like a lock and key. Their balance is important. Sodium is easy to get and potassium is more difficult. Without potassium to balance sodium, and, eating a high sodium diet, is a recipe for disaster. Excess sodium will wreak havoc on your veins, arteries, heart, muscles and nerves, making them less pliable and too tense remaining in a sympathetic tensed state. It is all about balancing the two. You should consume no more than 2300mg of sodium per day. But, Americans are eating 2-3 times more than that. Excessive amounts of sodium negate potassium by excreting it from the body.
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