14 Potassium-Rich Foods to Add to Your Diet
Potassium is a major dietary mineral that helps balance your body's pH and body fluids. It's important for normal blood pressure regulation (it works in opposition to sodium). It's also needed for normal muscle growth, and for the nervous system and brain function. According to the Institute of Medicine, the average adult should consume about 4,700 milligrams of potassium every day.
Your body's potassium levels may be affected by kidney disease, diabetes, vomiting, fluctuating hormone levels, or as a side effect of certain medications. It's best to get your potassium from the foods you eat; please don't take potassium supplements without speaking with your health care provider first.
Fruits and vegetables are the richest sources of potassium, so you may be getting plenty in your diet right now. But if you're like most people who eat a Western diet and get fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, there's a good chance you could use more of this mighty mineral.
To boost your intake, consider adding more of these 14 foods to your diet.
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Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes rock the potassium world. One medium baked potato packs 926 milligrams potassium, more than a quarter your daily requirement. That potato is also an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin B6. It also contains 4.3 grams of protein and 3.8 grams of fiber for 161 calories.
Beet Greens
If you're tossing beet greens into the compost instead of sautéing them, you're missing out on a ton of good nutrition. A cup of these cooked greens has over 1,310 milligrams potassium, plenty of other minerals, as well as four grams of fiber, 35 milligrams vitamin C, and 11,000 International Units of vitamin A.
White Beans
Dry beans of any kind are rich in potassium, but white beans have the most: For example, a 1/2 cup serving of lima beans delivers 477 milligrams. Beans are also an excellent source of minerals in general, as well as fiber—that serving of lima beans has 6.5 grams and just over 100 calories.
If opting for canned beans, be sure to rinse off the excess sodium before eating or preparing them.
Nonfat Yogurt
Plain nonfat yogurt is a good source of potassium with more than 500 milligrams in 1 cup of yogurt. Low-fat yogurt is also a good source, but yogurt made with whole milk isn't quite as impressive potassium-wise.
It's also important to note Greek yogurt isn't nearly as potassium-rich as plain old nonfat yogurt. In that 150-calorie cup of yogurt, you'll also get plenty of calcium, protein, vitamin D, and the healthy bacteria known as probiotics.
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are delicious and packed with vitamins and minerals. One medium-sized baked sweet potato has more than 500 milligrams potassium, along with B vitamins, minerals like manganese and copper, and about 20,000 International Units of vitamin A. That sweet spud also packs about 4 grams fiber but only 100 calories.
Halibut
Most fish, such as salmon and tuna, will supply you with some potassium, but halibut is the top dog, so to speak. A 5-ounce baked halibut filet has 500 milligrams potassium plus several minerals, essential fatty acids, and niacin.
Bananas
Bananas are pretty well-known as a high-potassium food for good reason. One medium banana has more than 400 milligrams potassium. It also has a bunch of B vitamins, 3 grams of fiber, and about 100 calories.
Prunes and Prune Juice
Prunes and prune juice are an excellent source of potassium. A cup of dried prunes has 1244 milligrams potassium, plus a host of minerals, B vitamins, and about 1,300 International Units of vitamin A.
Clams
Clams are best known as a source of zinc, a mineral that's important for so many chemical reactions to occur in the body. But clams are also an excellent source of potassium, with 3 ounces containing around 530 milligrams. Clams are also low in calories, high in protein, and an excellent source of iron.
Tomato Products
Tomatoes are a fair source of potassium, but when they're cooked and concentrated into sauces, stews, and paste, the amount of potassium goes up quite a bit. A 1/2 cup of tomato puree has about 530 milligrams potassium, plus the antioxidant lycopene, and plenty of additional vitamins and minerals.
Dried Apricots
Dried apricots are high in potassium, with more than 750 milligrams in a 1/2 cup serving. They're also high in vitamin A, iron, and niacin. Fresh apricots are an excellent source of potassium, but the same amount of the dried variety contains far more—1,511 milligrams per cup versus 427 milligrams for fresh fruit.
Winter Squash
Winter squash, which includes varieties like butternut, Hubbard, and acorn squash, is an excellent source of potassium with almost 600 milligrams per cup of cubed squash when cooked.
It's also a good source of minerals in general, and more than 20,000 International Units of vitamin A. A cup of cubed cooked squash has 7 grams fiber and about 80 calories.
Bok Choy
Bok choy is a type of cabbage used in Asian dishes. It's delicious and loaded with good nutrition. A cup of cooked bok choy has more than 600 milligrams potassium, along with a good amount of vitamin C, lots of B vitamins, over 7,000 International Units vitamin A, and about 60 micrograms vitamin K.
Portobello Mushrooms
Portobello mushrooms are quite high in potassium, with one of these giant shrooms packing more than 300 milligrams of the mineral. They also bear lots of B vitamins, as well as minerals like copper and selenium. The meaty texture of portobellos makes them a great meat substitute, one that stands up well to grilling, roasting, or broiling.
A Word From Verywell
Potassium is an essential mineral required for many important biochemical processes. As long as you eat a healthy balanced diet with lots of plant-based foods, you should be getting plenty of potassium.
Weaver CM. Potassium and health. Adv Nutr. 2013;4(3):368S - 77S. doi:10.3945/an.112.003533
Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. Washington, DC; 2005.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. 21CFR201.306. Potassium salt preparations intended for oral ingestion by man. 2017.
US Department of Health and Human Services; US Department of Agriculture. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 8th ed. Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; December 2015.
- Colorado State University Extension. "Potassium and the Diet."
- United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. "National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference."