Potassium

A 150g glass of 100% grapefruit juice delivers 6% of the recommended Reference Intake (RI)* for potassium, while one-half of a medium (120g) fresh grapefruit contributes 8% of the RI.*

What is Potassium?

Potassium is a mineral that is part of every cell in your body. It is the major positively charged electrolyte inside of cells.

Benefits of Potassium

Potassium has a wide range of roles in the body. Potassium is important for building muscle and maintaining growth, transmitting nerve signals, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, breaking down and using carbohydrates, and supporting pH (acid-base) balance.1-3

Potassium also plays a role in cardiovascular, bone, and kidney health.1-5

A proportion of the UK population are not meeting their daily dietary potassium requirements. As many as 22% of boys and 37% of girls (11-18 years), and 10% of men and 25% of women (19-64 years) have potassium intakes below the lower reference nutrient intake.6 Potassium intake is of special concern to persons with kidney disease and they should consult with their doctor concerning the amount of potassium that should be consumed.

Sources of Potassium

Potassium is found in a wide variety of foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. Good sources of potassium include 100% orange juice, beans, lentils, tomatoes, pork, fish, and potatoes.7

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In the UK, as many as 37% of girls (11-18 years) and 25% of women (19-64 years) are not meeting their daily dietary potassium requirements.6

Detailed Nutritional Information

Potassium is the major intracellular cation required for normal cell function. Moderate potassium deficiency may increase the risk of high blood pressure, kidney stones, and osteoporosis.1

Potassium plays an important role in cardiovascular health. Diets containing foods that are a good source of potassium and low in salt may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.8,9 Furthermore, research suggest diets high in fruit and vegetables, which are rich sources of potassium, could significantly reduce the risk of stroke, especially in those with hypertension and/or relatively low potassium intakes.1,3

Potassium is most commonly found bound to citrate in whole foods,2 including 100% grapefruit juice. Citrate is converted to bicarbonate in the body which is used for acid-base balance.2 By aiding in pH balance, potassium citrate reduces the risk of calcium loss from bones which can be beneficial to bone mineral density. Citrate may also reduce the risk of kidney stones by increasing the alkalinity of urine (increases pH) and increasing citrate excretion.1,4,5

Learn more about the health benefits of fresh Florida Grapefruit and Florida Grapefruit Juice.

*Reference Intake: Based on a 2000 calorie diet. Information is not intended for labelling food in packaged form. Nutrient values may vary based on variety of citrus fruit and place of origin. Check with your citrus vendor for additional information.