The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that most Americans don't get enough potassium, even though it is found in everyday staples such as bananas, yogurt and pork chops. While the recommended daily value (DV + 3500mg) of potassium may seem high, it's easy to get as much of this important mineral as you need from common foods. Variety is the key.
Meats and Fish
High-potassium menu items from animal sources include pork, beef, chicken, mollusks and fish. One serving of halibut (1/2 fillet, 916mg), clams (3-oz. solids, 534mg) and rockfish (1 fillet, 775mg) average about 20 percent DV of potassium. Sockeye salmon( 1/2 fillet, 581mg) and yellowfin tuna (3 oz., 484mg) are also good potassium sources.
Milk products are excellent staple potassium foods, with reduced-fat yogurt (8 oz, 579mg) and cottage cheese (8 oz., 218mg) as examples of low-calorie choices. A pork chop (3 oz., 382mg), fried chicken breast (1/2 breast, 254 mg) and hamburger patty (270mg) contribute substantially to your daily dose of potassium as well.
Fruits and Vegetables
You can put together high-potassium, low-calorie meals to satisfy your daily dose from these food groups. Selecting a variety of fruits (serving size, 1 piece) will help to build your total. Apples (148mg), bananas (442 mg), peaches (186mg), plums (104mg) and oranges (237mg) are all high-potassium foods. Dried apricots (10 pieces, 407mg) also are a highly nutritious fruit source.
These high-potassium veggies will add to your nutritional count quickly: cooked pinto beans (1 cup, 746mg), sweet potatoes (1 baked, 694mg) and cooked beet greens (1 cup, 1,309mg). A single baked potato has 1,081 mg of potassium if you eat it with the skin.
Fast Foods
Obviously, the individual high-potassium ingredients are what make some fast foods good, nutritious choices. The sodium content and calories from fat, however, may be excessive. Still, high-potassium foods abound at the drive-through, including chili with beef (1 cup, 691mg), French fries (1 medium, 737mg) and tacos (1 large, 729mg).
A corndog (263mg), fish sandwich (353mg), and hamburger with condiments and vegetables (480mg) all make the grade in providing your daily dose of potassium as well.
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