Topic Overview
Potassium is a mineral in your cells that helps your nerves and muscles work right. The right balance of potassium also keeps your heart beating at a steady rate.
A potassium level that is too high or too low can be dangerous. If your levels are high or low, you may need to change the way you eat.
| Low-potassium foods | Medium-potassium foods | High-potassium foods | Very high-potassium foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| less than 100 mg | 101–200 mg | 201–300 mg | over 300 mg |
You can control the amount of potassium you get in your diet by being aware of which foods are low or high in potassium. When choosing foods from lists like the one below, note the serving size. Otherwise, it can be easy to get too much or too little potassium.
| Food (no table salt added) | Serving size | Potassium (mg) |
| Applesauce | 1/2 cup | 90 |
| Bagel, plain, enriched | 10 cm (4 inch) | 70 |
| Beans, green | 1/2 cup | 90 |
| Blueberries | ½ cup (125 mL) | 60 |
| Bread, multi- or whole grain | 1 slice | 60 |
| Butter | 1 Tbsp (15 mL) | Less than 5 |
| Carbonated beverage (ginger ale, root beer, orange, grape, lemon-lime) | 1 cup (250 mL) | Less than 5 |
| Cereal (puffed rice) | 1 cup (250 mL) | 15 |
| Cereal (puffed wheat) | 1 cup (250 mL) | Less than 5 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (30 g) | 20-30 |
| Cranberry juice cocktail | ½ cup (125 mL) | 20 |
| Cucumber, peeled, raw | ½ cup (125 mL) | 80 |
| Gelatin | ½ cup (125 mL) | Less than 5 |
| Grapes | 9 grapes | 90 |
| Hot dog, beef and pork | 1 | 75 |
| Hummus | 1 Tbsp (15 mL) | 35 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 fruit | 50 |
| Lettuce | 1 cup | 100 |
| Lime | juice of 1 fruit | 45 |
| Macaroni | ½ cup (125 mL) | 65 |
| Oil (canola, peanut, safflower, sesame, soybean, sunflower) | 1 tbsp (15 mL) | 0 |
| Olives | 5 large | Less than 5 |
| Pineapple | 1/2 cup | 100 |
| Popcorn | 1 cup (250 mL) | 20–25 |
| Radishes | 1 radish | 10 |
| Raspberries | ½ cup (125 mL) | 90 |
| Rice (white, brown) | ½ cup (125 mL) | 50 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (15 mL) | 0 |
| Sherbet | ½ cup (125 mL) | 70 |
| Soup, chicken noodle | 1 cup (250 mL) | 55 |
| Spaghetti | ½ cup (125 mL) | 30 |
| Sugar, granulated/powdered | 1 tsp (5 mL)/1 tbsp (15 mL) | 0 |
| Tea, brewed | 1 cup (250 mL) | 90 |
| Tortilla, flour or corn | 1 | 50 |
Hidden potassium
Some foods and drinks may have hidden potassium. Certain herbal or dietary supplements may also have it. Diet or protein drinks and diet bars often have this mineral. It is also in sports drinks, which are meant to replace potassium you lose during exercise.
Food labels do not have to include the amount of potassium, but some do. Even if potassium is not listed, it may still be in that food.
Do not use a salt substitute or "lite" salt without talking to your doctor first. These often are very high in potassium.
Current as of: November 7, 2018
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Elizabeth T. Russo, MD - Internal Medicine & Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator & Colleen O'Connor, PhD, RD - Registered Dietitian
