Kale is a leafy green veggie common in meals and smoothies in most homes as it's affordable and healthy. It's also a good source of fiber. But, is kale high in potassium?
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Is Kale High in Potassium?
One of the benefits of kale is that it's a good source of potassium. A serving of kale has around 9% of recommended daily intake of potassium - an essential mineral that helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure.
Can You Check Your Potassium Level at Home?
How Much Potassium is in Kale?
A cup of kale (67 g) has roughly 329 mg of potassium. This is about 9 percent of the daily value for potassium. On average a healthy person should consume 4,700mg of potassium each day.
This is a considerable amount of potassium and someone who has kidney issues should be careful consuming too much of it or even consult a doctor. Compared to other greens, kale is a high source of potassium.
Kale from different places will have different potassium levels. For example, the potassium levels in kale from the United States are higher than the potassium levels in kale from India.
This is because the soils in America have more potassium than the soils in India. The levels of potassium in kale can also vary depending on the time of year.
This is because potassium levels in the soil fluctuate depending on the weather. For example, potassium is low during the rainy season due to leaching from the soil.
Health Benefits of Kales
Kale is healthy food and has many benefits.
Source of vitamins A, C, and K
Vitamin A is important for eye health. It may also play a role in preventing cancer. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps protect against cell damage.
Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and bone health. All these are important in the body as they help support overall health.
For example, blood clotting is important in preventing excessive bleeding. Too much bleeding can lead to anemia. it is a good way to get these vitamins into your diet. In clotting, vitamin K activates proteins that are essential to the clotting process.
Fiber source
Fiber helps keep you regular and may help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Fiber also helps keep you feeling full after eating, which can help with weight loss.
A cup of kale (67 g) has about 3 grams of fiber. Fibers also aid in peristalsis which is the movement of food down the digestive tract. When food moves slowly through the digestive system, it can cause problems such as constipation.
Fiber also helps remove toxins from the body. They absorb water and make bowel movements softer, which helps move the toxins out of the colon.
It is a low-calorie food
A cup of kale has only 36 calories. This makes it a great food to include in a weight loss diet. Kale also has a high water content, which can help you feel full without eating a lot of calories.
People who are restricting their calorie intake should consider including it in their diet. Eating too many calories is a risk to your health as it can cause weight gain and other health problems like diabetes.
Good source of minerals
Kale is a good source of essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Magnesium is important for energy production, nerve function, and muscle relaxation.
Calcium is important for bone health and preventing osteoporosis. All these minerals are important for maintaining good health. Lack of these minerals can lead to health problems.
For example, lack of calcium may lead to Kwashiorkor - a disease that causes weakened bones and lack of potassium can lead to high blood pressure.
Contains a number of antioxidants
Antioxidants are important in the body as they help protect cells from damage. Kale is a good source of antioxidants like carotenoids and flavonoids.
These antioxidants help protect the body against diseases like cancer. Antioxidants are important in preventing cell damage and may help reduce the risk of some diseases.
They do so by scavenging harmful toxins and by inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. This can help protect cells from damage and may help reduce the risk of some diseases.
Toxins and oxidation are believed to play a role in the development of some diseases like cancer.
Can People With Kidney Diseases Eat Kale?
People with kidney diseases should eat kales in moderation. Eating too much of it might worsen their kidney function.
Kale has a considerable amount of potassium and people with kidney diseases are often advised to limit their potassium intake.
Excessive potassium intake can be harmful to the kidneys and can cause them to work harder. This can lead to further damage to the kidneys and even kidney failure.
So, people with kidney diseases should eat kale in moderation and should consult a doctor before including it in their diet. By doing so, they will avoid any risks associated with excess consumption of potassium.
Can Potassium in Kales Be Reduced?
Yes, potassium in kale can be reduced depending on the processing method. For example, blanching kale in water will leach out some of the potassium.
Boiling kale will also leach out potassium. This is because potassium is soluble in water. So, if you are trying to reduce the amount of potassium in your kale dish, you should blanch or boil it.
Conclusion
Kale is a low-calorie food and has many health benefits. It can help you lose weight, improve your heart health, reduce the risk of diabetes, and protect against diseases like cancer.
However, people with kidney disease should be cautious about including it in their diet as too much potassium intake may cause further damage to the kidneys.
Don't know which foods are high in potassium? Read our article, 15 Best Food Sources of Potassium. We also have a guide to this important mineral: Potassium 101: All You Need To Know About Potassium.