Potassium is an essential mineral required by every cell in the human body. Most food has potassium, and foods considered low in potassium, as reported in information provided by Drugs.com, have 100 mg or less per serving. According to a list of 1,274 common foods called the Nutritive Value of Foods, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, only 12 food items do not contain any potassium at all. Several more foods contain trace amounts or 1 mg of potassium. Individuals with too much potassium in the bloodstream, sometimes due to kidney problems, may be prescribed a low-potassium diet.
Oils
A significant amount of the cooking and salad oils common to the American diet do not contain potassium. As listed in the Nutritive Value of Foods, 1-cup servings of oils without potassium are: canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, high oleic safflower oil, sesame oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, sunflower oil and a hydrogenated blend of soybean and cottonseed oil. One cup of peanut oil contains trace amounts of potassium. Oils containing 1 mg of potassium are: 1 cup serving of lard, 1 tsp. of salted butter and 1 tsp. of vitamin A-fortified, salt-added margarine spread from a stick or a tub.
Desserts
Only one dessert presented on the Nutritive Value of Foods list contained no potassium -- 1/2 cup of reduced calorie gelatin dessert sweetened with aspartame and prepared with gelatin dessert powder and water. One regular marshmallow and 1 tbsp. of regular or reduced calorie table blend pancake syrup contains trace amounts of potassium. One 2.07 oz package of fruit chews, 1/2 cup of regular gelatin dessert and 1 tbsp. of imitation cream product, frozen or pasteurized whipped topping contains 1 mg of potassium.
Beverages
Several beverages contain no potassium. On a list of nutritional information for beverages supplied by the Nutritive Value of Foods, single servings of beverages that do not contain calcium are: a 12 oz. serving of diet cola sweetened with aspartame; an 8 fl. oz serving of low-calorie, powdered lemonade sweetened with aspartame; and an 8 fl. oz. serving of tap water. Beverages with 1 mg of potassium are 80 proof, 86 proof and 90 proof gin, rum, vodka and whiskey in 1.5 fl. oz. servings.
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