Potassium is a mineral found in many foods including blueberries. Potassium is essential to your health as it helps regulate the fluid and minerals in your body. You should be able to get enough potassium through your diet by eating a variety of foods. Blueberries are not the highest fruit source of potassium, but do offer a small amount of the mineral.
Potassium Function
Maintaining adequate potassium levels helps keep your blood pressure in check and reduces risk of stroke. Potassium is also essential to normal muscle contraction and nerve function. Low potassium levels can cause a condition called hypokalemia, which is characterized by abnormal heartbeat, breakdown of muscle fibers, constipation, fatigue and weakness. Hypokalemia happens when there is a significant drop in potassium levels.
Significance
You may need extra potassium in your diet if you have mild hypokalemia or if you consume diuretics or certain antibiotics. Specific diseases can cause you to lose potassium. If you experience excessive sweating or a serious bout of diarrhea or vomiting, you may also lose too much potassium. Most adults need about 2,000 mg of potassium per day, according to Drugs.com.
Content in Blueberries
Blueberries are classified as a medium-potassium food by Drugs.com. One cup of fresh berries provides 114 mg, or 3 percent of the recommended dietary allowance. Blueberries are a richer source of vitamin C, with 24 percent of the RDA. Blueberries provide other benefits such as 4 g of fiber per 1-cup serving, 36 percent of the RDA for vitamin K and 25 percent for manganese.
Options
Fruits with higher amounts of potassium include bananas, raisins, pears and oranges with 200 mg or more per cup. Combining blueberries with high potassium foods is an option. Add blueberries to yogurt, which offers 398 mg per cup or to cottage cheese, which has 217 mg per cup.
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