Potassium Rich Foods List

What Does Potassium Do?

Potassium is an essential mineral that plays a major role in normal body growth, heart activity, metabolism, muscle tissue regulation and nerve function. The recommended dietary intake of potassium according to the USDA is 4.7 grams per day for adults. However, those individuals who have certain health conditions such as kidney disease, heart failure, and those who are taking medications such as diuretics, would either have to avoid or eat more foods that are rich in potassium.

Potassium aids in regulating blood pressure along with the other vital minerals such as magnesium. Due to the fact that the human body does not have the ability to store this mineral, it is extremely important to have a regular supply of it to keep the body going. Potassium’s role in the body is vitally important especially when it comes to nerve transmission and muscle contraction. Potassium travels in and out of the cells through special passages, and once this movement is interrupted, nerves and muscles can suffer badly as the flow of potassium is blocked.  It is also essential in keeping the equilibrium balanced between alkalis and acids in the body, the pH or acid-base balance. Aside from that, it also helps in maintaining a normal water balance in the body.

Potassium Rich Foods List

Here is a potassium rich foods list and corresponding recommended daily intake for adults:

FOODS SERVING SIZE(1 cup ≈ 240ml; 1 ounce ≈ 28g) POTASSIUM (mg)
Apricot Each (35g) 90
Banana Large (135g) 587
Beets 1 cup 442
Beet Greens 1 cup 1310
Broccoli 1 spear 108
Brussel sprouts 1 cup (88g) 342
Carrot Juice 1 cup 689
Celery 1 stalk 104
Chestnuts – roasted 1 cup 847
Chinese Cabbage (Pak-choi) 1 cup 631
Cowpeas / Blackeye- (Immature) 1 cup 638
Crab – Blue 1 cup 505
Cucumber 1 Large 381
Dates – Deglet noor 1 cup 1168
Eggnog 1 cup 419
Flounder 1 fillet 437
Grapefruit juice – concentrated 1 can (6 fluid ounces) 1002
Halibut ½ fillet 916
Jerusalem artichokes 1 cup 644
Kale 1 ounce 125
Kiwi fruit 1 large 284
Lima Beans 1 cup 955
Milk – Evaporated 1 cup 765
Milk – whole 1 cup 350
Mushrooms – raw 70g 220
Orange – Florida 1 large 255
Papaya (pawpaw) 100g 257
Parsnip 1 ounce 105
Plantain – raw 1 medium 893
Potatoes, baked with skin Each 1081
Soybean – green (edamame nutrition) 1 cup 970
Spinach, cooked 1 cup 839
Raisins 1 cup 1085
Sweet Potato – baked with skin Each 694
Tomato 1 medium 292
Turkey 140g 420
Winter squash 1 cup 896
Yogurt plain 227g 579

Find out more about potassium rich foods.

References and further reading

USDA Food Database; Nutrition Data.