What Does Potassium Do?
Potassium is an essential mineral that plays a major role in normal body growth, heart activity, metabolism, muscle tissue regulation and nerve function. The recommended dietary intake of potassium according to the USDA is 4.7 grams per day for adults. However, those individuals who have certain health conditions such as kidney disease, heart failure, and those who are taking medications such as diuretics, would either have to avoid or eat more foods that are rich in potassium.
Potassium aids in regulating blood pressure along with the other vital minerals such as magnesium. Due to the fact that the human body does not have the ability to store this mineral, it is extremely important to have a regular supply of it to keep the body going. Potassium’s role in the body is vitally important especially when it comes to nerve transmission and muscle contraction. Potassium travels in and out of the cells through special passages, and once this movement is interrupted, nerves and muscles can suffer badly as the flow of potassium is blocked. It is also essential in keeping the equilibrium balanced between alkalis and acids in the body, the pH or acid-base balance. Aside from that, it also helps in maintaining a normal water balance in the body.
Potassium Rich Foods List
Here is a potassium rich foods list and corresponding recommended daily intake for adults:
| FOODS | SERVING SIZE(1 cup ≈ 240ml; 1 ounce ≈ 28g) | POTASSIUM (mg) |
| Apricot | Each (35g) | 90 |
| Banana | Large (135g) | 587 |
| Beets | 1 cup | 442 |
| Beet Greens | 1 cup | 1310 |
| Broccoli | 1 spear | 108 |
| Brussel sprouts | 1 cup (88g) | 342 |
| Carrot Juice | 1 cup | 689 |
| Celery | 1 stalk | 104 |
| Chestnuts – roasted | 1 cup | 847 |
| Chinese Cabbage (Pak-choi) | 1 cup | 631 |
| Cowpeas / Blackeye- (Immature) | 1 cup | 638 |
| Crab – Blue | 1 cup | 505 |
| Cucumber | 1 Large | 381 |
| Dates – Deglet noor | 1 cup | 1168 |
| Eggnog | 1 cup | 419 |
| Flounder | 1 fillet | 437 |
| Grapefruit juice – concentrated | 1 can (6 fluid ounces) | 1002 |
| Halibut | ½ fillet | 916 |
| Jerusalem artichokes | 1 cup | 644 |
| Kale | 1 ounce | 125 |
| Kiwi fruit | 1 large | 284 |
| Lima Beans | 1 cup | 955 |
| Milk – Evaporated | 1 cup | 765 |
| Milk – whole | 1 cup | 350 |
| Mushrooms – raw | 70g | 220 |
| Orange – Florida | 1 large | 255 |
| Papaya (pawpaw) | 100g | 257 |
| Parsnip | 1 ounce | 105 |
| Plantain – raw | 1 medium | 893 |
| Potatoes, baked with skin | Each | 1081 |
| Soybean – green (edamame nutrition) | 1 cup | 970 |
| Spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 839 |
| Raisins | 1 cup | 1085 |
| Sweet Potato – baked with skin | Each | 694 |
| Tomato | 1 medium | 292 |
| Turkey | 140g | 420 |
| Winter squash | 1 cup | 896 |
| Yogurt plain | 227g | 579 |
Find out more about potassium rich foods.