Potassium is an essential mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. A variety of nutrient-dense foods are good sources, and examples include peanuts, nuts, yogurt and fish. Fresh and dried fruits are among the best sources of potassium, but if you cannot chew them, you can eat fruit juices, soft fruits or vegetables to help meet recommendations for healthy adults to get at least 4,700 mg of potassium per day.
Fruit Juices
Prune juice is exceptionally high in potassium, with 707 mg in 1 cup. Grapefruit and orange juice have about 400 mg of potassium in 1 cup, and they are good sources of vitamin C. A cup of pineapple juice provides 325 mg potassium, and apple juice has 250 mg potassium. Sugar-sweetened fruit drinks that contain less than 100 percent juice are not usually high in potassium. For example, a cup of cranberry-apple juice drink supplies only 42 mg potassium.
Soft Fruits
A large banana provides 487 mg potassium. Ripe summer fruits may be soft enough for you to eat if you peel and mash them, and a cup of peaches, mango, nectarine or plums provides more than 200 mg potassium. Honeydew melon has 404 mg potassium per cup. Cooked and canned fruits also contain potassium. Fruits canned in heavy syrups contain added sugars, and they are higher in calories and less nutritious than fruits in their own juices.
Starchy Vegetables
A small potato provides 738 mg potassium and only 128 calories. Sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, acorn squash and white and yellow corn are also good sources of potassium, as well as dietary fiber. A balanced, 2,000-calorie diet includes at least 5 cups per week of starchy vegetables, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Avoid choosing french fries for your starchy vegetable selection because they may contain trans fats, which raise levels of cholesterol in your blood and increase your risk for heart disease.
Other Vegetables
Tomatoes and tomato products, such as tomato sauce, paste and juice, are rich in potassium. Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, and other vegetables, such as zucchini and eggplant, are also good sources. A balanced 2,000-calorie diet has at least 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day, notes the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Most vegetables are low in calories and good sources of other essential nutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin C or folate.
Member Comments