Potassium is readily available in meats, vegetables and fruits, which helps guarantee an adequate supply of this essential mineral. Potassium is needed for the healthy functioning of cells, nerves, muscles and the heart. It also plays a role in the production of protein and carbohydrate metabolism. If potassium levels are high, then it is important to know which foods are low in potassium so that you can reduce intake.
Zero Potassium
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Data Base includes more than the basic or most common foods. Its list of potassium content in foods includes desserts, alcohol, condiments, and name-brand products, but you still won't find foods to sustain a healthy diet in the list of items that have no potassium. The only foods without potassium are table salt, pancake syrups, hard candies, cornstarch, baking powder, gumdrops, sugar, shortening, and salad oils including peanut, olive, sesame, sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean and canola.
Trace Potassium
This category includes foods that have potassium levels of 1 to 10 mg per serving. Sweets, such as jellybeans, cookies, whipped cream and caramels, have some potassium. This group also includes radishes, kelp and chives. The rest of the items are carbonated beverages, prepared mustard, parmesan cheese, pickle relish, table salt and some alcoholic beverages.
Low Potassium
Moving up the list to include foods that have between 11 and 50 mg of potassium per serving you'll begin to find more substantial foods. This category includes many cheeses (cheddar, American, provolone, cream), cranberry sauce, herbal teas, saltines, baby carrots, beverages with caffeine, canned beets, and canned plums. Even though salad oils are in the "zero" list, blue cheese, Thousand Island and Russian salad dressings contain low amounts. This group also includes a few sweets and rye, cracked wheat and oat breads.
Comparison
The USDA list of potassium in foods ranges from zero up to a high level of 2657 mg but there is only one food source at the very top (tomato products) and very few with more than 1000 mg. To add perspective, it's important to know that the recommended daily intake (RDI) of potassium for an adult is 4.7 grams (or 4,700 mg) a day. It is important to obtain potassium on a regular basis through diet because the body does not store or synthesize it. Considering the critical processes that depend on potassium it can become life-threatening if levels are either too low or too high. A person should never severely restrict dietary intake of potassium unless he has first consulted your physician.
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