When on a low carb diet, the importance of Potassium must be understood. It helps water balance, blood pressure, digestion, and more. The body cannot make potassium so it must be eaten. The first few weeks of a keto diet are hard due to losing a significant amount of water, which affects the electrolyte balance. Symptoms include ramps, heart arrhythmias, and fatigue. To combat this, people need to eat potassium rich foods such as spinach, avocados, zucchini, salmon, beef, mushrooms, cauliflower, and nuts and seeds. Always consult with a professional before supplementing.
Key Takeaways:
- Potassium helps regulate electrical impulses in the body, and can affect water balance, muscle function, digestion, heart rate and rhythm, and blood pressure.
- A low-carb diet can cause water loss that affects electrolyte balance and causes “keto-flu”. Muscle cramps, arrhythmias and fatigue can be avoided by keeping sodium and potassium levels up.
- Eating potassium-rich foods daily can help keep levels up. Foods that are high in potassium include spinach, avocados, zucchini, salmon, beef, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
“Potassium is an essential electrolyte which often becomes more essential on a low carbohydrate diet. Ensuring that people get the recommended intake through their diet will make sure that they reach the adequate intake.”
Read more: https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2017/10/18/the-importance-of-potassium-in-low-carb-diets