Your body needs potassium to help your muscles contract, maintain water balance, and maintain normal blood pressure. Normal levels of potassium in the body help keep the heart beating faster. Potassium can help reduce the risk of kidney stones and bone loss as you grow older.
Healthy kidneys store the right amount of potassium in the blood to keep the heart beating at a steady pace. If you have kidney disease, potassium levels can rise and affect your heart rate. Be sure to talk to a health professional to determine if you should limit your intake of foods high in potassium.
What is the recommended daily amount of potassium?
Recommended potassium by age:
- Age (years) — Recommended potassium intake (milligrams a day)
- 1–3 3,000
- 4–8 3,800
- 9–13 4,500
- 14 and older 4,700
- Women who are breastfeeding 5,100
Women who are pregnant need the same amount of potassium as other women their age.
How can you get more potassium?
Potassium is in many foods, including vegetables, fruits, and milk products. You can figure out how much potassium is in a food by looking at the percent daily value section on the nutrition facts label. The food label assumes the daily value of potassium is 3,500 mg. So if one serving of a food has a daily value of 20% of potassium, that food has 700 mg of potassium in one serving. Potassium is not required to be listed on a food label, but it can be listed.
How can you get more potassium?
Potassium is still in many foods, including vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. You can find out how much potassium you have in the diet by looking at the average daily price ratio on the food facts label. The diet label taking a daily dose of potassium is 3,500 mg. So if one meal has a daily amount of 20% potassium, that food has 700 mg of potassium in one use. Potassium does not need to be included in the diet label list but can be included.
Avocados
Avocados are very popular and fashionable – and for good reason. Packed with good fats, avocado is also an excellent source of vitamin K and folate. One portion of avocado (100 grams) contains 487 mg of potassium or 10% AI. If you eat whole avocados, you can get 20% of your daily potassium needs at the same time.
Also, avocados can help people with high blood pressure, who are often told to increase their potassium levels and reduce their intake of salt (sodium).
This advice is based on a study called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). Further research has confirmed the benefits of potassium in lowering blood pressure.
Avocados, like most fruits, are low in sodium. Half avocado provides only 7 mg or 0.5% of your recommended sodium (RDI) diet.
Sweet Potatoes
Like avocados, sweet potatoes are becoming more popular and are often used as an alternative to potatoes. They are a particularly nutritious way to support your potassium diet – one medium-sized sweet potato contains 541 mg or 12% of your potassium AI.
Also, sweet potatoes are low in fat, packed in small amounts of protein, and are a good source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. They are also an excellent source of vitamin A, as one sweet potato provides more than 400% of your RDI.
Pair these sweet-rooted vegetables with good protein such as beans or meat, dark or colored vegetables, and a low-fat diet that is well-balanced and filling.
Spinach
Without a doubt, spinach is one of the most nutritious vegetables around. One cup (156 grams) of frozen spinach contains 540 mg of potassium or about 12% AI.
It also packs fists and other nutrients. The same active size contains 366% of your RDI in vitamin A, 725% vitamin K, 57% folate, and 29% magnesium.
Similarly, about three cups (100 grams) of unripe spinach contain 558 mg of potassium, and around 12% AI. Remember that 100 grams of green spinach are much greener on your plate than the same amount frozen.
Watermelon
Watermelon is a large, delicious fruit with lots of water. Just two wedges of watermelon (about 1/8 watermelon or 572 grams) will give you 640 mg of potassium, just under 14% AI.
The same serving size contains 172 calories, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 3.4 grams of protein, 0.8 grams of fat, and 2.2 grams of fiber. Also, this green, red watermelon is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as magnesium.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is a delicious, energetic drink. It’s a great natural way for sports drinks, as it contains key electrolytes that help drain water from your cells, and its natural sugars provide energy during exercise or replenish lost glycogen stores in the background.
One cup (240 ml) of coconut water contains 600 mg or about 13% AI of potassium. Also, it is a good source of magnesium, calcium, sodium, and manganese. It is refreshing when given the cold with ice after a sweaty exercise.
