Spinach is synonymous with strength, especially if you are old enough to remember the Popeye cartoons. This dark green leafy vegetable deserves its reputation because it serves as a good source of many vitamins and minerals, including potassium. A 10-ounce bag of raw spinach, which contains approximately 284 grams of spinach, provides 1,585 milligrams of potassium.
Potassium functions as an electrolyte, which means that it helps balance the amount of fluid in your body and transmits electrical impulses produced by nerves, making it vital to muscle function. Potassium works closely with other electrolytes including sodium and calcium and staying healthy requires a balance between these minerals. In fact, the American Heart Association stresses the importance of potassium because it lessens the effects of sodium and helps control blood pressure.
The Institute of Medicine recommends adult men and women consume 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day. For those with high blood pressure, or who are at risk for developing high blood pressure, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute recommends following the DASH diet. This diet plan not only suggests limiting your sodium intake to less than 1,500 milligrams, but also highlights the importance of meeting the daily recommended intake of potassium. A diet rich in vegetables like spinach, as well as fruits, helps most people meet their potassium needs.
Spinach is a fat-free, cholesterol-free food that contributes only 7 calories per cup to your daily calorie intake. In addition to potassium, spinach contains many other vitamins and minerals. Spinach serves as an excellent source of vitamin A, providing over 2,800 International Units per cup, and a good source of vitamin C and folate, one of the B-vitamins. Spinach also contributes to your daily intake of iron and calcium. Although spinach naturally contains sodium, it only provides 25 milligrams per cup and the 10-ounce bag contains only 224 milligrams, increasing its desirability as a heart-healthy food.
Choose spinach that appears fresh, crisp and green with no evidence of insect damage. Wash all spinach to remove any dirt and germs, wrap it in a damp paper towel and store it in the refrigerator for three to five days. Eat it raw as a snack; a 1-cup serving contains about 30 grams of spinach leaves and provides 167 milligrams of potassium. Prepare a spinach salad for two using the 10-ounce bag of raw spinach, a quart of strawberries and 1/4 cup of almonds. This makes a potassium-rich meal with 1,585 milligrams in the spinach, 1,092 milligrams in the strawberries, and 162 milligrams in the almonds, providing each of you with 1,419 milligrams of potassium.
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Spinach, Raw
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Potassium
- Fruits and Veggies More Matters: Spinach
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intake
- American Heart Association: Potassium and High Blood Pressure
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Strawberries, Raw
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Almonds, Sliced
- Colorado State University Extension: Potassium and Health
- spinach image by Ramon Grosso from Fotolia.com