The 10 Best Foods High in Potassium

Written by Daisy Whitbread, MScN

Potassium is an essential nutrient used to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. A deficiency in potassium causes fatigue, irritability, and hypertension (high blood pressure). Unless you are on dialysis, or have a special condition, overdose of potassium from natural sources is nearly impossible; however, it is possible to consume too much potassium via potassium salts which can lead to nausea, vomiting, and even cardiac arrest.

The current daily value (%DV) for potassium is 3,500 milligrams (mg). High potassium foods include dried apricots, fish, white beans, avocados, potatoes, acorn squash, spinach, low fat yogurt, white button mushrooms, and bananas. Below is a list of high potassium foods ranked by common serving sizes, for more see the lists of high potassium foods by nutrient density, more potassium rich foods, fruits high in potassium, and vegetables high in potassium.

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List of High Potassium Foods

1 Dried Apricots

• 43% DV (1511mg) potassium per cup
• 28% DV (964mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 33% DV (1162mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

More Dried Fruits High in Potassium (%DV per cup)

Dried Peaches (45% DV), Dried Bananas (43%), Prunes (40%), Zante Currants (37%), Raisins (35%), Dried Persimmons (34%), Dried Figs (29%), Dates (28%), Dried Pears (27%), Dried Apples (11%).
Note: Dried fruit is high in sugar and calories.
For a list of fresh fruit high in potassium see the article on high potassium fruits.

Nutrition Facts for Dried Apricots.

2 Salmon

• 31% DV (1068mg) potassium per 6oz fillet
• 20% DV (690mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 18% DV (628mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

More Fish High in Potassium (%DV per 6oz fillet)

Pompano (30%), King Mackerel (28%), Lingcod (28%), Spanish Mackerel (26%), Halibut (26%), Herring (26%), Snapper (26%), MahiMahi (26%), Yellowfin Tuna (26%), Monkfish (24%), Pout (24%), Tilefish(24%),Cush (24%), Swordfish (24%), Pike (24%), Grouper (24%), Shad (24%), Rockfish (22%), Trout (22%), Bass (22%), Pollock (22%), and Sablefish (22%).

Nutrition Facts for Wild Atlantic Salmon (Cooked).

3 Large White Beans

• 29% DV (1004mg) potassium per cup
• 23% DV (807mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 16% DV (561mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

Other Beans High in Potassium (%DV per cup)

Adzuki (35%), Lima (27%), Soy (25%), Pink beans (25%), Pinto (21%), Black turtle beans (23%), Lentils (21%), Split peas (20%), Kidney beans (20%), Great Northern (20%), Navy beans (20%), Cranberry (Roman) (20%), Pigeon Peas (18%), Cowpeas (18%), Black Beans (17%), Mung beans (15%), Chickpeas (14%), and Broad beans (Fava) (13%).
Beans are also high in magnesium.

Nutrition Facts for Cooked Large White Beans.

4 Avocados

• 28% DV (975mg) potassium per avocado
• 17% DV (606mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 14% DV (485mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

An average avocado provides 322 calories, half a cup pureed contains 184 calories.

Nutrition Facts for Avocados.

5 Potatoes

• 26% DV (926mg) potassium in a medium potato
• 33% DV (1151mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 15% DV (535mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

Warning: Potatoes are high in simple carbohydrates and not recommended for people with diabetes. Sweet potatoes are actually better for regulating blood sugar, an average baked sweet potato with skin (180g) provides 24%DV of potassium.

Nutrition Facts for Baked Potatoes (With Skin).

6 Acorn Squash

• 26% DV (896mg) potassium per cup cooked
• 45% DV (1561mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 12% DV (437mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

Other Squash High in Potassium (%DV per cup baked)

Hubbard (21%), Zucchini (18% DV), Butternut (17% DV), and the average winter squash with 14% DV per cup. For more, see the list of high potassium vegetables.

Nutrition Facts for Baked Acorn Squash.

7 Spinach

• 24% DV (839mg) potassium per cup cooked
• 116% DV (4052mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 13% DV (466mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

Other Greens High in Potassium (%DV per cup cooked)

Beet Greens (37%), Swiss Chard (27%), Kale (8%), and Collards (6%). Raw spinach provides 5%DV per cup.
For more, see the list of high potassium vegetables.

