The mineral potassium keeps your muscles, including your heart, functioning normally. Sufficient potassium in your diet may also reduce your risk of high blood pressure and stroke. For optimal health, adults need 2,000 milligrams of potassium each day. A wide variety of foods, including vegetables, beans and fish, can help you meet your daily requirement. While getting enough potassium in your diet is important, preventing potassium loss also helps ensure your body has enough of this mineral.
Step 1
Eat more high-potassium fruits and vegetables. Have a medium-sized baked potato with the skin to get around 1081 milligrams of potassium. Snack on 1/2 cup raisins for 543 milligrams potassium, or five whole prunes for 307 milligrams. Eat a medium-sized banana to get 422 milligrams of potassium. Add tomato juice, spinach and acorn squash to your diet as other significant sources of potassium.
Step 2
Include potassium-rich fish, beans and nuts in your diet. Eat a fillet of halibut for as much as 1832 milligrams potassium or a fillet of rockfish for around 775 milligrams. Try cod, salmon or flounder as alternative high-potassium fish. Enjoy a 1-cup serving of canned white beans to get 1189 milligrams of potassium or the same amount of lima beans for 955 milligrams potassium. Snack on 1 ounce almonds for 200 milligrams potassium or 1 ounce roasted European chestnuts for 168 milligrams.
Step 3
Take nutritional supplements if your diet is low in potassium and you're free from health conditions that would preclude you from taking potassium supplements. Avoid supplements if you take medications that increase potassium levels, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers. Talk to your health care provider before starting potassium supplements if you take any other medications or have a kidney condition.
Step 4
Address the cause of potassium loss whenever possible. Seek prompt treatment for diarrhea and vomiting, which deplete your body's potassium. Try sports drinks to restore lost potassium and other electrolyte minerals if you sweat heavily during exercise. Limit your use of antacids and laxatives, which lower your potassium levels. Talk to your health care provider about maintaining your potassium levels if you take prescription diuretics or insulin.
Things You'll Need
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Meat and fish
- Beans and legumes
References
- Oregon State University Linus Pauling; Potassium; Jane Higdon; February 2004
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20: Potassium, K ( mg ) Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Nuts, Chestnuts, European, Roasted
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Potassium; May 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Dehydration and Heat Stroke; January 2008
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