In the scorching summer, people sweat a lot, especially those engaging in outdoor activities or manual labor. They often expend a great deal of energy and end up drenched in sweat. Excessive sweating not only reduces the body's water content, leading to dehydration, but also causes a significant loss of potassium, resulting in a deficiency. Drinking tea can replenish fluids and prevent potassium deficiency, making it an excellent two-in-one solution.
Potassium is an essential major element for the human body, primarily stored within cells and is the main cation in intracellular fluid. No ion can replace the function of potassium ions within cells. It works in concert with sodium outside the cells to maintain normal osmotic pressure and acid-base balance both inside and outside the cells. Additionally, potassium plays a role in maintaining the normal function of nerves and muscles, especially the cardiac muscle.
Tea is a beverage rich in potassium. Among all inorganic components in tea, potassium has the highest percentage of dry matter, reaching up to 1.6% to 2.5%. The element content in tea infusion is related to its form in the tea leaves. Since potassium exists in a simple ionic form, it is easily extracted. Researchers using atomic absorption spectrometry have determined that the average amount of potassium extracted from black tea infusion is 24.1 milligrams per 100 grams of tea, and from green tea, it is 10.7 milligrams per 100 grams. Therefore, drinking tea can indeed help supplement potassium.