Beyond Bananas: 13 Best Potassium Rich Foods

Potassium Rich Foods | Beyond Bananas: 13 Best Potassium Rich Foods

The Importance of Potassium

Your body needs potassium everyday! Potassium is important for everyday life because it helps your nerves and muscles communicate with each other. The body cannot store potassium, so it relies on daily intake of potassium rich foods. If you are losing fluids due to activity or illness, you may also be losing potassium as well. (1)

Symptoms of Low Potassium

It is important to watch for early signs of low potassium. This is especially important for athletes and those who are ill. One of the first signs is unexplained weakness, tiredness, or low energy levels. This can be followed by muscle cramps, especially in the feet and lower legs. Eating more potassium rich foods can help remedy these early symptoms. For quickest relief, have a strong potassium supplement on hand ready to go. Severe low levels of potassium can lead to heart arrhythmias or heart palpitations, which should be treated seriously. (2)

Potassium is More than Just Bananas

When looking to add more potassium to your diet, most people think of bananas as being the go-to, high-in-potassium food source. One banana has about 420 mg of potassium, and is definitely a good source for increasing this important mineral in your diet. But, did you know that there are a wide variety of potassium rich foods to choose from? Here are 13 best potassium rich foods with more potassium content than the average banana.

13 Best Potassium Rich Foods

#13 Salmon (4 oz): 425 mg
#12 Cantaloupe (1 cup): 427 mg
#11 Pistachios (1.5 oz): 445 mg
#10 Carrots, raw (2 each): 460 mg
#9 Kiwi Fruit (2 each): 464 mg
#8 Coconut Water (8 oz) 488 mg
#7 Brussel Sprouts, cooked (1 cup): 495 mg
#6 Figs, dried (4 each): 516 mg
#5 Beets, cooked (1 cup): 519 mg
#4 Butternut, cooked (1 cup): 580 mg
#3 Lima Beans (1 cup): 700 mg
#2 Swiss Chard, cooked (1 cup): 960 mg
#1 Avocado (1 each): 975 mg

Best Way to Get More Potassium

Eating more potassium rich foods every day is a great way to get more of the potassium that your body needs. But sometimes, it is not enough. Athletes need a concentrated source of potassium to fuel their muscles and heart without the added bulk of loading up on food sources. Those dealing with a serious illness may not have enough of an appetite to even be able to eat, making supplementation ideal. The best potassium supplement is in a liquid form, which is easy to swallow, unlike capsules and pills, and is readily available to the body without the need to be digested. Perfect for athletes needing a potassium boost, or those who cannot eat well due to illness.

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