12 Foods that are High in Potassium

If you’re having leg cramps, people will say, “Eat a banana!”. Why? Bananas are widely thought to have a lot of potassium, and leg cramps can come from a lack of that mineral. Leg cramps can come from a variety of sources, including dehydration, overuse of muscles, magnesium deficiency, abnormal nerve activity, sudden loss of blood to the muscle, or, as with most things, getting older.  (Tendons tend to shorten with age, which can cause nighttime cramping.)

So the wisdom of eating a banana for cramps is suspect. However, potassium is a very important mineral. It regulates heart electrical activity and controls fluid balances in the body. And yes, it regulates muscle electrical activity as well.

Know what foods have the most potassium is also important to those who have diabetes or kidney disease. People with diabetes often have decreased kidney function, and can’t excrete potassium as we normally do. So people with diabetes and/or kidney disease need to eat foods that are NOT high in potassium.

So what 12 foods are highest in that important mineral? Here they are, with mg of potassium per serving.

Nuts 755mg

Pumpkin 394mg

Bananas 806mg

White Mushrooms 428mg

Salmon 534mg

Plain Yogurt 625mg

White Beans 1004mg

Dried Apricots 1511mg

Potato 897mg

Acorn Squash 486mg

Sweet Potatoes 448mg

Avocado 708 mg