From the Guidelines
Foods highest in potassium include bananas, avocados, spinach, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, beans (especially white beans and kidney beans), yogurt, salmon, and dried fruits like apricots and raisins.
Key Points to Consider
- Other excellent sources are coconut water, tomatoes, oranges, and winter squash.
- For optimal potassium intake, aim to incorporate several of these foods into your daily diet.
- A medium banana provides about 422mg of potassium, while a medium baked potato with skin contains approximately 926mg.
- Potassium is an essential electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions, and nerve signals in the body.
- Most adults should consume about 3,500-4,700mg of potassium daily, as recommended by the World Health Organization and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines 1.
- If you have kidney disease or take certain medications, consult with your healthcare provider before significantly increasing potassium intake, as too much potassium can be dangerous for some individuals.
Additional Considerations
- The DASH dietary pattern, which is high in potassium content, can help achieve the recommended daily intake of potassium 1.
- Foods that are high in potassium can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially stroke 1.
- Certain foods, such as bananas, oranges, potatoes, and tomato products, are high in potassium and should be limited in individuals with hyperkalemia or those who need to restrict potassium intake 1.
From the Research
Foods High in Potassium
The following foods are high in potassium:
- Potatoes
- Pulses
- Green/yellow vegetables
Association Between Dietary Potassium Intake and Hyperkalemia
Studies have shown that total potassium intake is weakly associated with serum potassium 2, but not with hyperkalemia. However, potassium intake from certain food groups such as potatoes was associated with hyperkalemia 2.
Importance of Considering Food Sources of Potassium
Considering food sources of potassium is important in the management of hyperkalemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) 2.
Benefits of Higher Dietary Potassium Intake
Higher dietary potassium intake has been associated with lower blood pressure, lower cardiovascular risk, and better kidney outcomes 3, 4. Increasing dietary potassium intake can exert blood pressure-independent effects on the kidney by relieving the deleterious effects of a low potassium diet, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis 4.