What You Need To Know About Potassium

Meeting Your Potassium Needs

Potassium has many roles in the function of the body such as:

Maintaining cells' balance of water and electrolytes
Allows nerves and muscles to work together
Maintaining a normal blood acidity level
Facilitating muscle contraction, including heart rhythm
Keeping fluids balanced in the blood and tissue
Helping control blood pressure

Healthy individuals don't usually require a potassium supplement unless a doctor recommends it. It's best to meet your potassium needs from eating a variety of foods.

Low Potassium: Hypokalemia

A potassium deficency, called hypokalemia, can result in many health problems such as high blood pressure, risk of kidney stones and low calcium levels in the bones.

Symptoms of low potassium might be:

Cramps and pain in the leg
Dry mouth
Unexplained fatigue and weakness
Irregular heartbeat (severe cases)
Confusion
Thirst
Constipation
Bloating
Nausea or vomiting

High potassium: hyperkalemia

Getting too much potassium with your daily diet is rare, but potassium supplements can cause acute toxicity in healthy individuals.

Symptoms of high potassium include:

Stomach irritation
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Flatulence
Weakness, heaviness of the legs
Shortness of breath
Tingling in hands, feet or lips
Changes in heart rate

Common Food Sources of Potassium

Most people get enough potassium by eating a balanced diet on a daily basis. Bananas are known as a good source, but other fruits and vegetables such as berries, kiwis, apricots, avocados, leafy greens and potatoes are also rich in potassium.

See the table below for the potassium content of some common foods.

Food Group	Food	Serving size	Potassium (mg)


Vegetables and Fruit
	Potato, with skin, baked	1 medium	926
	Tomato paste	60 mL (¼ cup)	707
	Potato, without skin, baked	1 medium	548
	Sweet potato, baked, skin removed after baking	1 medium	542
	Avocado	½ fruit	487
	Banana	1 medium	422
	Spinach, frozen, cooked	125 mL (½ cup)	303
	Tomato	1 medium	292
	Kiwifruit	1 large	284
	Papaya	½ medium	278
	Raisins	60 mL (¼ cup)	275
	Apricots, raw	3 medium	272
	Squash, winter, all varieties, baked	125 mL (½ cup)	261
	Beets, raw	125 mL (½ cup)	234
	Carrots, raw	1 large	230

Grain Products
	Cereal, bran	125 mL (½ cup)	312
	Cereal, granola	125 mL (½ cup)	166
	Cereal, bran (flakes)	30 g (¾ cup)	144
	Oats, instant, cooked	175 mL (¾ cup)	143
	Bread, whole wheat	1 slice (35 g)	72

Milk and Alternatives
	Milk, chocolate (2%, 1%)	250 mL (1 cup)	448
	Buttermilk	250 mL (1 cup)	391
	Yogurt, plain or fruit bottom, all types	175 g (¾ cup)	362
	Milk, 2%	250 mL (1 cup)	361
	Milk, homogenized 3.3%	250 mL (1 cup)	340

Meat and Alternatives
	Halibut, baked	75 g (2.5 oz)	396
	Pork, cooked	75 g (2.5 oz)	319

Non-Meat Sources
	Beans (pinto, kidney, navy, black), cooked	175 mL (¾ cup)	550
	Lentils, cooked	175 mL (¾ cup)	540
	Pumpkin seed kernels	60 mL (¼ cup)	454
	Chickpeas/garbanzo beans, canned	175 mL (¾ cup)	256
	Almonds, dry roasted	60 mL (¼ cup)	250
	Peanut, dry roasted	60 mL (¼ cup)	235
	Tofu, extra firm, raw	150 g (¾ cup)	231
	Cashew nuts, dry roasted	60 mL (¼ cup)	196
	Eggs, cooked	2 large	114

Other
	Blackstrap molasses	15 mL (1 Tbsp)	518
	Coffee, brewed	250 mL (1 cup)	86

The information in this resource is for general information purposes only and is not intended to replace informed medical advice. Consume foods according to any dietary guidelines you have been provided from a health care professional. Metro Ontario Pharmacies Limited assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of the information.