There are so many reasons you need to make sure you consume an adequate amount of potassium-rich foods daily. An important electrolyte, potassium is also the third most abundant mineral in the body. It interacts with sodium to perform a number of important functions every single day, such as balancing fluids and mineral levels within the body.
It’s why having low potassium levels can be so dangerous. Symptoms of low potassium — aka hypokalemia — are dangerous and can include severe headaches, dehydration, and heart palpitations.
Fortunately, potassium from natural food sources, like the list of potassium-rich foods below, is not only safe and healthy but also not difficult to come by.
As of 2019, an expert committee with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established updated recommendations for potassium consumption, which can vary based on age and gender.
Here are the most recent recommendations for potassium:
- 0–6 months: 400 milligrams/day
- 7–12 months: 860 milligrams/day
- 1–3 years: 2,000 milligrams/day
- 4–8 years: 2,300 milligrams/day
- 9–13 years: 2,500 milligrams/day for males and 2,300 milligrams/day for females
- 14–18 years: 3,000 milligrams/day for males and 2,300 milligrams/day for females
- Over 19 years: 3,400 milligrams/day for males and 2,600 milligrams/day for females
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding: 2,800–2,900 milligrams/day
In addition, athletes who work out for more than an hour most days may need even more potassium, and intakes vary based on muscle mass, activity levels, etc.
Top 15 Foods High in Potassium
What foods are rich in potassium? There are a lot of potassium-rich foods to choose from to meet your daily requirement. This list includes some of the highest potassium-rich foods around.
Below is a list of high potassium foods:
1. Avocado
1 whole: 1,067 milligrams
2. Lima Beans
1 cup: 955 milligrams
3. Swiss Chard
1 cup, cooked: 961 milligrams
4. Acorn Squash
1 cup: 896 milligrams
5. Spinach
1 cup cooked: 839 milligrams
6. Sweet Potato
1 large: 855 milligrams
7. Wild-Caught Salmon
½ filet: 772 milligrams
8. Dried Apricots
½ cup: 756 milligrams
9. Pomegranate
1 whole: 667 milligrams
10. Coconut Water
1 cup: 600 milligrams
11. White Beans
½ cup: 502 milligrams
12. Banana
1 large: 487 milligrams
13. Sardines
1 can: 365 milligrams
14. Peas
1 cup: 354 milligrams
15. Beets
1/2 cup: 259 milligrams
Additional foods:
- White button mushrooms
- Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Paprika
- Seaweed
- Brussels Sprouts
- Palm Hearts
- Sunflower seeds
- Almonds
- Chestnuts
- Dates
- Cashews
- Walnuts
- Spinach
- Black beans
Final Thoughts
- The key to success is choosing foods that are lower in calories and eating more of these foods. Eat smaller portions of concentrated fat foods and dried fruits.
- Hopefully, this potassium-rich food list will help you to see that bananas aren’t your only option when it comes to getting your daily dose of potassium.
- There are actually many fruits and vegetables, and even fish, that rank even higher than bananas when it comes to their content of this vital mineral.
- There are so many delicious potassium-rich foods that can be eaten alone or in healthy recipes, which makes it easy not to fall short in the potassium department.
