If you require potassium for your overall health and choose to use a quick and easy method to get it, the first thing you might consider is consuming a banana, but there are other ways your body can receive potassium. Even though bananas are a popular food source for obtaining potassium other natural food sources include avocados, squash, leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach, tomatoes, salmon, lentils, kidney beans, yams, papaya, and potatoes. Potassium is a mineral that’s found in these food sources but it’s also an electrolyte (sodium and chloride are the other electrolytes) because it can conduct electrical impulses or an electrical charge throughout the human body. Potassium regulates nerves as well as muscles within the body and since it is an electrolyte, it is the primary positive ion found within the cells in which 98 percent of a 120 grams of potassium contained in the body is found. Sodium and chloride are electrolytes which are located on the outside of cells with 9 percent of potassium being stored and located within the human cell.

Potassium is essential for all living cells of the human body because it conducts nerve impulses and maintains proper muscle function. Potassium is beneficial in preventing a number of health conditions which can range from high blood pressure, osteoporosis, stroke, to dehydration and many more conditions. Potassium can benefit anyone who engages in a vigorous workout because electrolytes such as sodium are lost from excessive sweating but supplementation with potassium can assist in replenishing lost electrolytes and prevent oxidative damage of muscle cells. Even though potassium holds many benefits for the human body always be aware of how much potassium you should actually be taking. An excessive amount of it can cause toxicity so it’s best to take the right dosage by following the directions on the back of the bottle that it came in and it never hurts to consult with a physician about taking it if you’re unsure or disagree with the directions for the dosage amount.