Potassium has several roles in the body. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that it is a mineral needed by the to function properly, and it is an electrolyte, which conducts electrical impulses in the body. These impulses control muscle contractions and heart function. Potassium is available in several foods, which you should include in a healthy diet.
Fruits
Several fruits are great sources of potassium. You may have always heard that a banana is the best fruit source of potassium. While bananas do have a high potassium content, 422mg per one raw medium banana, there are many other fruits that have a high content as well. Strawberries offer 233mg in a 1-cup serving, and plums (prunes) contain 637mg in a 1/2-cup serving. (The adult recommended daily intake (RDI) is 2,000mg per day.) Other potassium rich fruits include oranges, grapefruit, rhubarb, melons, papaya, blackberries, currants, kiwi, apricots, nectarines and lemons. Fruits contain several other vitamins and minerals that work in conjunction with potassium for a healthy body and mind.
Vegetables
One of the best vegetable sources of potassium is bamboo shoots, with 640mg in a 1-cup serving. Other excellent vegetable choices are beet greens, Chinese cabbage, swiss chard, spinach, mushrooms, radishes, celery, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, tomato products, kale, asparagus, turnip greens and sauerkraut. Most vegetables have some potassium content, which helps with the RDI intake. Vegetables also offer up other vitamins, minerals and fiber, making them a wise choice for a healthy diet.
Beans, Nuts and Seeds
Beans are another excellent source of potassium. According to the World's Healthiest Foods encyclopedia, 1 cup of cooked Lima beans contains 954mg of potassium, twice as much as a banana. Other good bean sources of potassium include green beans, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, split peas and soybeans. Along with beans, there are a few nuts and seeds that contain potassium. The Linus Pauling Institute lists sunflower seeds as having a potassium content of 241mg in a 1-oz. serving, and almonds as having a 200-mg content per 1-oz. serving.
Fish
As far as meat goes, there are a few fish choices that are high in potassium. Baked cod contains 586mg in a 4-oz. serving, while scallops contain 444mg in the same-size serving. The other choices that fall in between are halibut, yellowfin tuna and snapper.
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