Potassium is essential for the proper function of human cells, tissues and organs. This mineral is also important to heart, muscle, kidney and digestive system function, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. In addition, potassium serves as an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity, along with chloride, calcium, sodium and magnesium. While most people get plenty of potassium from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, certain conditions such as Crohn's disease or use of diuretics can cause potassium deficiencies.
Step 1
Top your cereal or yogurt with prunes, raisins, dates or dried apricots. Or keep these fruits in snack-size bags at home, work and in your car for a quick high-potassium --- and high-fiber --- snack. Adding almonds or peanuts to the mix can boost your potassium intake even more.
Step 2
Add potassium-rich vegetables to your diet. Toss mushrooms and spinach into omelets; snack on carrot sticks; eat raw broccoli or add it to stir-fried dishes; and saute Swiss chard with onions and garlic. Winter squash is also high in potassium, but be careful not to overcook it, which can drain many of its vital nutrients, says Mary Anna DuSablon, author of "Cooking With Winter Squash and Pumpkins."
Step 3
Eat plenty of high-potassium root vegetables, including potatoes, sweet potatoes and parsnips. Add potatoes and parsnips to soups and stews or roast them with sweet potatoes and winter vegetables.
Step 4
Snack on bananas, oranges, pears, watermelon and cantaloupe. Their high water content will fill you up; they're full of fiber; and they supply more potassium than many other fruits.
Step 5
Replace meat a couple of times a week with legumes. Kidney, lima, pinto and navy beans, as well as lentils, are leaner alternatives to meat and poultry and are some of the most potassium-rich foods available. Add them to soups or pair them with a side dish of basmati or wild rice. Fold cooked legumes into wraps for a high-potassium lunch.
Step 6
Consume milk and yogurt, which are good sources of both potassium and calcium, and often fortified with vitamin D.
Tips and Warnings
- Talk to your doctor to determine whether a potassium supplement is right for you.
- The body can lose potassium if you suffer from diarrhea. While you are treating diarrhea, avoid fatty or greasy foods, caffeine, high-fiber foods and citrus fruits, which can aggravate the condition and lead to potassium depletion.
Things You'll Need
- Prunes, raisins, dates and dried apricots
- Almonds and peanuts
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Swiss chard
- Winter squash
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Parsnips
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Pears
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Legumes
- Milk and yogurt
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Potassium
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; Roberta Larson Duyff; 2006
- "Cooking With Winter Squash and Pumpkins"; Mary Anna DuSablon; 1980
- "Everyone's Guide to Cancer Therapy"; Andrew H. Ko, Malin Dollinger and Ernest H. Rosenbaum; 2008
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