The essential mineral potassium comes from plant and animal food sources. Consumers may be surprised, however, to find higher potassium content in some fish than in meats. Certain fruits, nuts and dairy products also add strong levels of potassium to a healthy diet.
The information on FDA food labels helps meal planners locate rich mineral sources, but nutrition facts may not accompany fresh food purchases. Noting which items contain 20 percent or more of the FDA's recommended 3,500 mg daily intake can make choosing high-potassium foods a simple routine.
Beet Greens
The high concentration of minerals in cooked beet greens offers the greatest potassium content in a single dish, according to the USDA Nutrient Database. One cup contains 1309 mg, or more than 35 percent of the entire average daily requirement. All dark, leafy greens, such as kale, collards and turnip greens, contain moderate amounts of potassium, but cooked spinach supplies as much as 839 mg per cup.
Dates
While dates and other dried fruits have rich potassium content, the Cleveland Clinic suggests limiting portions to 1/4 cup per day, due to their concentrated sugars. Adding dried fruits by the cupful to baked goods, however, increases their potassium value while dispersing the sugar. One cup of dates has 1168 mg, raisins have 1086 mg and prunes contain 796 mg of potassium.
Potatoes
A baked potato delivers nearly three times the mineral content of a banana, a famous potassium food. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) report that the edible skin of potatoes adds to their potassium count, which totals 1081 mg for one whole baked potato. Sweet potatoes offer similar mineral benefits.
Soybeans
Cooked soybeans, with 970 mg, belong to the class of legume food sources, all of which provide high levels of potassium. The USDA includes lima, pinto, kidney and navy beans, as well as lentils and split peas, among legume potassium foods that meet more than 20 percent of daily needs.
Chestnuts
Chestnuts, like dried fruits, are among food sources of potassium that can exceed healthy calorie limits. Their potent mineral levels, however, make them beneficial additions to composed grain dishes, such as stuffing or rice. Roasted chestnuts offer 847 mg of potassium in 1 cup, per the USDA.
Rockfish
Certain fish contain as much as three times the potassium content of meat food sources by weight. The USDA recommends serving sizes of about 5.5 oz. for fish and meat. Portions of halibut, supplying 916 mg, and rockfish, with 775 mg, deliver the most potassium from animal-based sources.
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