When your potassium levels are too high, you can suffer from a condition called hyperkalemia, according to the National Institutes of Health. The result of hyperkalemia is often a slower or abnormal heartbeat, combined with muscle fatigue. If you suffer from hyperkalemia, you should decrease the amount of potassium you take in from food on a daily basis. Potassium is most often found in fruits and vegetables.
Fruits
Some fruits should be avoided entirely because of their unusually high potassium content. These include plantains, which contain 893 mg of potassium each; cantaloupe, which contains 427 mg per cup; and dried apricots, 10 halves of which contain 407 mg, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database. Limit your intake of other fruits to one serving per day, especially bananas and figs, which contain 422 mg and 129 mg of potassium, respectively.
Vegetables
Most vegetables also contain potassium. The ones with the highest levels are artichokes at 595 mg per cup, butter beans at 1,189 mg per cup and sweet potatoes at 694 mg per potato, according to the National Nutrient Database. Most leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens should be limited to no more than one-half cup per day, as should asparagus, beets and turnips.
Other Foods
In addition to fruits and vegetables, potassium can be found in dairy, including milk, which has 349 mg of potassium per cup, according to the National Nutrient Database. Chocolate can also be a source of potassium, especially chocolate-flavored drink mixes, which contain up to 458 mg of potassium per cup. Molasses has 458 mg of potassium in just 1 tbsp., and most nuts contain significant amounts of potassium.
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