By Megan Zehnder for Care2.com
Have a taste for salty dishes? You may want to keep an eye on your level of potassium.
An essential ally to diets high in salt, potassium encourages the kidneys to excrete sodium, keeping blood-pressure in check. Potassium also acts as a buffer to an overly-acidic pH level, which helps prevent bones and muscles from deteriorating.
Experts suggest adults get 4,700 milligrams of dietary potassium per day. What’s the best way to get that? Whole foods are a safer and more natural source than supplements. The list below shows common foods with the highest levels of potassium. When eating fruits and vegetables, opt for raw, roasted, or lightly steamed, as boiling tends to deplete levels of potassium.
1,000 mg
- Beans, white (1 cup, canned)
Baked potato (8 ounces with skin)
Beet greens (3/4 cup, cooked)
Edamame (1 cup shelled, cooked)
Fish, halibut (1/2 fillet)
Lima beans (1 cup, cooked)
Try this:
White Beans with Olive Oil and Rosemary
Tuscan White Beans in Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Baby Beets with Their Greens
750 mg
- Papaya (1 large)
Plantains (1 cup, cooked)
Sweet potato (1 cup, cooked)
Tomato sauce (1 cup)
Try this:
Papaya Mint Popsicles
Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers
500 mg
- Avocado (1/2 medium)
Banana (1 large)
Beets (1 cup, cooked)
Cantaloupe (1 cup)
Dried apricots (12 halves)
Mushrooms (1 cup, cooked)
Orange juice (1 cup)
Prunes (9 prunes)
Salmon (1/2 filet)
Winter squash (1 cup, cooked)
Yogurt (1 cup plain low-fat)
Try this:
Grilled Avocado with Fresh Tomato Salsa
Salmon with Berry Relish
Raw Portobello Mushroom Stuffed with Basil Pesto
250 – 350 mg
- Celery (1 cup, raw)
Chicken breast (5 ounces, roasted)
Kiwi (1 medium)
Mango (1)
Milk (1 cup)
Nectarine (1)
Orange (1 medium)
Peanut butter (2 tablespoons)
Peanuts (1 ounce, about 1/4 cup)
Pear (1 large)
Raisins (1/4 cup)
Red Bell Peppers (1 cup)
Summer squash (1 cup, raw)
Strawberries (1 cup)
Watermelon (1 wedge)
Try this:
Grilled Chicken with Warm Mango Salsa
Watermelon Honeydew Kabobs
Blackberry Pear Asian Salad
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database