When someone says “potassium,” you probably immediately think of bananas. But, believe it or not, many other foods contain just as much, if not more, potassium than a banana. This essential micronutrient promotes heart health, stabilizes blood pressure, and maintains the body’s fluid balance. In other words, potassium is one of those electrolytes that keeps you hydrated during an intense sweat session. While one small banana has about 400mg of potassium (or about 11% of your daily value), these foods have just as much (if not more) potassium.
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Avocado
This creamy fruit is known for its high fat content, since it’s one of the only fruits with monounsaturated fats. This type of “good fat” has been shown to lower bad cholesterol and help with weight maintenance. Avocados also have nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, and they are an excellent source of potassium, with about 20% of your daily value in one cup. But if you’re watching your calories, know that one avocado packs a 300-calorie punch. To enjoy this flavorful fruit, blend it into a smoothie, throw it into a salad, or drizzle with salt and lime and eat it right out of the skin.
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Orange
The mighty orange is well-known for its high vitamin C content. With 160% of your daily value of this immune-boosting vitamin in just one orange, it’s no wonder. But, oranges are also packed with potassium. One large, juicy fruit has about 10% of your daily value of potassium. Oranges make a great addition to any salad, or you can also use the fresh juice in a marinade or homemade salad dressing. It’s also the perfect fruit to throw into your gym bag for a hydrating post-workout snack.
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Pomegranate Juice
“An 8-oz bottle of POM 100% Pomegranate Juice contains the juice of two whole pomegranates—and is a good source of potassium, offering 600mg or 17% of the daily value,” says Amy Gorin, M.S., R.D.N., owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition. As an added bonus, “the juice gets its ruby-red color from polyphenols.” Drink pomegranate juice straight from the bottle. It’s also a great marinade for meat, or freeze it in an ice cube tray for a frozen dessert.
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Lentils
This plant-based legume comes in many colors and varieties—brown, red, and green—and it delivers quite the protein punch. One cup of cooked lentils has 18g or protein—that’s more than quinoa. Plus, one cup has 20% of your daily value of potassium, and they make a great meat substitute. Red lentils are a staple in Indian dishes, like Red Lentil Dal; or use brown lentils to replace some of the meat in burgers, meatballs, or tacos.
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Black beans
This Mexican food staple is the highest source of potassium on the list. One cup has almost 23% of your daily value of potassium. Plus, black beans are a great source of plant-based protein and iron, with 10g of protein and 26% of your daily iron in just one cup. This soft bean blends well into dips, it’s a nice complement to brown rice, and it’s a great addition to tacos or quesadillas.
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Cantaloupe
This sweet seasonal summer treat has more potassium than a medium banana. “Per cup of balled cantaloupe, you get 473mg of potassium or 13.5% the daily value,” says Gorin. Cantaloupe is also rich in immunity-helping vitamin C, and it’s high in water to help keep you hydrated when temperatures soar. “I like to eat it the way my mom served it to me growing up—in balls,” says Gorin.
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Milk
There’s another reason to drink your milk, besides the calcium. It’s rich in potassium, with about 10% the daily value in one 8-oz glass. Not to mention that milk is a good source of protein, and it is usually fortified with vitamin D—a vitamin that many people lack in their diet. Milk is extremely versatile and can be used in smoothies, oatmeal, dips, or baked goods.
When someone says “potassium,” you probably immediately think of bananas. But, believe it or not, many other foods contain just as much, if not more, potassium than a banana. This essential micronutrient promotes heart health, stabilizes blood pressure, and maintains the body’s fluid balance. In other words, potassium is one of those electrolytes that keeps you hydrated during an intense sweat session. While one small banana has about 400mg of potassium (or about 11% of your daily value), these foods have just as much (if not more) potassium.
Avocado
This creamy fruit is known for its high fat content, since it’s one of the only fruits with monounsaturated fats. This type of “good fat” has been shown to lower bad cholesterol and help with weight maintenance. Avocados also have nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, and they are an excellent source of potassium, with about 20% of your daily value in one cup. But if you’re watching your calories, know that one avocado packs a 300-calorie punch. To enjoy this flavorful fruit, blend it into a smoothie, throw it into a salad, or drizzle with salt and lime and eat it right out of the skin.
Orange
The mighty orange is well-known for its high vitamin C content. With 160% of your daily value of this immune-boosting vitamin in just one orange, it’s no wonder. But, oranges are also packed with potassium. One large, juicy fruit has about 10% of your daily value of potassium. Oranges make a great addition to any salad, or you can also use the fresh juice in a marinade or homemade salad dressing. It’s also the perfect fruit to throw into your gym bag for a hydrating post-workout snack.
Pomegranate Juice
“An 8-oz bottle of POM 100% Pomegranate Juice contains the juice of two whole pomegranates—and is a good source of potassium, offering 600mg or 17% of the daily value,” says Amy Gorin, M.S., R.D.N., owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition. As an added bonus, “the juice gets its ruby-red color from polyphenols.” Drink pomegranate juice straight from the bottle. It’s also a great marinade for meat, or freeze it in an ice cube tray for a frozen dessert.
Lentils
This plant-based legume comes in many colors and varieties—brown, red, and green—and it delivers quite the protein punch. One cup of cooked lentils has 18g or protein—that’s more than quinoa. Plus, one cup has 20% of your daily value of potassium, and they make a great meat substitute. Red lentils are a staple in Indian dishes, like Red Lentil Dal; or use brown lentils to replace some of the meat in burgers, meatballs, or tacos.
Black beans
This Mexican food staple is the highest source of potassium on the list. One cup has almost 23% of your daily value of potassium. Plus, black beans are a great source of plant-based protein and iron, with 10g of protein and 26% of your daily iron in just one cup. This soft bean blends well into dips, it’s a nice complement to brown rice, and it’s a great addition to tacos or quesadillas.
Cantaloupe
This sweet seasonal summer treat has more potassium than a medium banana. “Per cup of balled cantaloupe, you get 473mg of potassium or 13.5% the daily value,” says Gorin. Cantaloupe is also rich in immunity-helping vitamin C, and it’s high in water to help keep you hydrated when temperatures soar. “I like to eat it the way my mom served it to me growing up—in balls,” says Gorin.
Milk
There’s another reason to drink your milk, besides the calcium. It’s rich in potassium, with about 10% the daily value in one 8-oz glass. Not to mention that milk is a good source of protein, and it is usually fortified with vitamin D—a vitamin that many people lack in their diet. Milk is extremely versatile and can be used in smoothies, oatmeal, dips, or baked goods.
