Foods High in Potassium to Look for When Grocery Shopping

Along With Special Precautions for Those With Kidney Disease

Medically reviewed by Allison Herries, RDN

Potassium is a mineral your body needs to help your nerves, muscles, kidneys, and heart function well. A potassium-rich diet can offer many health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, lessening the risk of kidney stones, and regulating blood sugar levels.

Bananas, meat, dried fruits, and potatoes are good sources of potassium. And there are many more potassium-rich foods that you can easily add to your diet.

This article discusses how much potassium you need, the top foods that contain potassium, and why some people might want to avoid them.

How Much Potassium Should You Eat?

For most adults and children over age 4, experts recommend a daily value for potassium of 4,700 milligrams (mg). The daily value for children ages 1 to 3 is 3,000 mg.

Fruits and Vegetables High in Potassium

Bananas aren't the only potassium-rich fruit. Some fruits and vegetables contain potassium and abundant other vitamins and minerals.

Bananas

Bananas are perhaps best known for providing potassium. One medium banana contains about 451 mg of the mineral. This fruit is also rich in vitamin C, fiber, and magnesium.

Leafy Greens

Leafy green vegetables are loaded with potassium. One cup of cooked Swiss chard provides 20% of your daily value of potassium (961 mg). That’s almost double the potassium found in a banana. Spinach is another good source of potassium. Just 1 cup of cooked spinach offers about 830 mg of potassium.

Avocado

One-half cup of avocado contains 364 mg of potassium. There are many ways to enjoy avocados. You can eat them over toast, in salads, in a guacamole dip, or even in a smoothie.

Potatoes

Potatoes contain a high amount of potassium. However, there are many types of potatoes, and the potassium content varies among kinds. For example, one medium sweet potato contains 542 mg of potassium, and one medium baked potato has 929 mg of potassium.

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is sometimes known as a fall food. One cup provides 582 mg of potassium. It also contains vitamins A and C, magnesium, folate, and calcium.

Watermelon

Two wedges of watermelon contain about 640 mg of potassium. Another benefit of eating this fruit is its high water content makes you feel full, even though it’s low in calories.

Beets

This red root vegetable can be found in salads, juices, and soups. A cup of cooked, sliced beets offers about 518 mg of potassium.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates are round, red fruits that are low in calories but high in nutrients. A whole pomegranate contains 666 mg of potassium.

Guava

Guava is a tropical fruit that can be eaten alone or made into jams, drinks, or other foods. One cup of guava packs in 688 mg of potassium.

Durian

Durian is a large fruit with a spiky outer shell. It’s popular in Southeast Asia and is loaded with potassium. Durian is often used in juices, soups, desserts, and other side dishes. Just 1 cup of durian has 1,059 mg of potassium.

Yams

Yams are a starchy, nutritious vegetable. A one-half cup of yams contains 456 mg of potassium. Be sure to cook yams. They can be toxic if consumed raw.

Protein High in Potassium

Some protein sources, such as fish, beef, chicken, and beans, contain potassium.

Fish

Seafood is a good source of protein and other nutrients. Certain types of seafood also contain a lot of potassium. Fish such as salmon, tuna, halibut, mackerel, and snapper all have over 400 mg of potassium in a 4-ounce filet. Clams are also a great source of potassium.

Chicken

Chicken is a high-protein, versatile poultry that can be included in many dishes. A 6-ounce grilled chicken breast contains 664 mg of potassium.

Beef

A 6-ounce beef top sirloin contains 630 mg of potassium. Beef is also rich in iron and zinc.

Beans and Lentils

Beans and lentils are good sources of protein and fiber. They both also contain potassium. A cup of canned kidney beans contains 607 mg of potassium, and one cup of cooked lentils boasts 731 mg of potassium.

Dried Foods High in Potassium

Dried apricots, raisins, and prunes are also a good source of potassium. When shopping for dried fruit, look for those with no sugar added.

Dried Apricots

A cup of dried apricots contains 1,510 mg of potassium. You can add dried apricots to trail mixes or granola bars. One benefit of dried foods is they last a long time, and you can easily pack them if you’re on the go.

Raisins

Raisins offer another quick and easy way to load up on potassium. A one-half cup contains 600 mg of the mineral. Enjoy raisins as a snack or sprinkle them on salads, cereal, yogurt, or trail mix.

Prunes

Prunes are dried plums. They are sometimes used to relieve constipation but also provide a good amount of potassium. Half a cup of dried prunes contains 635 mg of potassium.

Other Foods With Potassium

Additional foods, like yogurt, milk, coconut water, and some fruit juices are another way to incorporate potassium into your diet.

Dairy

Dairy products are a great source of calcium, and they also contain potassium. Yogurt, milk, and kefir all provide a notable amount of potassium. It’s worth noting that Greek yogurt contains nearly half as much potassium as regular yogurt.

Coconut Water

One cup of coconut water provides about 600 mg of potassium. This beverage is also a good source of vitamin C, magnesium, and manganese.

Juices

Juices are an excellent way to get your daily value of potassium. Juices like orange, tomato, tangerine, carrot, and prune all contain high amounts of this mineral.

Takeaway

Research shows less than 2% of Americans get their daily recommended amount of potassium.

Reasons to Limit or Avoid Potassium Foods

Some people should avoid or limit their potassium intake. If you have chronic kidney disease, your kidneys may be unable to remove excess potassium from your body. This can lead to serious side effects.

Too much potassium in the body causes dangerous complications, such as abnormal heart rhythms or a heart attack. People who take high blood pressure medication and those with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, or heart failure are more at risk for this complication.

Talk to your health provider about your diet if you have any chronic medical conditions. You may have to limit the amount of potassium you eat.

Summary

Consuming the right amount of potassium is essential for good health. Foods like fruits, veggies, fish, chicken, beef, beans, milk, yogurt, other dairy, dried fruits, and juices provide potassium. While many people need to increase their potassium intake, others, like those with kidney disease, should avoid potassium-rich foods.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.