What is the Number One Food High in Potassium? An In-Depth Nutrition Diet Guide

October 4, 2025 •

4 min read

Many people associate the tropical banana with high potassium, yet surprisingly, a single food does not hold the undisputed title of being the most potassium-rich. To understand what is the number one food high in potassium, one must look beyond popular myths and consider a full spectrum of nutrient-dense options based on factors like serving size and preparation.

Quick Summary

The search for the single highest potassium food reveals that multiple contenders, like cooked beet greens and baked potatoes, compete for the top spot. A varied, nutrient-dense diet is the most effective way to ensure adequate intake of this essential mineral.

Key Points

No Single 'Number One' Food: The highest potassium food depends on serving size, cooking method, and specific nutritional data, so focusing on dietary variety is more important.
Top Contenders Are Vegetables and Legumes: Cooked beet greens, baked potatoes with skin, white beans, and acorn squash are among the most potassium-dense foods by cup or serving.
Potassium Is Vital for Health: This essential mineral helps regulate blood pressure, supports muscle and nerve function, and contributes to better bone health.
Cooking Method Matters: Boiling high-potassium vegetables can reduce their mineral content; roasting, baking, or steaming is a better approach to preserve nutrients.
Variety is Key for Optimal Nutrition: A diverse diet rich in high-potassium foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes is the best strategy for meeting daily needs.
Watch Your Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio: The balance between sodium and potassium is crucial for cardiovascular health, with a higher intake of potassium being beneficial.

The Importance of Potassium in Your Diet

Potassium is a crucial mineral and electrolyte that your body requires for a wide range of functions, yet it's a 'shortfall nutrient' for most people. It plays a significant role in managing blood pressure, supporting muscle and nerve function, and maintaining fluid balance within your cells. It works with sodium to help regulate these vital processes, and a proper balance between the two is key for heart health. A diet rich in potassium and low in sodium may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Furthermore, potassium supports bone health by reducing calcium excretion and may help prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Unmasking the 'Number One' Food

The idea of a single "number one" food for potassium is a simplification. The top source can change based on how the food is measured and prepared. For instance, comparing the potassium content per 100 grams is different from comparing it per serving. Cooking method also matters, as boiling certain vegetables can cause some potassium to leach into the water. Some of the most potent sources include:

Cooked Beet Greens: At over 1,300 mg per cooked cup, this leafy green is a potassium powerhouse.
Baked Potato with Skin: A medium-sized baked potato (about 213g) can provide over 900 mg of potassium, with the skin contributing a significant portion.
White Beans: A cup of cooked white beans is another excellent source, offering over 1,000 mg.
Adzuki Beans: Half a cup of cooked adzuki beans delivers a substantial amount of potassium, around 612 mg.
Swiss Chard: A cup of cooked Swiss chard contains 961 mg of potassium, making it a very strong contender.
Dried Apricots: For a concentrated boost, half a cup of dried apricots contains around 755 mg of potassium.
Acorn Squash: One cup of cooked acorn squash provides an impressive 896 mg of potassium.

As you can see, the winner of the 'number one' title is not a simple choice, and the more important takeaway is the abundance of high-potassium foods available.

A Comparison of High-Potassium Foods

The following table illustrates the variability of potassium content across different healthy food sources based on typical serving sizes.


Food (Cooked)	Serving Size	Potassium (mg)
Beet Greens	1 cup	1,309
Swiss Chard	1 cup	961
Baked Potato (with skin)	1 medium	926
Acorn Squash (mashed)	1 cup	896
Dried Apricots	½ cup	755
White Beans	1 cup	1,004
Lentils	1 cup	731
Salmon (cooked)	3 ounces	326
Avocado	½ cup	364
Banana	1 medium	451

Practical Tips for Boosting Potassium Intake

To incorporate more potassium into your diet, consider these strategies:

Roast or Bake Vegetables: Instead of boiling, which can reduce potassium, try roasting, baking, or steaming vegetables like potatoes, squash, and spinach. This preserves more of the mineral content.
Add Legumes to Dishes: Easily boost potassium by adding beans or lentils to soups, stews, and salads. Cooked white beans, for example, blend seamlessly into many recipes.
Enjoy Dried Fruit in Moderation: Dried apricots, prunes, and raisins are concentrated sources, but also contain more sugar and calories per serving than fresh fruit.
Make Smoothies with Yogurt: Combine plain yogurt, which is a good source of potassium, with other potassium-rich fruits like bananas and cantaloupe for a delicious and easy boost.
Snack on Healthy Fats: Avocados are not only high in potassium but also in healthy fats. Add sliced avocado to toast, salads, or sandwiches.
Choose Whole Grains: Whole-wheat flour and brown rice contain significantly more potassium than their refined white counterparts. Opt for these alternatives where possible.

The Health Benefits of a Potassium-Rich Diet

Maintaining adequate potassium levels is essential for overall health. A proper intake can help regulate blood pressure, especially for those with high sodium diets. Potassium is also vital for proper muscle contraction, including the critical function of your heart muscle, and helps regulate nerve signals. For bone health, potassium may help prevent excessive calcium loss through urine, thus supporting stronger bones and potentially reducing the risk of kidney stones. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a prime example of a food-based approach to increasing potassium and other beneficial minerals for better heart health, demonstrating the power of a holistic dietary pattern over focusing on a single nutrient.

Conclusion

While a medium baked potato or cooked beet greens might technically represent the highest potassium food per common serving, the real takeaway is that a wide variety of healthy foods are excellent sources of this vital mineral. Focusing on a balanced nutrition diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains is far more effective than obsessing over a single food. Prioritizing dietary diversity ensures you get a broad spectrum of nutrients, supporting not only heart health and blood pressure but overall wellness.

For more information on the DASH diet and food-based nutrition, refer to the National Institutes of Health website.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Adequate Intake (AI) for potassium is 3,400 mg for men and 2,600 mg for women per day, as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Yes, bananas are a good source of potassium, providing around 422 mg in a medium-sized fruit, but many other foods like potatoes and legumes offer more per serving.

Symptoms of low potassium, or hypokalemia, can include muscle weakness, cramps, fatigue, constipation, and heart palpitations. Severe cases can lead to dangerous irregular heart rhythms.

Yes, boiling can reduce the potassium content of some foods, as the mineral can leach into the water. For best retention, opt for steaming, roasting, or baking.

For most healthy individuals, it is best to get nutrients, including potassium, from food and beverages rather than supplements. Foods offer a broader range of beneficial nutrients and fiber.

While it varies by serving size, fruits like avocados and dried apricots tend to have higher potassium content than the more commonly known banana.

White beans and lima beans are particularly high in potassium, offering excellent amounts per cooked cup. Lentils are also a great legume source.