10 foods high in potassium

High-potassium foods are an essential part of any balanced diet: The mineral helps to regulate your body’s fluid levels, aids in muscular function and waste removal, and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly. Potassium also helps reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension and lowers your risk for stroke. A deficiency in potassium can cause fatigue, insomnia, depression, muscular weakness, and many cardiovascular issues. Though people with kidney problems should avoid eating too many high-potassium foods, most adults should intake about 4,700 milligrams a day. Here are 10 high-potassium foods to help you reach that number.

1-Potatoes

Whether they’re red, white, or sweet, potatoes can be a great source of potassium; about 900 mg of the nutrient can be found in just one medium Russet potato. These popular complex carbs are also high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, and fiber (especially in the skin). Refrain from frying your potatoes; baking potatoes is arguably one of the healthiest ways to prepare them, but make sure to avoid adding fats such as sour cream and melted cheese. Opt for a dollop or two of homemade hummus or guacamole instead.

2-Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes contain potassium, though you’ll get even more from tomatoes in other forms like tomato paste, tomato sauce, and even sun-dried tomatoes, which contain more than 1,800 mg of potassium per cup (or around 40 percent of your daily recommended amount). Low in fat (when not packed in oil, or drained), sun-dried tomatoes are also high in fiber, protein, and vitamin C and help to promote both digestive and immune system health. They make a delicious addition to salads and sandwiches, and can be a great topping for pizza night with the kids.

3-Kidney Beans

If you enjoy kidney beans, finding more ways to add them to your meals may be just what you need to get more potassium into your diet. “Kidney beans are a great source of potassium, with more than 600 mg per cup,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN and New York Times best-selling author. “They’re also high in fiber.” She recommends adding them to your salads or mashing them up with salt and pepper to use as a burrito filling. Other beans high in potassium include white beans, lima beans, pinto beans, and soybeans (edamame).

4-Dried Fruits: Apricots, Peaches, and Figs

For a great potassium-rich snack that can also satisfy a sugar craving, try dried apricots. Apricots are actually most beneficial to your health when served dry, or dehydrated, which causes nutrient levels to become more concentrated. Just one cup can get you about one-third of the recommended daily potassium level, or about 1,500 mg. If dried apricots aren’t your thing, try dried peaches, raisins, or dried figs, which are also high in potassium and available all year round.

5-Bananas

If you’ve heard about any potassium-rich foods, you probably know that bananas are a good source, containing more than 400 mg of potassium each. Bananas make a healthy high-energy snack – more beneficial to athletes than sports drinks, according to at least one study. Aside from energy and potassium, bananas are also a good source of fiber and vitamins B6 and C. For other high-potassium fresh fruits, enjoy cantaloupe, kiwi, oranges, and strawberries.

6-Avocado

If avocado isn’t a staple in your house yet, you should probably start adding it to your grocery list. This nutrient-dense food is rich in potassium – containing 975 mg in one avocado – as well as vitamins and heart-healthy fats, plus is naturally free of sodium and cholesterol. Luckily, avocado is so versatile that you can incorporate it into any meal of the day. For breakfast, try adding it to your morning smoothie. Largeman-Roth recommends using one of her favorite avocado recipes from her cookbook, Eating in Color. “You blend ½ avocado with ½ banana, ¼ cup low fat vanilla yogurt, ¼ cup ice, 1 cup coconut water, 1 teaspoon of agave nectar, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon,” she says. If you’re vegan, you can still enjoy this recipe by skipping the vanilla yogurt.

7-Fish

Fish lovers, rejoice: Most fish will give you at least 10 percent of the recommended daily amount of potassium. Certain fish — like wild salmon, tuna, halibut, flounder, and Pacific cod— are better sources than others; a 3-ounce piece of wild Atlantic salmon contains around 500 mg of potassium. Most fish are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. Make sure to purchase varieties that contain low or no mercury, and avoid breading or frying. In addition to seafood, red meat (including lean beef), chicken, and turkey are also high in potassium.

8-Acorn Squash

You may not think of it that often when preparing meals, but acorn squash is a food rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals — especially potassium, with one cup of cooked squash containing almost 900 mg. Steaming or roasting it keeps you from adding any unnecessary fat. “Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, slice it into rings, and roast it with a little salt, pepper, and brown sugar,” Largeman-Roth says. “It gets so tender and sweet. Kids will love it — and they can eat it like a slice of watermelon!”

9-Milk

Though fruits and vegetables are among best food sources of potassium, dairy products can also help add the mineral to your diet. A cup of whole milk has more than 300 mg of potassium, while the same amount of nonfat milk contains almost 400 mg (in general, the higher the fat in the milk, the lower the potassium levels). Yogurt contains between 350 and 500 mg per cup, depending on the variety – yet another reason to make protein-packed yogurt a part of your healthy breakfast or snack.

10-Dark Leafy Greens

Some of the best sources of potassium are dark leafy greens such as spinach, which when cooked has more than 800 mg of potassium per cup; bok choy, which contains around 600 mg per cup when boiled, and Swiss chard, which has almost 1,000 mg per cooked cup. Leafy greens are a nutritional powerhouse – low in calories and high in a plethora of vitamins and minerals – so you can feel good about eating them every day.