Potassium and calcium are major minerals necessary for human health. Potassium is essential for acid-base and water balance in the body, as well as regulating heart beat and blood pressure. Calcium is best known for its role in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. It also plays a role in muscle contraction and regulating blood pressure. Foods that are high in potassium but low in calcium include fruits, many vegetables, and certain protein foods.
Fruits and Fruit Juices
Most fruits and are potassium-rich but low in calcium. Fruits that offer appreciable amounts of potassium with very little calcium include bananas, peaches, nectarines, honeydew melons, plums, apples, watermelon, apricots, persimmons, cherries, pears, pineapples, cantaloupe, avocadoes, pomegranates, mangoes, citrus fruits, passion fruit, guava, strawberries, raspberries and all fruit juices, with the exception of calcium-fortified fruit juices. On average, all of these fruits provide at least 100 milligrams (mg) of potassium and less than 20 mg of calcium per 100-gram serving.
Vegetables, Vegetable Juices, and Legumes
Like fruits, most vegetables are low in calcium with the exception of dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, bok choy and the like. Vegetables that are particularly potassium-rich and low in calcium include mushrooms, white and yellow sweet corn, pickles and cucumbers, potatoes (all varieties), tomatoes and tomato products, eggplants, peppers (all varieties), summer and winter squash, beets, vegetable juices, yams, lentils, peas, onions, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, asparagus, pinto and navy beans, cauliflower, radishes, kidney and lima beans, broad beans, iceberg lettuce, artichokes, and turnips. A 100-gram serving of any of the above provides, on average, over 200 mg of potassium and less than 20 mg of calcium.
Protein Foods
Protein-rich foods, such as beef, poultry, and fish also offer substantial amounts of potassium without the calcium. Meat products which offer the most potassium and the least calcium include beef, such as top round steak, T-bone steak, or flank steak, roast turkey, ground chicken, pork tenderloin or pork chops, cured ham, and fish, particularly halibut, canned tuna, swordfish, pollock, sockeye salmon, cod, and bluefish. All of these protein-rich foods offer well over 300 mg of potassium and less than 10 mg of calcium per 4-oz serving. Egg whites, sausages and all types of luncheon meats are also low in calcium but potassium-rich.
References
- Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals. 6th Ed; Karen Drummond and Lisa Brefere; 2007.
- Nutrition Data
- National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
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