Potassium is a mineral which appears in abundance in all living plant and animal cells. The human body uses it to promote regular heartbeat, help build muscles, help contract muscles, regulate blood pressure, and control the water balance in body tissues and cells.
Potassium is found in highest amounts in fresh, unprocessed food.
Although bananas have a reputation as good potassium sources, they contain only 400 mg of potassium each. Even a glass of fresh orange juice has more potassium than a banana, coming in at 500 mg of potassium per cup. If for some reason you weren't getting enough potassium, your skin would become dry, and you'd experience depression, fatigue, and slow reflexes. Extreme potassium deficiency leads to hypertension and congestive heart failure. However, most people have no trouble eating adequate amounts of potassium.