From the Guidelines
Potassium-rich foods include bananas, avocados, spinach, sweet potatoes, and white beans, which are essential for maintaining proper nerve function, muscle contraction, and blood pressure regulation. Other excellent sources are oranges, tomatoes, yogurt, salmon, and coconut water. Leafy greens like kale and Swiss chard, as well as legumes such as lentils and kidney beans, also provide significant amounts of potassium. Dried fruits like apricots and raisins are concentrated sources, while potatoes with skin, mushrooms, and winter squash are nutritious options too.
Key Points to Consider
- Incorporating these foods into your daily diet helps maintain proper nerve function, muscle contraction, and blood pressure regulation.
- The recommended daily intake for adults is about 4700 mg of potassium, as suggested by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 1.
- Eating a variety of these foods rather than relying on a single source ensures you get adequate potassium along with other essential nutrients.
- If you have kidney disease, consult with a healthcare provider before significantly increasing potassium intake, as your body may have difficulty processing this mineral 1.
- A diet rich in potassium, such as the DASH diet, can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease 1. Some key food sources of potassium include:
- Fruits: bananas, oranges, apricots, avocados
- Vegetables: spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, Swiss chard
- Legumes: white beans, lentils, kidney beans
- Dairy: yogurt, milk
- Fish: salmon
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, pumpkin seeds
- Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat bread
From the FDA Drug Label
3 Elimination of foods containing high levels of potassium such as almonds, apricots, bananas, beans (lima, pinto, white), cantaloupe, carrot juice (canned), figs, grapefruit juice, halibut, milk, oat bran, potato (with skin), salmon, spinach, tuna and many others. Some examples of potassium-rich foods are:
- Almonds
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Beans (lima, pinto, white)
- Cantaloupe
- Carrot juice (canned)
- Figs
- Grapefruit juice
- Halibut
- Milk
- Oat bran
- Potato (with skin)
- Salmon
- Spinach
- Tuna 2
From the Research
Potassium-Rich Foods
Some examples of potassium-rich foods include:
- Fruits, such as tomatoes and kiwi 3, 4
- Vegetables, including leafy greens like spinach and chicory, as well as root vegetables like potatoes and carrots 3, 4
- Legumes, such as peas and beans 3, 4
- Whole grains, like rice and wholegrain bread 3
- Dairy products and animal proteins 3
- Seeds, which tend to have higher potassium content than other parts of plants 4
Factors Affecting Potassium Content
The potassium content of foods can be affected by various factors, including:
- Cooking methods: boiling can reduce potassium content in some vegetables, but not others 4
- Processing: canned products tend to have higher sodium and lower potassium values than fresh or frozen products 5
- Type of plant organ: seeds and leaves tend to have higher potassium content than fruits or roots 4
Health Benefits of Potassium-Rich Foods
Consuming potassium-rich foods has been associated with several health benefits, including: