Your body requires potassium for a number of functions, including maintaining fluid balance in the body to prevent water retention, regulating nerve function so muscles can contract, and helping heart muscle to contract. The American Heart Association recommends consuming 4.7 grams, or 4,700 milligrams, of calcium a day, which is found in fruits, vegetables and even lean meats.
Vegetables
Many vegetables are high in potassium, some exceeding 1,000 milligrams. The highest sources of potassium--per serving--of vegetables include beet greens (1,309 milligrams); white beans (1,189 milligrams); potatoes (1,081 milligrams); Swiss chard (960 milligrams); lima beans (955 milligrams); winter squash (896 milligrams); soybeans (886 milligrams); spinach (839 milligrams); pinto beans (800 milligrams); baked beans (752 milligrams) or lentils (731 milligrams). Consuming at least five servings of these vegetables per day will allow you to reach your daily potassium requirements.
Vegetable juices such as carrot juice also contain significant amounts of potassium.
Fruits
A variety of fruit sources contain significant amounts of potassium, including dried apricots (814 milligrams per serving); raisins (544 milligrams); dates (542 milligrams); dried figs (542 milligrams); avocados (540 milligrams); cantaloupes (494 milligrams; and bananas (467 milligrams).
Fruit juices such as orange, prune and tomato juice also offer significant levels of potassium.
Protein
Many fish sources contain high amounts of potassium. These include baked or broiled halibut (653 milligrams); baked or broiled yellowfin tuna (645 milligrams); baked or broiled snapper (591 milligrams); and canned clams (534 milligrams).
Other meat sources, such as pork (358 milligrams per serving) turkey (262 milligrams), round cuts of beef (262 milligrams) and chicken (220 milligrams) all contain lesser amounts of potassium.
Nuts also are a significant source of protein and potassium. Healthy choices include handfuls of almonds (412 milligrams); peanuts (374 milligrams); and almonds (412 milligrams).
Miscellaneous Sources
One tablespoon of blackstrap molasses has more than 498 milligrams of potassium. Low-fat yogurt (531 milligrams per serving), goat's milk (498 milligrams per serving) and nonfat milk (376 milligrams per serving) also contain potassium.
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