Quantities Of Potassium In Foods

Found in many fruits, vegetables, milk products and other nutritious foods, potassium helps maintain the balance of fluids in your body, keeps your blood pressure within a healthy range and supports heart, nerve and muscle activity. However, most Americans between the ages of 31 and 50 get only around half of the dietary potassium they need each day, according to the Institute of Medicine, or IOM. The IOM recommends getting at least 4,700 mg of potassium daily to reap the benefits of this essential mineral.

Fruits

Papaya tops the list of fruits that are high in potassium, offering 781 mg in one piece of fruit, according to Drugs.com. One cup of cantaloupe has 461 mg of potassium, one small banana has 467 mg and one small orange has 237 mg. Fruits with a moderate amount of potassium include peaches, with 193 mg per medium peach, and apples, with 159 mg per small apple. Eating fruits that are rich in potassium also helps you meet your daily requirements for vitamins A and C and fiber.

Vegetables

Potassium can reduce the effects of dietary sodium, which can elevate your blood pressure. However, as the Colorado State University Extension points out, sodium is added to many of the processed foods that you eat, but potassium is not. To maintain a healthy balance of sodium and potassium, reduce your intake of salty foods and increase the amount of high-potassium foods in your diet. Tomatoes have 400 mg each, sweet potatoes have 508 mg each and a half of an avocados has 450 mg. One-half cup of fresh green beans has 187 mg of potassium, one-half cup of fresh carrots has 177 mg and one-half cup of broccoli has 143 mg.

Beans, Nuts and Seeds

Legumes, nuts and seeds provide potassium, protein and fiber. A half-cup serving of cooked pinto beans gives you 400 mg of potassium, and a half-cup of cooked lentils gives you 365 mg. A quarter-cup serving of sunflower seeds offers 241 mg of potassium, 2 tbsp. of peanut butter provide 214 mg and 1 oz. of peanuts offers 187 mg.

Milk Products

Dairy products offer calcium and protein along with potassium. A 6 oz. serving of yogurt gives you 398 mg of potassium, a cup of 2 percent milk provides 377 mg and one cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 217 mg. If you have trouble digesting dairy products, you can get 345 mg of potassium from one cup of soy milk.

Fish, Poultry and Beef

Many animal-based sources of protein contain potassium. Three oz. of salmon provide 319 mg of potassium, 3 oz. of dark roasted turkey contain 259 mg and 3 oz. of lean beef offer 224 mg.