In the dog days of summer, the weather becomes increasingly hot, echoing the words of the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi in his poem “Bamboo Window,” “In these dog days of summer, the weather is as hot as soup.” When you go outside, in no time at all, you’ll be dripping in sweat, completely drenched.
A moderate amount of sweating is beneficial from the perspective of metabolism, but excessive sweating can also lead to the loss of essential nutrients and fluids in the body, causing various discomforts. The most typical consequence is the loss of potassium along with sweat. If the body lacks potassium, it can easily result in hypokalemia, where the replenishment of potassium becomes particularly important.
What are the symptoms of potassium deficiency in the body?
The symptoms of potassium deficiency depend on the level of potassium reduction in the blood, the speed of potassium deficiency, and the body’s tolerance to low potassium. Mild potassium deficiency usually has no symptoms. Severe potassium deficiency mainly manifests as muscle weakness, accompanied by fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, constipation, and rapid heartbeat.
A serum potassium concentration below 3.5 millimoles per liter is considered hypokalemia, which is related to inadequate potassium intake and excessive potassium loss. Under normal dietary conditions, hypokalemia is generally not likely to occur.
Only in patients with digestive tract obstruction, coma, anorexia nervosa, or prolonged fasting after surgery, who are not receiving adequate potassium supplementation or insufficient potassium, can hypokalemia occur.
Moreover, excessive loss of potassium can also lead to potassium deficiency, such as potassium loss through the digestive tract, commonly seen in severe vomiting, diarrhea, gastric decompression, and intestinal fistula; potassium loss through the kidneys, mainly seen in long-term use of loop or thiazide diuretics, various kidney diseases, especially interstitial kidney diseases like pyelonephritis and acute kidney failure diuretic phase; potassium loss through the skin, seen in strenuous work in hot environments, resulting in profuse sweating.
In the dog days of summer, there’s a tendency for “sweating leading to potassium deficiency”. It is advised to eat four types of food, all of which are high-potassium vegetables, nutritious and cooling for hot days.
1. Potatoes
Potatoes, along with wheat, rice, and corn, are known as the four major staple crops worldwide. In our daily diet, potatoes can be consumed as a staple food or as a dish, providing a strong sense of satiety and high nutritional value. Potatoes are a typical high-potassium, low-sodium food, perfect for the dog days of summer.
【Recommended Recipe: Potato and String Bean Stir-fry】
Ingredients: 1 potato, a handful of string beans, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp water
1. Remove the ends of the string beans, peel and cut the potato into thick strips, soak them in water for 30 minutes to remove excess starch, then drain. Finely chop the garlic.
2. Heat oil in a pan, sauté the garlic, then add the potatoes and string beans. Stir-fry until halfway cooked, then add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, and 2 tbsp water. Stir-fry evenly, cover the pan, simmer for 5 minutes, then turn up the heat to evaporate the sauce.
2. Spinach
Spinach is a familiar leafy green vegetable known as the “role model” for nutrition. Spinach is rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, potassium, calcium, iron, and other minerals, making it a common high-potassium vegetable. There are many ways to cook spinach; here we share a recipe for spinach and egg pancakes, a perfect breakfast option that is both nutritious and delicious.
【Recommended Recipe: Spinach and Egg Pancake】
Ingredients: 3 bunches of spinach, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp flour, salt to taste, 1 tbsp thirteen-spice blend
1. Remove the roots of the spinach, wash and blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute, then squeeze out excess water and chop.
2. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add salt, stir, then add 2 tbsp of flour, mix well. Add the chopped spinach and 1 tbsp of thirteen-spice blend, stir until well combined.
3. Heat oil in a pan, pour in the spinach batter, spread it evenly, fry over low heat until one side sets, then flip and fry the other side. Once fully cooked, slice and serve.
3. Edamame
Edamame, also known as soybeans, originated in China with a history of over 5000 years of cultivation. It is hailed as the “king of soybeans” and the “meat in the field”. Every 100 grams of edamame contains 478 milligrams of potassium, and the dog days of summer are a peak season for edamame. It’s the perfect time to enjoy edamame.
【Recommended Recipe: Five-Spice Edamame】
Ingredients: 500g edamame, 2 star anise, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, over 10 Sichuan peppercorns, 2 dried chili peppers, 3 tbsp salt
1. Wash the edamame thoroughly in water and trim the ends for better flavor absorption.
2. In a pot, add all the spices with enough water, bring to a boil, then add the edamame. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until the beans are tender, then remove and let cool. Place them back in the broth to soak for 2 hours before serving.
4. Seaweed (Nori)
Nori belongs to the seaweed category and is rich in vitamins, dietary fiber, and a unique seaweed protein with high nutritional value. Furthermore, seaweed contains various trace elements, including potassium, making it a truly high-potassium food.
【Recommended Recipe: Seaweed Egg Drop Soup】
Ingredients: 1 sheet of pre-washed nori, 2 eggs, 1 green onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp soy sauce, salt to taste
1. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, beat lightly. Tear the nori into small pieces, slice the green onion, and mince the garlic.
2. Heat oil in a pot, sauté the garlic, then pour in enough hot water. Once boiling, add the nori, swirl in the beaten eggs, cook until the eggs set, stir gently, add 1 tbsp soy sauce, salt to taste, sprinkle with green onions for garnish, and serve.
