Sufficient intake of potassium is an essential part of balanced diet. Experts suggest 4700 mg of potassium a day for adults. Its deficiency causes fatigue, irritability, insomnia, depression, muscular weakness, cardiovascular issues etc. If taken into sufficient amount, it helps in reducing blood pressure in people, lowers risk of stroke, maintains body’s fluid level, helps in muscular function and waste removal and also helps keep your nervous system functioning properly.
However, too much consumption of potassium can lead to nausea, vomiting and even cardiac arrest. Also, if you have any kidney problems, or taking any other kind of medications specifically blood pressure medications than avoid taking potassium supplements.
Note:- Check with your doctor before proceeding with any of the potassium rich diet listed below.
Hi friends, today I will tell you some of the foods high in potassium or potassium rich food which will help you in completing your daily intake of potassium.
Here are some foods high in potassium:-
| Foods | Serving Size(cups) | Amount(mg) | Total calories |
| Beet Green |
1 |
1308.96 |
38.9 |
| Avocado | 0.5 | 558 | 184 |
| Mushrooms | 1(cup sliced) | 428 | 28 |
| Bananas | 1(cup mashed) | 806 | 200 |
| Spinach |
1 |
838 | 41.4 |
| Beets |
1 |
518.5 | 74.8 |
| Swiss Chard |
1 |
960.75 | 35 |
| Bok Choy | 1 | 630.7 | 20.4 |
| Broccoli | 1 | 457.08 | 54.6 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 1 | 494.52 | 56.2 |
| Carrot | 1 | 390.4 | 50 |
| Tomatoes
Cabbage Fennel Kale Summer squash Mushroom, Crimini Onions Turnip Greens Green Peas Celery Mustard greens Oranges Romaine Lettuce Bell Peppers Collard greens Lima beans Strawberries Sweet Potatoes Soybeans Potatoes Kiwifruits Raspberries Green Beans Pinto Beans Lentils Grapefruit Winter Squash Papaya Dried peas Apricot Plum Sea vegetables Chili Peppers Figs Egg Plant Cucumber Parsley Turmeric Watermelon cauliflower |
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1(medium size) 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 inches 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 whole 12 pieces 1 2 tsp 1 medium 1 1 0.5 2 tsp 1 1 |
426.6
393 360.18 296.4 345.6 322.56 348.60 292.32 373.30 262.6 226.8 237.11 232.18 194.12 222.3 955.04 220.32 950.00 885.8 925.55 251.28 185.73 182.5 745.56 730.62 177.92 494.05 502.32 709.52 90.65 103.62 110.96 105.3 116.00 121.77 152.88 168.42 111.1 170.24 176.08 |
32.4
43.5 27 36.4 36 15.8 92.4 28.8 115.7 16.2 36.4 61.6 16 28.5 62.7 216.2 46.1 180.0 297.6 160.9 42.1 64.0 43.8 244.5 229.7 41.0 75.8 118.7 231.3 16.8 30.4 10.8 15.2 37 34.6 15.6 10.9 15.6 45.6 28.5 |
| Foods | Serving Size(cups) | Amount(mg) | Total Calories |
Additional foods rich in potassium:
Vegetables
- Sprouts
- Asparagus
- Bamboo shoots
- Artichoke
- Hubbard Squash
- Kohlrabi
- Okra
- Rutabagas
Fruits
- Tomato juice
- Currants
- Dates
- Cantaloupe
- Pomegranate
- prune
- Raisins
Others
- Macadamia nuts
- Bran
- Yoghurt
- Fat-free milk
- Almonds
- Chocolate
- Granola
- Peanut butter
- Molasses
Now comes some general knowledge time to know the safer limits of potassium in your blood, certain health benefits etc.
Safe Limits of potassium in Blood:-
Go for a test and then compared it with the data given below:-
- Safe Zone- If it is in between 3.5-5.0
- Caution zone- If it is in between 5.1-6.0
- Danger Zone- If it is higher than 6.1
How to maintain your potassium level within permissible limits?
- You can eat a lot of variety in food but it should be in permissible limits.
- Avoid high potassium diet. If you don’t know how to do that than you can ask your dietitian to make a moderate level potassium diet for you.
- If on dialysis then eat all prescribed things and medicines.
- Take greater care with low potassium food. Your favorite food might contain low potassium but that doesn’t mean you can have it in bulk amount coz always remember a large amount of low potassium food can turn it into high potassium food.
- If you want to include some high potassium diet in your food than follow leaching process before eating. Leaching is a process through which you can lessen the amount of potassium from your food. You can consult your dietitian and follow the process according to the prescribed limits of your potassium diet. If you want to know how to do it is explained in the later part of this article.
For foods containing High potassium than required you can follow these simple steps to lessen its amount:-
The process of taking potassium out from the food is known as leaching. It will take all the potassium from the food rather removes the excess part.
Procedure:–
- Peel off the vegetables and keep it in cold water.
- Slice them 1/8 inch thick
- For few seconds rinse them in warm water.
- Now the above vegetable in warm water for minimum two hours. If you want to soak it for long period then keep on changing the water after every four hours. Use 10 times the amount of water to the amount of vegetables.
- Again follow step 3.
- Now take five times the amount of water to the amount of vegetable and cook them in it.
Health Benefits of Potassium Intake:-
There are not one or two but many health benefits of maintained amount of potassium intake in your diet. Some of them are listed below:-
1. Low risk of stroke:-
People with high level of potassium intake experience a lower risk of stroke. The Health benefits through potassium are because it helps in the reduction of blood pressure.
2. Osteoporosis protection:-
It happens because according to a research a relation is found out between bone density and potassium intake. Above research are true even for post- menopausal women and old man.
3. Lesser Cellulite Appearance:-
Generally people take high amount of sodium but very less amount of potassium. Sodium helps in bring nutrients to your cells and potassium helps in flushing out the waste from the cells. So If you reduce the intake of sodium and increase the amount of potassium in your diet then in that case you can reduce cellulite.
4. Cramps:-
Taking high potassium diet is good for athletes as well. As it will reduce muscle cramps and increase muscle strength. These are a side effect of low potassium food. It happens in athletes when they become dehydrated and don’t take potassium rich food before and after exercise.
Factors deciding the amount of Potassium intake:-
There are various factors which decide the amount of potassium intake in your diet:
- Hormonal balance
- Kidney functioning
- Prescriptions
- Medications
People who take Thiazide diuretics to treat high blood pressure or if you take steroids and laxatives then you require High potassium diet as these medications deplete potassium from your the body.
On the contrary if you are taking drugs for low blood pressure like beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors then you should take low potassium diet as these increases the potassium level in your body.
Similarly, people with low kidney function should take low potassium diet. Like these there are many instructions you should take care before taking any diet on your own.
Note:- The foods and instructions above are generalized. So kindly consult your doctor dietitian first to check your potassium level and then you can select from the above list as per your requirement and taste.
Hope you liked this article. If you want to share your experience with any of the above diet or with your potassium level you can write it in the comment. Your health is important for us!!
