Description
High Potassium Foods
If you’re like most people in the U.S., you likely don’t get enough potassium in your diet.
Like calcium and sodium, potassium is a mineral that’s found in some foods. Having enough of it in your diet helps you stay healthy. So, it’s crucial to eat plenty of potassium-rich foods.
While many foods contain potassium, most Americans today only get about half of their daily requirement. Research shows that consuming enough of this macro-mineral can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke.
Potassium is available as a supplement, but you should only take it with a doctor’s prescription. Too much can hurt your kidney function. Unless your doctor tells you to, it’s safer and more effective to get this mineral from your diet. Foods high in potassium are also usually high in other nutrients and low in sodium. This balance contributes to potassium’s health-boosting effects.
Potassium-rich foods include many fruits, veggies, beans, and legumes. (Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images)
Food Sources of Potassium
Many of the foods that you already eat have potassium in them. If you need to boost the amount in your diet, you can choose healthy foods including:
- Bananas, oranges, cantaloupes, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit (some dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and dates, are also high in potassium)
- Cooked spinach
- Cooked broccoli
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Pumpkins
- Leafy greens
Juice from potassium-rich fruits is also a good choice:
Requirements
High Potassium Foods
If you’re like most people in the U.S., you likely don’t get enough potassium in your diet.
Like calcium and sodium, potassium is a mineral that’s found in some foods. Having enough of it in your diet helps you stay healthy. So, it’s crucial to eat plenty of potassium-rich foods.
While many foods contain potassium, most Americans today only get about half of their daily requirement. Research shows that consuming enough of this macro-mineral can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke.
Potassium is available as a supplement, but you should only take it with a doctor’s prescription. Too much can hurt your kidney function. Unless your doctor tells you to, it’s safer and more effective to get this mineral from your diet. Foods high in potassium are also usually high in other nutrients and low in sodium. This balance contributes to potassium’s health-boosting effects.
Potassium-rich foods include many fruits, veggies, beans, and legumes. (Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images)
Food Sources of Potassium
Many of the foods that you already eat have potassium in them. If you need to boost the amount in your diet, you can choose healthy foods including:
- Bananas, oranges, cantaloupes, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit (some dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and dates, are also high in potassium)
- Cooked spinach
- Cooked broccoli
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Mushrooms
- Peas
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Pumpkins
- Leafy greens
Juice from potassium-rich fruits is also a good choice:
