Subtotal $0.00
Shop Now
Foods high in potassium include baked potatoes with the skin, winter squash, lentils and beans, dried apricots, tomato sauce, cooked leafy greens such as beet greens and spinach, yogurt and some fish. According to USDA FoodData Central, one medium baked potato with its skin has about 926 milligrams of potassium, roughly 20% of the Daily Value and more than twice what a medium banana provides. Below is a USDA table of common foods with values per serving and per 100 grams, the official reference intakes, and the one group of people who should not simply eat more: anyone with kidney disease or on medicines that raise potassium.
Peptide Labs does not sell food or potassium-only supplements. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Potatoes with skin, acorn squash, lentils, dried apricots, tomato sauce and cooked greens are among the richest everyday sources in USDA data.
- A banana is a fair source, not a top one; many vegetables and beans provide more per serving.
- The adult Adequate Intake is 3,400 milligrams a day for men and 2,600 for women; the label Daily Value is 4,700.
- Most Americans eat less potassium than recommended, which is why the Dietary Guidelines flagged it as a nutrient of public health concern.
- People with kidney disease, or who take ACE inhibitors, ARBs or potassium-sparing diuretics, can develop high blood potassium even from food and should follow their clinician's advice.
Foods high in potassium: USDA table
The values below come from the USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy database. Serving sizes are USDA’s standard portions, and the percent Daily Value uses the FDA label value of 4,700 milligrams. Exact amounts vary with variety, ripeness, brand and cooking method, so read the numbers as close guides rather than lab results for your plate.
| Food and serving | Potassium per serving (milligrams) | % Daily Value | Per 100 g (milligrams) | FDC ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potato, baked with skin, 1 medium | 926 | 20% | 535 | 170093 |
| Acorn squash, baked, 1 cup cubes | 896 | 19% | 437 | 169293 |
| Dried apricots, 1/2 cup halves | 755 | 16% | 1,162 | 173941 |
| Lentils, boiled, 1 cup | 731 | 16% | 369 | 172421 |
| Tomato sauce, canned, 1 cup | 728 | 15% | 297 | 170054 |
| Prune juice, 1 cup | 707 | 15% | 276 | 167753 |
| Beet greens, boiled, 1/2 cup | 654 | 14% | 909 | 170376 |
| Coconut water, 1 cup | 600 | 13% | 250 | 170174 |
| White beans, canned, 1/2 cup | 595 | 13% | 454 | 175204 |
| Sweet potato, baked in skin, 1 medium | 542 | 12% | 475 | 168483 |
| Plain low-fat yogurt, 8 oz container | 531 | 11% | 234 | 170886 |
| Orange juice, 1 cup | 496 | 11% | 200 | 169098 |
| Halibut, cooked, 3 oz | 449 | 10% | 528 | 174201 |
| Soybeans, boiled, 1/2 cup | 443 | 9% | 515 | 174271 |
| Cantaloupe, 1 cup cubes | 427 | 9% | 267 | 169092 |
| Banana, 1 medium | 422 | 9% | 358 | 173944 |
| Spinach, boiled, 1/2 cup | 419 | 9% | 466 | 168463 |
| Nonfat milk, 1 cup | 382 | 8% | 156 | 171269 |
| Avocado, 1/2 cup cubes | 364 | 8% | 485 | 171705 |
| Salmon, Atlantic farmed, cooked, 3 oz | 326 | 7% | 384 | 175168 |
Two patterns stand out. Concentrated foods win per 100 grams: dried apricots and cooked beet greens top that column because drying removes water and cooking shrinks a big pile of leaves into a small volume. Per serving, starchy vegetables and legumes win, simply because people eat larger portions of them. Both views are useful, so the table shows both.
How much potassium do adults need?
In 2019 the National Academies set Adequate Intakes (AIs) of 3,400 milligrams a day for men and 2,600 milligrams for women age 19 and older, with 2,900 during pregnancy and 2,800 during breastfeeding for adults 19 to 50, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). No upper limit was set for potassium from food. The Daily Value printed on Nutrition Facts labels is higher, 4,700 milligrams, and potassium is now a required line on the label, so packaged foods show it directly.
Average intakes fall short. National survey data cited by ODS put average food intake at about 3,016 milligrams for men and 2,320 for women age 20 and older, and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans named potassium a nutrient of public health concern for that reason. The AIs do not apply to people whose kidneys cannot excrete potassium normally.
