Potassium Rich Foods

If you’re like most people in the U.S., you likely don’t get enough potassium in your diet. Like calcium and sodium, potassium is a mineral that’s found in most foods but some are very low; like bananas. They only have 400 mg. It’s a prevailing urban myth that all you have to do is eat bananas. Time to let that one go because 20% of Americans end up in the E.R. with heart trouble because of low potassium. Having the right amount of potassium in your diet helps to keep you healthy, so it’s crucial to eat plenty of potassium-rich foods.

Food Sources of Potassium

Many of the foods that you already eat contain potassium. The foods listed below are high in potassium. If you need to boost the amount of potassium in your diet, make healthy food choices by picking items below to add to your menu.

Many fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium:

• Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit (some dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and dates, are also high in potassium)
• A handful of dried apricots has 1000 mg~!
• Cooked spinach
• Cooked broccoli
• Potatoes~almost 1000mg each in med-large one
• Tuna fish-3 oz. is 480 so eat 6 oz. of tuna on a pile of spring mix greens to ramp it up
• Sweet potatoes
• Mushrooms
• Peas
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Eggplant
• Pumpkins
• Leafy greens

Juice from potassium-rich fruit is also a good choice:

• Orange juice
• Tomato juice
• Prune juice
• Apricot juice
• Grapefruit juice

Certain dairy products, such as milk and yogurt, are high in potassium (low-fat or fat-free is best).

Some fish contain potassium:

• Tuna
• Halibut
• Cod
• Trout
• Rockfish

Beans or legumes that are high in potassium include:

• Lima beans
• Pinto beans
• Kidney beans
• Soybeans
• Lentils

Other foods that are rich in potassium include:

• Salt substitutes (read labels to check potassium levels)
• Molasses
• Nuts
• Meat and poultry
• Brown and wild rice
• Bran cereal
• Whole-wheat bread and pasta

How Much You Need

You should get 4,700 milligrams (mg) of potassium every day. Most Americans don’t meet that goal.

Your needs might be different if you have kidney disease. Some people with kidney disease should get less potassium than the 4,700 mg guideline. If your kidneys don’t work well, too much potassium could stay in your body, which can cause nerve and muscle problems. If you have kidney disease and your doctor hasn’t already told you what your potassium limit is, ask about it.