Top 10 Potassium Superfoods: Way Beyond Bananas

The Health Benefits of Potassium

Everyone knows potassium is good for you, right? That\'s why we eat so many bananas (more than apples and oranges combined). Eating more potassium works in concert with a low-sodium diet to lower blood pressure, and potassium is essential not only for heart health, but for the skeletal and muscle systems as well.

The big surprise is that bananas don\'t even make the top 10 list of superfoods with the most potassium!

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 4,700 mg for both men and women. Eat right with these, the top food sources of potassium as listed by the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans and National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

1. Sweet Potatoes

This root vegetable is the top source of potassium – one potato has 694 mg of potassium – about 15% of the daily recommended amount – and just 131 calories.

\r\nA true superfood, sweet potatoes are also a top source of both Beta Carotene and Vitamin A.\r\n

\r\nRecipes:
\r\nIndian Lentil-Vegetable Stew\r\n
\r\nSweet Potato Casserole\r\n
\r\nSmoky Root Vegetable Gratin\r\n
\r\nSweet Potato Fries\r\n
\r\nCurried Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup\r\n
\r\nRoasted Spiced Sweet Potatoes\r\n
\r\nSweet Potato and Peanut Stew
\r\nOrange Rosemary Turkey, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Arugula\r\n
BBQ Chicken with Collard Greens and Crushed Sweet Potato

2. Orange Juice

This breakfast staple is known for its Vitamin C (though it\'s actually No. 4 on the list of top sources of Vitamin C) but orange juice is also an excellent source of potassium. The good thing about this superfood? It\'s easy to eat up – or drink up.\r\n

\r\nRecipes\r\n
\r\nOrange and Ginger Brulee Custards\r\n
\r\nQuail with Golden-Cherry Barbeque Sauce\r\n
\r\nApricot, Beet and Cumin Soup\r\n
\r\nOrange Rosemary Turkey\r\n
\r\nBlood Orange Mimosa\r\n
\r\nOrange Spelt Muffins\r\n
\r\nOrange Vinaigrette\r\n
\r\nApricot-Braised Lamb Shanks\r\n
\r\nAchiote-Citrus Roasted Turkey\r\n
\r\nCranberry and Ginger Tea Punch\r\n
\r\nApple Butter\r\n
\r\nCool Honey Green Tea

3. Beet Greens

The greens of this root veggie are not only a top source of Vitamin A and Vitamin K, but they are also full of potassium – 655 mg in half a cup. If you don’t already grow this superfood yourself, find them at your local farmers’ market. They can often be substituted in recipes for collards.

\r\nA true superfood, beet greens are also a top real food source of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene.

4. Potatoes

It\'s America\'s favorite vegetable, and one potato has 610 mg of potassium and 145 calories – if you eat the skin.

\r\nThis superfood is also a top source of Vitamin B6, which is important for healthy skin and more.

\r\nBut be wary! Potatoes can be laced with pesticides. (See the Dirty Dozen: 12 Food to Eat Organic for more information.) Better choose organic potatoes whenever possible.\r\n

\r\nRecipes:\r\n
\r\nPortobellos with Potatoes and Swiss Chard, Twice-Baked Potatoes\r\n
\r\nMashed Potatoes with Celeriac\r\n
\r\nDouble-Stuffed Potatoes\r\n
\r\nBaked Mashed Potato Casserole\r\n
\r\nBoneless Chicken with Potato-Pepper Hash

5. White Beans

These legumes, like other beans, are a great source of starch, protein and fiber. Half a cup of white beans have 595 mg of potassium. A true superfood, white beans are also a top source of iron.\r\n

\r\nRecipes:\r\n
\r\nCreamy Italian White Bean Soup\r\n
\r\nEscarole and White Bean Soup\r\n
\r\nQuinoa Salad with Roasted Asparagus and White Beans\r\n
\r\nEasy Minestrone

6. Dates

This Middle Eastern fruit is a great source of potassium. Half a cup of dates has 584 mg of the nutrient.

\r\nRecipes:\r\n
Fast-Baked Apples with Oatmeal Streusel\r\n
Date and Dried Plum Brownies

7. Yogurt

This quick and easy dairy snack may be your number one source for Calcium, but did you know it’s also high in potassium? Eight ounces of plain non-fat yogurt has 579 mg of potassium.\r\n

\r\nRecipes:\r\n
\r\nCereal Tarts with Yogurt and Fresh Fruit\r\n
\r\nTrout with Beet-Horseradish Yogurt Sauce and Green Garlic Oil\r\n
\r\nGrilled Fruit Kebabs with Crunchy Yogurt Dip\r\n
\r\nCitrus Yogurt Mousse with Strawberry and Raspberry Sauce\r\n
\r\nYogurt Cake with Blueberry Sauce\r\n
\r\nCucumber and Winter Purslane Yogurt Salad\r\n
\r\nCreamy Cucumber-Dill Salad\r\n
\r\nFeta Herb Spread\r\n
\r\nAvocado and Seafood Salad\r\n
\r\nBeet and Dandelion Salad

9. Raisins

This popular dried fruit is an easy snack, plus it has 543 mg of potassium in half a cup.

\r\nBe aware, however, that grapes – the raisin, minus some time in the sun – are more likely than other fruits to be laced with pesticides (see the Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods to Eat Organic for more information). Best to choose organic whenever possible.\r\n

\r\nRecipes:\r\n
\r\nOatmeal Raisin Cookies\r\n
\r\nSauteed Swiss Chard with Golden Raisins and Capers\r\n
\r\nPasta with Broccoli Rabe and Garbanzos\r\n
\r\nStuffed Pork Chops\r\n
\r\nGarlicky Spinach with Red Peppers and Golden Raisins\r\n
\r\nHoney Cake\r\n
\r\nWhole Wheat Brownies\r\n
\r\nWhole Wheat Irish Soda Bread\r\n
\r\nSicilian Stuffed Pork Chops\r\n
\r\nGrilled Eggplant Caponata\r\n
\r\nCountry Curried Chicken\r\n
\r\nGluten-Free Granola Bars\r\n
\r\nHazelnut-Honey Granola\r\n
\r\nRhubarb Chutney\r\n
\r\nMoist Chocolate Crumb Cake

10. Clams

Clams are perhaps the most surprising superfood of all. Not only are clams rich in potassium, but they are the No. 1 source of both Iron and Vitamin B12.

\r\nThree ounces of clams have 534 mg of potassium and 126 calories.\r\n

\r\nAccording to the Environmental Defense Fund’s Seafood Selector, clams are low in contaminants and the farming of northern quahogs, the most common clams in the U.S., does little ecological damage.\r\n

\r\nRecipes:\r\n
\r\nLinguine with White Clam Sauce