Trail Treats: Potassium Packed Banana Chips

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Potassium can be a great weapon to have in your arsenal when preparing for a hike or going camping. They are crunchy, can help prevent muscle cramps and can be made for about $2.00 a pound (and that includes the cost of the bananas and electricity used if putting them through a dehydrator. You can add a little bit of sugar to the slices before you start drying them but you are going to want to use the plastic fruit leather tray under the slices so you don't end up with a mess. I do the same thing with pineapple chunks but I put them in a bowl, sprinkle sugar over them then put them directly into the dehydrator. Making sure they are completely dried out will preserve their freshness and prevent mold; you can also weigh out portions and use a food sealer to make individual packets. The average size banana contains about 400mg of potassium; an adult should eat / consume 4,500mg to 5,000mg per day. That number might increase if you are exercising, hiking or sweating a lot so be sure to have other high potassium snacks on hand to stave off muscle cramps. Photo: Mr. Science