It's important to get enough potassium. According to the American Heart Association, potassium helps lower blood pressure. Potassium helps to lessen the effects of excess sodium in the body. It also helps regulate your body's fluid levels, which in turn affects your blood pressure. There are a lot of quality dietary sources of potassium, especially in lean meats, fruits and vegetables. Eating a variety of foods, especially those on this list, will help make sure you get all the potassium you need.
Dairy
If you eat a lot of dairy, odds are you are getting a lot of potassium. A regular 8-oz. serving of milk contains more than 400mg of potassium. Buttermilk and yogurt also contain high amounts of potassium. One cup contains more than 300mg.
Fruits and Vegetables
One of the best ways to increase potassium in your diet is to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. There are dozens of fruits and vegetables that have more than 200mg to 300mg per serving including apples, potatoes, oranges, strawberries, nectarines, avocados, celery, carrots and cantaloupe. If you don't like any of those you could get the same amount of potassium from a cup of broccoli or a serving of spinach, dried beans or greens.
Meats
Meats are one of the more common sources of dietary potassium. White meats like chicken and turkey are highest, with more than 300mg per 3-oz. serving. The same can be said of tuna and canned salmon. Other meats like beef and pork are good sources, containing over 200mg. Foods like deli meats, hot dogs and bacon contain 100mg or less and are higher in sodium.
Misc Sources
Fortified foods are often good sources of potassium. Foods like soy milk and breakfast cereal often contain high amounts. Molasses is a rich source, containing almost as much potassium in 2 tbsp. as a 3-oz. serving of meat. Peanut butter contains 200mg to 300mg, depending on brand.
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