Potassium-Rich Foods Preserve Muscle Mass

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Potassium-Rich Foods Preserve Muscle Mass

A recent study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that plant foods high in potassium help preserve muscle mass as people age. In the three-year study of about 400 volunteers ages 65 and over, researchers concluded that volunteers with potassium-rich diets had 3.6 more pounds of lean muscle mass than volunteers with 50% less potassium in their diets. The authors noted that most healthy men and women (65+) lose about 4.4 pounds of lean tissue every ten years.

So, what are the best plant-based food sources of potassium? Try swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, winter/summer squash, cantaloupe, papaya, eggplant, green beans, and asparagus.