Recipe:
1 cup almonds, soaked overnight in filtered water, then drained
1-2 whole pitted dates (optional)
Pinch sea salt (optional, to bring out the sweetness in the dates)
4 cups filtered water
*Blend the almonds with 1 cup of water and dates or salt, if you choose. Once it’s blended well, add the remaining 3 cups of water. Doing it this way will prevent the almond milk from making a big swirly mess in your blender. Place a mesh bag or other straining device in your pitcher and strain the almonds. Oh, just watch the video!
Be sure to keep that leftover almond pulp in the freezer to use in all your future baking needs. There are loads of healthy ingredients in the pulp and it’s a waste to throw it away. I’ll come up with a recipe for that next to help you with ideas, too.
Experts say food, not supplements, is the best way to meet potassium needs.
“My preference is food because potassium is found in foods that provide other nutrients, such as fiber, that also have beneficial health effects,” Appel says.
Here’s how many milligrams (mg) of potassium you'll get from these potassium-rich foods:
Winter squash, cubed, 1 cup, cooked: 896 mg
Sweet potato, medium, baked with skin: 694 mg
Potato, medium, baked with skin: 610 mg
White beans, canned, drained, half cup: 595 mg
Yogurt, fat-free, 1 cup: 579 mg
Halibut, 3 ounces, cooked: 490 mg
100% orange juice, 8 ounces: 496 mg
Broccoli, 1 cup, cooked: 457 mg
Cantaloupe, cubed, 1 cup: 431 mg
Banana, 1 medium: 422 mg
Pork tenderloin, 3 ounces, cooked: 382 mg
Lentils, half cup, cooked: 366 mg
Milk, 1% low fat, 8 ounces: 366 mg
Salmon, farmed Atlantic, 3 ounces, cooked: 326 mg
Pistachios, shelled, 1 ounce, dry roasted: 295 mg
Raisins, quarter cup: 250 mg
Chicken breast, 3 ounces, cooked: 218 mg
Tuna, light, canned, drained, 3 ounces: 201 mg
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
You May Need More or Less Potassium
Besides being linked to the potassium in your diet, potassium levels in your body are influenced by several factors, including kidney function, hormones, and prescription and over-the-counter medications.
People who take thiazide diuretics, often used to treat high blood pressure, may need more potassium. That’s because thiazide diuretics promote potassium loss from the body. Steroids and laxatives also deplete potassium.
Other drugs used to lower blood pressure, including beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors, raise potassium levels in the body.
People with reduced kidney function may need to limit their daily potassium intake.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist about how all of the medications you take affect the potassium levels in your body, and if you need more, or less, of the mineral.
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