Potassium is found naturally in most foods, but few Americans get enough potassium through dietary sources alone, according to Colorado State University. The mineral plays a role in muscle control and nerve function, works to balance fluids and minerals in the body and helps prevent and reduce high blood pressure. Too little potassium, or hypokalemia, can have serious health complications if not treated.
Consult your doctor before making changes to your diet or increasing your intake of potassium. The American Heart Association warns that high levels of potassium can be dangerous for some people, including the elderly and those with kidney disease.
Top Fruits With Potassium
Fruit is an excellent source of potassium, and simple to include in most diets. One papaya contains 781 milligrams of potassium and 1 cup of cubed cantaloupe contains nearly 500 mg of the mineral, the Drugs.com website calculates. By adding 1/3 cup of raisins to your breakfast cereal, you can increase your potassium intake by as much as 363 mg, the site adds.
Bananas, pears, peaches, honeydew melons, figs, avocados and apples are other good sources, and fruit juice is a good alternative if you do not have the time to eat whole fruit. One cup of prune juice provides more than 700 mg of potassium, and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute reports that a single cup of orange juice provides nearly 500 mg. Grapefruit juice and tomato juice are also rich in the mineral.
Top Vegetables With Potassium
By choosing your vegetables wisely and including at least one with every meal, you can significantly increase your potassium intake with little effort. One baked sweet potato, with skin, at dinner provides you with more than 500 mg of potassium, and a single cup of asparagus contains 288 mg of the mineral. Just 1/2 cup of Brussels sprouts provides about 250 mg of potassium, and 1 cup of cooked beets contains more than twice that amount, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Green beans, carrots, peas, spinach, mustard greens and broccoli are other good sources, and a 1/2-cup serving of either summer squash or zucchini increases your daily intake of potassium by about 170 mg.
Other Top Sources of Potassium
Meat, fish and dairy products are top sources of potassium, with 3 ounces of broiled salmon containing 319 mg and 6 ounces of yogurt containing 398 mg of potassium. Cooked lean beef and roasted turkey are also high in the mineral, with each providing about 250 mg per 3-ounce serving. Goat's milk and cow's milk are other good sources, according to the World's Healthiest Foods website, as are low-fat cottage cheese and vanilla ice cream.
Vegans also have options when it comes to increasing potassium intake, as beans, seeds and soy are all rich in potassium. Just 1/2 cup of pinto beans contains about 400 mg of potassium, according to Drugs.com, and 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds contains nearly 250 mg. Seasoned bread crumbs are a top source of the mineral, the Ohio State University Medical Center adds, as are peanut butter and molasses.
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