Most Americans don’t get enough of this key mineral in their diets. Adding more of the following potassium-rich whole foods can help.
Potassium plays a vital role in health: It helps regulate your body’s fluid levels, aids in muscle contractions, and keeps your nervous system working properly, among other functions. It is also one of a group of electrically charged minerals — magnesium, calcium, and sodium are others — known as electrolytes. Potassium and sodium are the main electrolytes involved in regulating fluid balance, which can be crucial for reducing the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended daily intake for potassium is 4,700 milligrams (mg) per day. If you want to hit that goal, you'll most likely need to reevaluate your diet.
“Potassium comes from various foods we eat, especially fruits and vegetables,” says Nicole Roach, RD, CDCES, the lead registered dietitian at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. And yes, that also includes bananas — the potassium-rich food we’ve all heard about — which have 422 mg per medium-size fruit.
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There are so many varieties of squash, you can find some kind in season no matter what time of year it is. This round, green-skinned, orange-fleshed winter variety is loaded with fiber and other vitamins and minerals — especially potassium. One cup of cooked acorn squash packs 896 mg of potassium, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
It has a slightly sweet flavor that is heightened by roasting. “Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, slice it into rings, and roast it with a little salt, pepper, and brown sugar,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, an author and a nutrition expert based in New York City. “It gets so tender and sweet. Kids will love it — and they can eat it like a slice of watermelon!”
Largeman-Roth is also not opposed to drizzling it with some olive oil, which increases the absorption of fat-soluble beta-carotene. This compound, which is found in other orange-hued produce such as carrots and sweet potatoes, is a plant pigment with antioxidant properties.
Fresh tomatoes contain a decent amount of potassium (one medium tomato has 292 mg), and you’ll get even more bang for your buck from more concentrated forms of tomatoes, such as tomato paste (162 mg of potassium per tablespoon) or tomato sauce (728 mg of potassium per cup).
But sun-dried tomatoes win out with 925 mg of potassium per half-cup, which is 35 percent of the recommended amount for adult women, according to the National Institutes of Health. That’s not all they have going for them either: Sun-dried tomatoes are high in fiber (with more than 6 g per cup), vitamin C, and even protein. You can find them plain or packed in heart-healthy olive oil, and both options make a delicious addition to salads, sandwiches, or pizza. You can also chop them up and add to pesto or sauces.
Beans are an all-around healthy addition to your diet, as a good source of plant-based protein and filling fiber. Kidney beans are one of the best options, with a half cup delivering 356 mg of potassium. You can buy them dried or canned, but if you choose the latter, be sure to drain and rinse them before using to lower the sodium content. Black beans are another great choice, with 370 mg of potassium per half-cup.
Kidney and other kinds of beans are delicious in soup and chili, and Largeman-Roth recommends adding kidney beans to your salads or mashing them up with salt and pepper to use as a burrito filling.
Bananas tend to get all the credit when it comes to potassium-rich fruits, but at 215 mg, a single small kiwifruit is a worthy choice, too. Other fruit that should be on your shopping list: oranges, including their juice — an 8 ounce (oz) glass racks up nearly 500 mg of potassium and cantaloupe. Just 1 cup of this orange melon edges out a medium banana with 427 mg of potassium. Its high water content also means cantaloupe is super hydrating, and its orange color indicates the presence of beta-carotene, a plant pigment with antioxidant properties. Fruit salad, anyone?
Get on the avocado toast train. This creamy, green-fleshed fruit isn’t just high in fiber and heart-healthy fats, it’s also loaded with 690 mg of potassium. That makes it twice as good for your heart. Avocados in the diet are associated with reduced heart disease, according to a review of research.
Avocado is so versatile, you can incorporate it into any meal of the day. In addition to mashing it for toast and guacamole, you can add slices to tacos, sandwiches (use it in place of butter or mayo, suggests Roach), burgers, and even smoothies. Largeman-Roth recommends using one of her favorite avocado recipes. “Blend ½ avocado with ½ banana, ¼ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt, ¼ cup ice, 1 cup coconut water, 1 teaspoon of agave nectar, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon,” she says. (Vegans can substitute silken tofu for yogurt.)
There are plenty of reasons to eat more of this lean protein, and here’s one more to add to the list: Many species are a great source of potassium. Certain fish — like wild salmon, some varieties of tuna, halibut, trout, flounder, and Pacific cod — are better sources than others; a 3 oz piece of wild Atlantic salmon contains around 400 mg of potassium. Fatty fish like salmon are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are a type of polyunsaturated fat that may lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation in the body. The FDA advises eating at least 8 oz of fish a week, primarily varieties that are low in mercury.
Nutritionally, potatoes get a bad rap, but that’s usually because of how they’re prepared (fried in oil as french fries or chips, or smothered in cheese, sour cream, and butter). But your basic spud is a nutritional stud, especially when it comes to potassium. Nearly 900 mg of the nutrient can be found in just one medium russet potato, and other varieties (red, yellow, and even sweet potatoes) are in the 400-mg-and-up range. These popular starches are also a good source of fiber (leave the skin on for the most of this filling nutrient), vitamin C, and iron.
For a healthier way to eat potatoes, try steaming and mashing them with a little vegetable stock for flavor, roasting them with olive oil and herbs, or baking them and topping with salsa instead of butter. Their starch makes them a great thickener for soups as well.
Though fruits and vegetables are among the best food sources of potassium, dairy products can also add the mineral to your diet. A cup of whole milk has more than 370 mg of potassium. while the same amount of nonfat milk contains more than 400 mg of potassium. (In general, the lower the fat in the milk, the higher the potassium.) Meanwhile, 1 small container of plain Greek yogurt contains more than 200 mg of potassium — yet another reason to make this protein-packed yogurt (it has a whopping 20 g per cup!) a part of your healthy breakfast or snack. Yogurt also has tons of culinary uses, so you can try it as a marinade or dip or use it in place of sour cream to get more into your day.
Some of the best sources of potassium are dark, leafy greens such as spinach, which when cooked has an astounding 839 mg potassium per cup. Swiss chard has even more, with 961 mg of potassium per cooked cup, and shredded bok choy has around 631 mg per cup.
All these foods contain potassium when consumed raw but more when cooked. This gives you a good reason to eat leafy greens in more than just salad. Add them to stir fries, or sauté and serve over pasta or with eggs. You can also add them to soups.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are your best bets, but when they’re not in season, dried fruit is a good second choice for a potassium-rich snack. Dehydrating fruit concentrates all its nutrients, including potassium. It also concentrates the sugar, however, so be sure to check labels if you’re watching how much of the sweet stuff you eat, and avoid any varieties with added sugars. Dried apricots net you about 290 mg potassium per quarter cup. Dried plums and raisins are other good choices. While they’re a great snack, especially with nuts in trail mix, you can also use them to add some sweetness to oatmeal, salads, or puddings.
The Takeaway
Most Americans don’t get enough potassium in their diets, but this mineral helps regulate blood pressure, aids muscle function, and keeps your nervous system working properly.
Potassium is also an electrolyte, which means it regulates fluid balance, reducing the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
Beyond bananas, foods such as acorn squash, beans, potatoes, avocados, and leafy greens can help you get enough potassium in your daily meals. The recommended daily intake for potassium is 4,700 mg a day, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
