Potassium, like sodium, calcium, and magnesium, is an essential mineral and electrolyte. It plays an important role in heart function, muscle contraction, and maintaining a normal blood pressure. This mineral serves a powerful purpose: By regulating the balance of fluid and minerals in your body, it flushes excess sodium from your system. By doing this, it can help reduce blood pressure, flush fluid retention, and beat bloat!
Unfortunately, most people don’t come close to getting the recommended daily intake of 4,700 milligrams a day. According to the latest dietary guidelines, only two percent of people reach this suggested level each day.
Where to Get Your Hands on This Mighty Mineral
The best place is in the grocery store, not the pharmacy. Fresh produce and legumes provide plenty of potassium, whereas there are risks that come with popping pills and supplements. To make it easy for you, here is a list of the top sources to start adding to your shopping list:
- 1 medium Potato, baked skin on – 941 mg
- ½ cup Beet greens, cooked from fresh – 654 mg
- ½ cup Adzuki or white beans – ~600 mg
- 1 cup Yogurt, plain nonfat – 579 mg
- 1 medium Sweet potato, baked skin on – 542 mg
- 3 ounces, Atlantic salmon, cooked – 534 mg
- 1 cup Orange juice, freshly squeezed – 496 mg
- ½ cup Edamame, cooked – 485 mg
- 1 medium Banana – 422 mg
- ½ cup Spinach, cooked – ~400 mg
- ¼ cup Dried peaches or apricots – ~390 mg
- 1 cup Skim milk – 382 mg
- ½ cup Lentils, cooked – 365 mg
- ½ cup Avocado – 364 mg
What 4,700 mg of Potassium Looks Like in a Day
To make it even easier to see what this looks like on your plate, here’s an entire day’s worth of food that provides 4,700 milligrams of potassium:
Breakfast
Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 335, Protein 21 g, Total fat 13 g, Saturated fat 5 g, Carbs 32 g, Fiber 10 g, Total sugars 2 g, Added sugars 0 g, Sodium 573 mg, Potassium 542 mg
Morning Snack
1 small banana + 2 tablespoons nut butter
Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 279, Protein 9 g, Total fat 16 g, Saturated fat 3 g, Carbs 30 g, Fiber 5 g, Total sugars 15 g, Added sugars 2 g, Sodium 66 mg, Potassium 601 mg
Lunch
Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 507, Protein 24 g, Total fat 10 g, Saturated fat 2 g, Carbs 86 g, Fiber 20 g, Total sugars 15 g, Added sugars 0 g, Sodium 426 mg, Potassium 1,063 mg
Afternoon Snack
Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 293, Protein 18 g, Total fat 4 g, Saturated fat 2 g, Carbs 49 g, Fiber 12 g, Total sugars 35 g, Added sugars 0 g, Sodium 345 mg, Potassium 1,179 mg
Dinner
Crispy Salmon with Fingerling Potatoes & Asparagus
Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 430, Protein 29 g, Total fat 24 g, Saturated fat 4 g, Carbs 26 g, Fiber 5 g, Total sugars 3 g, Added sugars 0 g, Sodium 120 mg, Potassium 1,278 mg
Total Day’s Nutrition Facts (per serving) Calories 1,844, Protein 130 g (28% total energy), Total fat 67 g (33% total energy), Saturated fat 16 g (8% total energy) , Carbs 223 g (48 % total energy), Fiber 52 g, Total sugars 70 g, Added sugars 2 g, Sodium 1,530 mg, Potassium 4,663 mg
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.
Tracy Morris
Tracy Morris is Fitbit’s Lead Nutritionist. With a master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from South Africa, she’s also an Australian Accredited Practising Dietitian, and an international member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the US. Over the past 20 years, Tracy's lived in five different countries, inspiring people around the globe to be healthy. She currently lives in sunny Sydney, Australia where she helps Fitbit fans around the globe live their best lives. When she’s not working, running after her three young kids, or practicing pilates, she can be found sipping pinot noir with her husband watching the sun set.
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