White Beans
The term white bean can refer to navy beans (pea), cannellini beans (white kidneys), large northern beans, or lima beans. Although bananas are high in potassium content, one cup (179 grams) of any of these beans contains twice as much potassium as one banana. One cup of cooked white beans gives you 829 mg of potassium – 18% of AI.
One cup provides 28-61% of RDI with various B vitamins. Also, white beans are a great source of iron and plant-derived proteins.
Since one cup (179 grams) alone contains about 19 grams of fiber, it is also possible to fill too much. White beans are incredibly versatile and can be easily added to your diet, for example as a salad dressing or stew.
Black Beans
Black beans, also known as tortoise beans, are a staple food in Central and South America. Although white beans may have more potassium than black beans, the latter is still a good source of potassium. One cup (172 grams) of black beans gives you 611 mg or 13% AI.
However, since black beans contain phytates that can reduce your body’s absorption of minerals, not all of that potassium can be used.
It is difficult to know how much of these phytates can affect the absorption of minerals such as potassium, but if you use dried beans it is best to soak them overnight. This step will help reduce the number of phytates.
Edamame
Edamame, traditionally eaten in Japan, is a ripe bean served in a bowl. They also have more potassium in one cup than bananas. In fact, one cup (155 grams) provides 676 mg or more than just 14% of AI.
They are packed with many other nutrients, but mainly contain 121% RDI of folate per cup (155 grams).
Also, they are a good source of vitamin K, magnesium, and manganese. Edamame is delicious as it is accompanied by food.
Paste the tomatoes
Tomato paste is made from cooked and peeled tomatoes. This embalmed carcass adds great flavor to all tomato sauces and dishes. You can buy tomato paste online.
Just three teaspoons or about 50 grams contain potassium 486 mg, which is just over 10% of AI. Tomatoes are sweet and a good source of vitamin C and lycopene, a beneficial plant combination.
Beware of tomato pastes with sugar, additives, or preservatives. It is best to choose a product with very few ingredients.
Butternut squash
Butternut squash tastes delicious in winter. While the fruit is actually, it is cooked like root vegetables. One cup (205 grams) of butternut squash can give you 582 mg of potassium – more than 12% AI.
It is also a great source of vitamins A and C and contains low amounts of B vitamins, vitamin E, and magnesium. Butternut squash can be roasted, boiled, steamed, or chopped for use in hearty soups.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a starchy vegetable root that is a staple food in several countries around the world. One potato (136 grams) can provide 515 mg of potassium, which is 11% AI.
In fact, some studies have reported that potatoes are the best source of potassium, including the fact that small baked potatoes provide 738 mg of potassium, or about 16% AI.
However, there are many varieties of potatoes, and their potassium content may depend on the soil in which they are grown.
Since potatoes are eaten daily in many parts of the world, they can have a significant impact on potassium intake in the human diet.
Increase Potassium Just Four Steps Follow
- Add spinach or other leafy vegetables to your sandwiches.
- Toss fresh or dried apricots in low-fat nonfat yogurt.
- Enjoy a cup of low-sodium bean soup.
- Eat small baked potatoes or sweet potatoes instead of bread at mealtime.
FAQ
How can I get enough potassium in a day?
1. Add spinach or other leafy greens to your sandwiches. 2. Toss fresh or dried apricots into plain nonfat yogurt for a snack. 3. Enjoy a cup of low-sodium bean soup for lunch. 4. Eat a small baked potato or sweet potato instead of bread at dinner.
How can I raise my potassium level quickly?
The best way to increase your potassium intake is by eating more potassium-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. US health authorities have set the recommended daily intake (RDI) for potassium at 4,700 mg.
What can I drink to increase my potassium?
1. Orange juice. 2. Tomato juice. 3. Prune juice. 4. Apricot juice. 5. Grapefruit juice.
Can you check your potassium level at home?
A fast, accurate, and low-cost test for blood potassium levels, which can be used at home and has the potential to improve the safety, health, and lifestyle of tens of millions of people worldwide, is being developed by Kalium Diagnostics.
How quickly can potassium levels change?
High potassium usually develops slowly over many weeks or months and is most often mild. It can recur. For most people, the level of potassium in your blood should be between 3.5 and 5.0, depending on the laboratory that is used.