Nutrition Facts for Cooked Spinach.

8 Low-Fat Yogurt

• 18% DV (625mg) potassium per cup
• 26% DV (911mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 7% DV (255mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

Other Dairy High in Potassium (%DV per cup)

Chocolate Yogurt (24%), Fat-Free Cream Cheese (22%), Low-Fat Milk (13%), Low-Fat Buttermilk (13%), and Whole-Fat Yogurt (11%).

Nutrition Facts for Non-Fat Yogurt.

9 White Button Mushrooms

• 16% DV (555mg) potassium per cup cooked
• 73% DV (2543mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 10% DV (356mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

More Mushrooms High in Potassium (%DV per cup sliced)

Portabella (15%), Brown or Crimini (9%), Shiitake (9%), Enoki (7%), Maitake (4%).

Nutrition Facts for Cooked White Button Mushrooms.

10 Bananas

• 12% DV (422mg) potassium per cup sliced
• 23% DV (804mg) per 200 calorie serving
• 10% DV (358mg) per 100 grams (3.5 oz)

Other fruits high in potassium (%DV per cup)

Durian (30%), Plantains (27%), Mamey Sapote (23%), Jackfruit (21%), Guavas (20%), Kiwifruit (16%), Cantaloupe (14%), and Apricots (11%).
For more see the list of high potassium fruits.

Nutrition Facts for Bananas.

See All 200 Foods High in Potassium

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Printable One Page Sheet

Who is at Risk for Potassium Deficiency?

• Alcoholics
• Long distance athletes - People who exercise over long distances lose electrolytes via sweat and need to replenish their sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus levels.
• Anorexics or bulimics
• People with a magnesium deficiency
• People taking any of the following medications:^13,14
  • Diuretics - Such as thiazide or furosemide
  • Beta-adrenergic agonists - Epinephrine
  • Decongestants - Pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine
  • Bronchodilators - Albuterol, terbutaline, pirbuterol, isoetharine, fenoterol, ephedrine, isoproterenol, metaproterenol, theophylline
  • Tocolytic (labor suppressing) agents - Ritodrine, nylidrin
  • Diuretics - Acetazolamide, thiazides, chlorthalidone, indapamide, metolazone, quinethazone, bumetanide, ethacrynic acid, furosemide, torsemide
  • Mineralocorticoids - Fludrocortisone
  • Substances with mineralocorticoid effects - Licorice, carbenoxolone, gossypol
  • High-dose glucocorticoids
  • High-dose antibiotics - Penicillin, nafcillin, carbenicillin
  • Other - Caffeine, phenolphthalein, sodium polystyrene sulfonate

Health Benefits of Potassium

• Osteoporosis Protection - Several studies have found a relation between increased bone density and increasedintake of dietary potassium. These studies were true even for post menopausal women and older men.^2-4
• Reduced Risk of Stroke - Several observational studies have found that those with high potassium levels experience a lowerrisk of stroke. The health benefits are likely through reduction of blood pressure combined with a diet highin fruits and vegetables.^5-9
• Alleviation of High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) - Studies show that a diet high in potassium, especially potassium fromfruits and vegetables, lowers blood pressure. This is especially true if the increase in potassium foods is not accompaniedby an increase in high sodium foods.^10-12

How much potassium do you need each day?

The percent daily value for potassium is 3500mg per day. The recommended daily intake for adults is 4700mg per day.

Here are the breakouts of the RDIs by age group:

• Age 14+: 4700mg
• 9-13 years old: 4500mg
• 4-8 years old: 3800mg
• 1-3 years old: 3000mg

The RDI is different from the DV since the DV is meant to be for the general public and used as a guide to compare foods. Thus the DV is meant to fit all age groups in general, while the RDI is more specific and thus, higher than the DV for adults.

I need to limit my potassium intake, what foods are low in potassium?

Foods low in potassium include most refined fats and oils, grains like cornmeal, white rice, and white pasta, some cheeses like soft goat cheese, and blueberries, leeks, and napa cabbage. Boiling vegetables in water and discarding the water they are cooked in can help reduce their potassium and electrolyte content. For more, see the article on low potassium foods, and low potassium vegetables.

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