Health Information
Getting Enough Potassium
Topic Overview
Why is potassium important?
Your body needs potassium to help your muscles contract, maintain fluid balance, and maintain a normal Reference blood pressure Opens New Window. Normal potassium levels in the body help to keep the heart beating regularly. Potassium may help reduce your risk of Reference kidney stones Opens New Window and also Reference bone loss Opens New Window as you age.
Healthy kidneys keep the right amount of potassium in the blood to keep the heart beating at a steady pace. If you have Reference kidney disease Opens New Window, potassium levels can rise and affect your heartbeat. Be sure to talk with your health professional to determine if you should restrict your intake of foods that contain large amounts of potassium.
What is the recommended daily amount of potassium?
Most people do not get enough potassium.
| Age (years) | Recommended potassium intake (milligrams a day) |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | 3,000 |
| 4–8 | 3,800 |
| 9–13 | 4,500 |
| 14 and older | 4,700 |
| Women who are breast-feeding | 5,100 |
Women who are pregnant need the same amount of potassium as other women their age.
How can you get more potassium?
Potassium is in many foods, including vegetables, fruits, and milk products. You can figure out how much potassium is in a food by looking at the percent Reference daily value section on the Reference nutrition facts label Opens New Window Reference 
Opens New Window. The food label assumes the daily value of potassium is 3,500 mg. So if one serving of a food has a daily value of 20% of potassium, that food has 700 mg of potassium in one serving. Potassium is not required to be listed on a food label, but it can be listed.
| Food | Serving size | Potassium amount (milligrams) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked spinach | 1 cup | 840 mg |
| Sweet potato | 1 medium | 695 mg |
| Plain nonfat yogurt | 8 ounces | 579 mg |
| Banana | 1 cup | 540 mg |
| Cooked broccoli | 1 cup | 460 mg |
| Cantaloupe | 1 cup | 430 mg |
| Tomato | 1 cup | 430 mg |
| Fat-free milk | 8 ounces | 380 mg |
| Strawberries | 1 cup | 255 mg |
Tips for adding potassium foods to your healthy diet:
- Add spinach or other leafy greens to your sandwiches.
- Toss fresh or dried apricots into plain nonfat yogurt for a snack.
- Enjoy a cup of low-sodium bean soup for lunch.
- Eat a small baked potato or sweet potato instead of bread at dinner.
Are there any risks from potassium?
A potassium level that is too high or too low can be serious. Abnormal potassium levels may cause symptoms such as muscle cramps or weakness, nausea, diarrhea, frequent urination, dehydration, low blood pressure, confusion, irritability, paralysis, and changes in heart rhythm. Potassium supplements are prescribed by a doctor, usually after testing for Reference potassium in the blood or Reference potassium in urine. Do not start taking potassium supplements on your own.
People who have kidney disease and/or take blood pressure medicines such as ACE inhibitors should find out from a doctor if they should avoid foods high in potassium.
Low-potassium foods include:
- Apples.
- Blueberries.
- Cabbage.
- Carrots.
- Pineapple.
- Squash.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference September 15, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Mitchell H. Rosner, MD - Nephrology |
|
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