From the Guidelines
Potassium-rich foods include bananas, potatoes, avocados, spinach, and sweet potatoes, and adults should aim to consume at least 4700 mg/day of potassium from food sources, as recommended by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 1.
Key Food Sources
- Fruits: bananas, avocados, oranges, and dried fruits like apricots and prunes
- Vegetables: spinach, sweet potatoes, and other leafy greens
- Protein sources: beans (particularly white beans and kidney beans), yogurt, salmon, and nuts (especially almonds and pumpkin seeds) ### Importance of Potassium Potassium is essential for proper muscle function, nerve transmission, and maintaining healthy blood pressure, as it works by balancing sodium levels in the body and supporting cellular function 2.
Dietary Recommendations
- The World Health Organization recommends a potassium intake of at least 90 mmol (3510 mg) per day from food for adult patients 1
- Four to five servings of fruits and vegetables will usually provide 1500 to >3000 mg of potassium, which can be achieved by a diet high in potassium content, such as the DASH diet 1 ### Considerations
- Some individuals, such as those with certain kidney diseases, may need to limit their potassium intake, and should consult with a healthcare professional for personalized dietary advice 3, 4
From the Research
Potassium-Rich Foods
Some examples of potassium-rich foods include:
- Potatoes, as seen in the study 5, where baked or boiled potatoes were used to increase potassium intake
- French fries, also used in the study 5 as a source of potassium
- Other potassium-rich foods are not explicitly mentioned in the provided studies, but it can be inferred that foods high in potassium, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, may be beneficial for increasing potassium intake
Bioavailability of Potassium
The bioavailability of potassium from different sources is discussed in the studies:
- Potassium-magnesium citrate was found to have an equivalent potassium bioavailability as potassium citrate and potassium chloride 6
- Potassium citrate was also found to have a positive effect on blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension 7
Effects of Potassium Intake
The effects of increasing potassium intake are discussed in the studies: