Looking for some delicious, heart-healthy foods that are packed with potassium? Bananas might be the first thing that comes to mind, but they aren’t your only option.
Sure, bananas are a good source, and they can help you reach your daily goals for sure. However, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, we need 4,700 milligrams of potassium a day.
That’s a lot of bananas. Even an extra-large banana that weighs 152 grams will likely only have up to 544 milligrams of potassium.
Potassium is an important nutrient, too. It helps keep your blood pressure in check and more.
The good news is that there are lots of other potassium-packed foods. Contrary to popular belief, bananas really aren’t even that high on the list. Here are a few other foods to try.
Maybe they aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you’re thinking about what to have for dinner. However, beet greens are super healthy.
Plus, one cup of cooked beet greens contains 28 percent of your suggested daily potassium intake. (That’s just over 1309 milligrams! Bananas, eat your heart out.)
Many other leafy greens, like spinach and chard, are also rich in potassium, too. And we’re sure you already know how important greens are to a healthy diet.
Potatoes are actually a great source of potassium, with a medium baked potato containing around 900 milligrams of the mineral. And they’re also rich in fiber, which is also a plus.
You already know how often salmon is touted as a super healthy source of protein. But did you also know it’s full of potassium? A small, 3-ounce portion of cooked salmon will provide you with 534 milligrams of potassium.
Of course, it also has other bonuses like providing you with plenty of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
While not quite as loaded with potassium as a baked russet potato, sweet potatoes certainly aren’t a bad source. For just 131 calories worth of sweet potato, you’ll get about 695 mg of potassium.
Plus, they’ve got vitamin A and beta carotene as well.
Prepping a healthy breakfast? Why not toss those banana slices in a bowl of unsweetened Greek yogurt? Just eight ounces of unflavored non-fat yogurt can have up to 579 milligrams of potassium.
That’s more than the banana, plus the two pairs fantastically together.
