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The benefits of potassium are:

1 Blood pressure and cardiovascular health. An adequate potassium intake may prevent or manage high blood pressure. 

2 Bone and muscle maintenance. Potassium may play a role in bone health.

3 Kidney health. In healthy individuals, low potassium levels may inhibit the kidneys’ ability to reabsorb calcium.

Potassium is an electrolyte that the body needs to stay healthy. Foods that contain potassium can help manage blood pressure by reducing the negative impact of sodium.

Having high sodium levels can increase the risk of high blood pressure. In healthy people, potassium lowers this risk by helping the body remove sodium. It also helps manage blood pressure by relaxing the walls of the blood vessels.

Potassium is a mineral that helps control the balance of fluids in the body, and also helps the heart muscle work properly.

Good sources of potassium

Potassium is found in most types of food. Good sources of potassium include:

- bananas
- some vegetables – such as broccoli, parsnips and brussels sprouts
- beans and pulses
- nuts and seeds
- fish
- beef
- chicken
- turkey

How much potassium do I need?

Adults (19 to 64 years) need 3,500mg of potassium a day. You should be able to get all the potassium you need from your daily diet.

What happens if I take too much potassium?

Taking too much potassium can cause stomach pain, feeling sick and diarrhoea.

Blood pressure and cardiovascular health

An adequate potassium intake may prevent or manage high blood pressure.

And if a person has a high potassium intake and a low sodium intake, this may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Bone and muscle maintenance

Potassium may play a role in bone health. Studies have suggested that people who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables that contain potassium may have higher bone mineral density.

If the finding is true, researchers will also need to discover the reason behind it and whether supplements have the same effect.

A diet high in potassium may also help preserve muscle mass in older people and people who have health conditions that lead to muscle wasting.

Kidney health

In healthy individuals, low potassium levels may inhibit the kidneys’ ability to reabsorb calcium. High calcium levels in the kidneys can result in kidney stones.

Research from 2015 notes that switching to the DASH diet may help reduce the risk of kidney stones, as the diet favors foods that are rich in potassium and other essential nutrients.

However, people with kidney failure should not consume too much potassium, as it could have a negative impact. In this case, a doctor will recommend how much potassium to include in the diet.

Like vitamins, minerals also help your body function. Minerals are elements that our bodies need to function that can be found on the earth and in foods. Some minerals, like iodine and fluoride, are only needed in very small quantities. Others, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, are needed in larger amounts (macrominerals). Microminerals, such as iron and zinc, are just as important, though people need them in smaller amounts.

As with vitamins, if you eat a varied diet, you will probably get enough of most minerals.