Potassium is an electrolyte that works with sodium to maintain fluid balance. Sodium works outside the body's cells and potassium works inside the body's cells. If sodium overbalances potassium, your body will tend to retain fluid, but if potassium overbalances sodium, your body will tend to excrete excess fluid, which my cause dehydration. The estimated minimum requirement for adults is 2,000 mg of potassium per day. Although bananas are perhaps the most commonly known source of potassium, there are a variety of fruits, vegetables and even some seafood that provide significant amounts.
Step 1
Consume at least 2.5 cups of vegetables each day, as recommended by the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For example, 1 cup of cooked spinach contains 839 mg of potassium, or 42 percent of your daily requirement. Each cup of broccoli and carrots provide more than 20 percent of the daily potassium requirement. Eating a total of 2.5 cups of these three vegetables would come near, if not complete, your daily potassium requirements even before you count your fruit intake.
Step 2
Eat at least 2 cups of fruit each day, as also recommended by he 2010 Dietary Guidelines. A cup of fresh strawberries contains 233 mg of potassium, or 12 percent of the requirement. A single kiwi fruit has 215 mg of potassium, which is over 10 percent of the estimated minimum requirement.
Step 3
Drink vegetable or fruit juices. Although the whole food is preferable whenever possible, juices count toward your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. A cup of orange juice has 496 mg of potassium and 1 cup of tomato juice has 556 mg.
Step 4
Take a multivitamin or drink a sports beverage. If you are still concerned that your potassium needs are not being met, you can supplement your intake. Most multivitamins contain at least the daily minimum for potassium. If you are a regular exerciser, you may be perspiring a lot each day and losing electrolytes in your sweat. Replace those lost fluids and electrolytes with a sports drink during and right after your exercise routine.
Tips and Warnings
- Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of potassium, but they are not the only sources. For instance, one steamed cod fillet, which contains about 273 mg of potassium, contributes 14 percent toward your daily potassium requirement.
References
- "Understanding Nutrition, Eighth Edition"; Eleanor Noss Whitney, et al.; 1999
- "Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism: Third Edition"; James L. Groff, et al.; 2000
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
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