For anyone needing more potassium in their diet

Galileogst

What is potassium?

Potassium is a mineral that is found in most foods. Caregivers may do a blood test to check your blood level of potassium. You need to eat the right amount of foods that contain potassium to keep your blood levels in a healthy range.
Why may I need to change the amount of potassium in my diet?

Potassium is important to your health because it keeps fluids and minerals balanced in your body. Potassium may also help lower blood pressure and decrease your risk of having a stroke. Without enough potassium in your body, you may feel weak and your bowels may stop working. Your heart may beat very fast, or the beat may not be regular. When your potassium levels are too low, it is called hypokalemia.

What diet changes do I need to make?

You may need extra potassium in your diet if you are taking diuretics (water pills). Diuretics and certain medicines cause your body to lose potassium. Your caregiver may also suggest that you get extra potassium if you have high blood pressure. People with kidney problems or other health conditions may need to limit potassium. Most adults need about 2000 milligrams of potassium from their diet each day. Your caregiver will tell you how much potassium you should have each day. Learn about foods that contain potassium, and how much potassium is in each food.

What kinds of fruit contain potassium?

The amount of potassium in milligrams (mg) contained in each fruit or serving of fruit is listed beside the item.

High potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):

One papaya (781).

One cup of prune juice (707).

One cup of cubed cantaloupe (494) or diced honeydew melon (461).

One small banana (467).

One-third cup of raisins (363).

One medium mango (323) or kiwi (252).

One small orange (237) or one-half cup of orange juice (236).

One medium pear (208).

Medium potassium foods (100-200 mg per serving):

One medium peach (193).

One cup of watermelon (176).

One small apple (159) or one-half cup of apple juice (147).

One-half cup of peaches canned in juice (158).

One-half cup of canned pineapple (152).

One-half cup of fresh, sliced strawberries (138).

Low potassium foods (less than 100 mg per serving):

One-half cup of mandarin oranges (98).

Ten small grapes (93).

One-half cup of sweetened applesauce (78).

One-half cup of fresh blueberries (63).

What kinds of vegetables contain potassium?

High potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):

One cup of tomato juice (535) or chopped or sliced tomato (400).

One baked sweet potato, with skin (508).

One-half of a medium avocado (450).

One-half of a medium potato, with skin (422).

One cup of fresh or cooked asparagus (288).

One-half cup of cooked pumpkin (282).

One-half cup of cooked mushrooms (277).

One-half cup of fresh Brussels sprouts (247).

Medium potassium foods (100-200 mg per serving):

One-half cup of fresh green beans (187).

One-half cup of fresh carrots (177).

One-half cup of cooked zucchini, summer squash (173).

One-half cup of fresh cauliflower (151).

One-half cup of canned peas (147).

One-half cup of fresh broccoli (143).

One-half cup of frozen corn (120).

Low potassium foods (less than 100 mg per serving):

One-half cup of cucumber slices (88).

One cup of iceberg lettuce (87).

One-half cup of frozen green beans (85).

What sources of protein contain potassium?

High potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):

One-half cup of cooked pinto beans (400), lentils (365), or dried peas (355).

One cup of soy milk (345).

Three ounces of baked or broiled salmon (319).

Three ounces of roasted turkey, dark meat (259).

One-fourth cup of sunflower seeds (241).

Three ounces of cooked lean beef (224).

Two tablespoons of peanut butter (214).

Medium potassium foods (100-200 mg per serving):

One ounce of salted peanuts (187).


Low potassium foods (less than 100 mg per serving):

One egg (55 mg).

What dairy products contain potassium?

High potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):

Six ounces of yogurt (398).

One cup of 2 percent white milk (377).

One cup of low-fat (2 percent) cottage cheese (217).

Medium potassium foods (100-200 mg per serving):

One-half cup of ricotta cheese (154).

One-half cup of vanilla ice cream (131).

Low potassium foods (less than 100 mg per serving):

One ounce of American cheese (79) or cheddar cheese (28).

What other foods contain potassium?

High potassium (more than 200 mg per serving):

One tablespoon of molasses (498).


Medium potassium foods (100-200 mg per serving):

A one and one-half ounce chocolate bar (169).


Source: http://www.drugs.com/cg/potassium-content-of-foods-list.html

SuperSexyDork

Thanks for the list... I wanted to add that many nutrition labels do not list potassium because it is not required on the label.

Also, when I find I'm low on sodium, I drink a glass of low sodium V8 because it has 900mg of potassium.

n0ob

No love for meat which is also a good source of potassium?

ladytinkerbell99

Thanks for the list :flowerforyou: