What Has the Most Potassium Per Serving? The Top Food Sources Revealed

December 31, 2025 •

3 min read

Surprisingly, a medium banana, a common poster child for potassium, contains less than half the amount found in a single cup of cooked beet greens. Understanding what has the most potassium per serving is key to maximizing this essential mineral in your diet.

Quick Summary

Cooked beet greens, Swiss chard, baked potatoes with skin, and dried fruits like apricots provide exceptionally high potassium per serving. These options surpass bananas and other common sources for dense mineral intake. A varied diet is crucial.

Key Points

Cooked Beet Greens Lead: One cup of cooked beet greens contains an exceptionally high amount of potassium, over 1,300 mg.
Baked Potatoes Are Powerhouses: A medium baked potato with its skin on provides over 900 mg of potassium, a very dense source.
Dried Fruit Concentrate: Dehydrating fruits like apricots and prunes concentrates their potassium content significantly.
Legumes are Loaded: Foods like cooked white beans and lima beans offer substantial potassium per serving.
It's Not Just Bananas: While a good source, many other foods far surpass the banana in potassium density per serving.
Cooking Matters: Since potassium is water-soluble, boiling can reduce the amount in vegetables, while baking or sautéing is better.
Diversify Your Diet: The best approach is to include a variety of potassium-rich foods, including vegetables, legumes, fruits, dairy, and fish, to meet your daily needs.

Potassium is an essential mineral and electrolyte that is vital for several bodily functions, including maintaining fluid balance, nerve signaling, and regulating muscle contractions. A diet rich in potassium can support healthy blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. While many people associate bananas with potassium, some lesser-known foods actually contain significantly higher concentrations per serving. Exploring these options can help you strategically increase your intake of this crucial nutrient.

The Top Tier: Foods with Exceptionally High Potassium

While it’s a good source, the humble banana pales in comparison to some of the true potassium powerhouses. The highest concentrations of potassium per serving are often found in cooked or dried plant-based foods, where water content has been reduced, concentrating the minerals.

Cooked Beet Greens: A standout leader, a single cup of cooked beet greens contains a remarkable 1,309 milligrams of potassium. This makes it one of the most potent sources of the mineral available in a single serving.
Cooked Swiss Chard: Another leafy green champion, one cup of cooked Swiss chard boasts 961 milligrams of potassium. It’s a nutritious and versatile option for boosting your intake.
Baked Potato with Skin: Leaving the skin on is key, as a medium-sized baked potato prepared this way offers an impressive 926 milligrams of potassium. It’s a filling and accessible way to get a significant boost.
Dried Apricots: The process of drying concentrates nutrients, and a half-cup of dried apricots provides about 755 milligrams of potassium. This makes it an easy and portable snack for on-the-go nutrition.
Cooked Lima Beans: A staple in many dishes, one cup of cooked lima beans contains 955 milligrams of potassium, making them a fantastic legume-based source.
Tomato Paste and Canned Tomatoes: Concentrated tomato products are exceptionally high in potassium. A quarter-cup of tomato paste can provide over 650 milligrams.

Answering the Banana Question

Many people are surprised to learn that bananas are not the highest source of potassium. A medium banana typically contains around 422-451 milligrams. While this is a decent amount and makes for a convenient source, several vegetables and legumes far surpass it. This highlights the importance of diversifying your diet and looking beyond the most commonly advertised sources to meet your daily needs.

Other Excellent Sources of Potassium

Beyond the highest-ranking contenders, numerous other foods can help you achieve your daily potassium goals. Many different food groups contribute to your overall intake.

Legumes and Beans

Lentils: One cup of cooked lentils provides a healthy dose of potassium, with around 731 mg.
Kidney Beans: Canned kidney beans contain about 607 mg of potassium per cup.

Fruits and Juices

Avocado: Half of an avocado provides approximately 364 mg of potassium, along with healthy fats.
Orange Juice: A cup of orange juice is a good source, with around 496 mg.
Prune Juice: Known for its health benefits, one cup of prune juice packs 707 mg of potassium.

Fish and Dairy

Salmon: A 3-ounce cooked filet of salmon offers a good amount of potassium, around 326 mg, along with omega-3 fatty acids.
Yogurt: Plain, nonfat yogurt provides about 625 mg of potassium in an 8-ounce serving.

The Impact of Cooking Methods

It is worth noting that the way food is prepared can affect its potassium content. Since potassium is a water-soluble mineral, boiling vegetables can cause some of it to leach into the water. To maximize retention, consider cooking methods like roasting, steaming, or sautéing.

Potassium Per Serving Comparison

The following table offers a quick comparison of various popular foods and their approximate potassium content per standard serving, highlighting the nutrient density of each source:


Food Item	Serving Size	Potassium (mg)
Cooked Beet Greens	1 cup	1,309
Cooked Swiss Chard	1 cup	961
Baked Potato (with skin)	1 medium	926
Dried Apricots	½ cup	755
Cooked Lentils	1 cup	731
Orange Juice	1 cup	496
Banana	1 medium	422
Cooked Salmon	3 oz	326
Yogurt, Plain Nonfat	8 oz	625

Conclusion: Diversify for Optimum Health

While some foods stand out for their exceptionally high potassium content per serving, the best strategy for meeting your daily needs is to eat a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods. By incorporating leafy greens, legumes, starchy vegetables, and dried fruits into your meals, you can easily reach your target intake without relying solely on a single food. Prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods is an excellent way to ensure a high and healthy potassium intake.

For more detailed information on dietary intake of minerals like potassium, consult reliable sources such as the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Based on standard serving sizes, cooked beet greens are one of the highest, with a single cup containing over 1,300 mg of potassium.

No, while a good source, a medium banana (around 422-451 mg) contains significantly less potassium than other options like baked potatoes, Swiss chard, or beet greens.

Potassium is essential for maintaining fluid balance, supporting proper nerve function, and regulating muscle contractions. It also plays a key role in supporting healthy blood pressure.

Focus on incorporating a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and dairy products. Great options include spinach, potatoes, dried apricots, lentils, and yogurt.

Yes. Since potassium is water-soluble, boiling vegetables can cause some of the mineral to leach into the water. Baking, roasting, or sautéing generally preserves more of the potassium content.

The NIH Adequate Intake for adults 19+ is 3,400 mg daily for men and 2,600 mg for women. Requirements may vary based on health and age.

For most healthy individuals, it is very difficult to consume too much potassium through diet alone, as the kidneys typically regulate excess amounts. However, individuals with kidney disease may need to monitor their intake.

Excellent non-vegetable sources include various legumes (beans, lentils), dairy products (yogurt, milk), and certain fish, such as salmon.