Potassium is a crucial nutrient, playing key roles in muscle strength, nerve function and heart health. And if you don't get enough—4,700 mg a day—it could lead to a deficiency, complete with fatigue, muscle cramps, heart palpitations and dizzy spells. Yikes.
You've probably heard that bananas are packed with potassium, which is true. This tasty staple is a great option for an ample dose of the nutrient, with 422 mg in each medium-sized serving according to the USDA Nutrient Database. But it's certainly not the only way to load up on this important mineral—or even the best way! Here, we've rounded up five foods with more potassium than a banana. Nosh away.
Sweet potato
Have a sweet potato as a side dish all summer long. This delicious, vitamin-packed super-food has 542 mg of potassium (for one medium-sized, baked sweet potato).
Avocado
With salad season on the horizon, and guacamole options abounding, there couldn't be a better time to eat avocado, especially given the 487 mg of potassium contained in half the fruit.
White beans
Whether you cook them up in chili, drop them in a soup or serve them on the side, white beans are loaded with potassium. In just half a cup, you'll get around 502 mg of the mineral.
Yogurt
If you want to reach for a healthy snack, you couldn't do much better than simple plain yogurt. In a standard eight-ounce serving, expect to take in roughly 579 mg of potassium.
If you want to reach for a healthy snack, you couldn't do much better than simple plain yogurt. In a standard eight-ounce serving, expect to take in roughly 579 mg of potassium.
In your salad, on your burger, or in a delicious smoothie, there are a million ways to get spinach into your diet—and take advantage of its whopping 839 mg of potassium per cup.