Fruits high in potassium
Among fruits, dried apricots lead by a wide margin, followed by prune juice, coconut water, orange juice and cantaloupe. A medium banana, the fruit most people think of first, provides about 9% of the Daily Value, about the same as a cup of cantaloupe. Avocado is another solid choice and adds fiber and unsaturated fat. Keep in mind that dried fruit and juice pack natural sugar and calories into a small serving: dried apricots have about 241 calories per 100 grams in USDA data. If you are watching sugar, whole fruit and vegetables give potassium with more fiber per calorie.
Vegetables high in potassium
Vegetables high in potassium include potatoes and sweet potatoes eaten with the skin, winter squash such as acorn squash, cooked beet greens and spinach, and tomato products like sauce and paste. Cooked greens look modest per half cup only because the portion is small; a full cup of boiled spinach has about 839 milligrams in USDA data. Potatoes are one of the most practical high potassium foods because they are cheap, filling and easy to bake, and ODS notes that potassium is absorbed well from potatoes.
Beans, dairy and fish
Lentils, white beans, soybeans and other legumes combine potassium with protein and fiber, which makes them useful in plant-forward eating. Yogurt and milk are steady sources, and fish such as halibut and salmon add a few hundred milligrams per 3-ounce portion. For more protein-focused choices see our high-protein foods guide, and for building meals around fiber read how much fiber per day.
How to read potassium on a food label
FDA rules define the claims you see on packages. A food labeled “high in”, “rich in” or an “excellent source of” potassium must provide at least 20% of the Daily Value per serving, and a “good source” must provide 10 to 19%. By that yardstick, the potato, squash, apricots and lentils in the table count as potassium rich foods, while banana and spinach per half cup sit just under the good-source line. ODS also notes that the potassium in fruits and vegetables comes as phosphate, citrate and other compounds, not the potassium chloride used in salt substitutes.
Who should be careful with high potassium foods
For most healthy people, the kidneys remove extra potassium from food. That changes when kidney function is reduced or certain medicines are involved. ODS states that in people with chronic kidney disease, or who take ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics, even dietary intakes below the AI can cause hyperkalemia (high blood potassium). MedlinePlus adds angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and spironolactone to the list and notes that high potassium often causes no symptoms. If any of this applies to you, talk to your clinician or a renal dietitian before adding high-potassium foods, and ask before using salt substitutes, which are often made with potassium chloride.
Low potassium is usually caused by losses rather than diet: diuretics, vomiting or diarrhea, laxative overuse and low magnesium are common causes listed by MedlinePlus, and large amounts of black licorice with glycyrrhizin can lower potassium too (see our licorice root guide). Only a blood test can show your level, so symptoms belong with a clinician, not a food list. Our water pills guide covers diuretic products.
Food first: where supplements fit
Food is where meaningful potassium comes from. ODS notes that most potassium-only supplements contain no more than 99 milligrams, about 2% of the Daily Value, so a single baked potato supplies more than nine typical pills. Our potassium guide explains that limit and the safety concerns behind it, our potassium citrate guide covers the over-the-counter versus prescription difference, and our electrolytes guide explains when drinks with added potassium make sense. The companion article on foods high in magnesium shows how much overlap there is: beans, potatoes, greens and yogurt appear on both lists.
Research on eating patterns points the same way. ODS describes the DASH eating pattern, studied by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, as one that emphasizes potassium from fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy, and it lowered blood pressure on average in trials. That is a finding about a whole diet, not about any single food, and anyone managing blood pressure should plan changes with their clinician. If you take a GLP-1 medicine and eat less overall, our GLP-1 diet guide covers keeping meals nutrient-dense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods are highest in potassium?
In USDA data, a baked potato with skin, a cup of acorn squash, dried apricots, lentils, tomato sauce, prune juice and cooked beet greens are among the highest per typical serving.
Are bananas the top source of potassium?
No. A medium banana has about 422 milligrams, roughly 9% of the Daily Value. A baked potato with its skin has more than twice as much.
Which fruits are high in potassium?
Dried apricots, prunes and prune juice, coconut water, orange juice, cantaloupe, bananas and avocado are good fruit choices.
Which vegetables are high in potassium?
Potatoes and sweet potatoes with skin, winter squash, cooked spinach and beet greens, and tomato products are among the richest.
How much potassium should I eat per day?
The Adequate Intake for adults is 3,400 milligrams for men and 2,600 for women. People with kidney disease follow different targets set by their care team.
Can you eat too many high potassium foods?
Healthy kidneys usually handle food potassium, but people with kidney disease or on certain blood pressure or diuretic medicines can develop high potassium and should ask their clinician.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food is the main source of these minerals for most people; if you have a medical condition, take prescription medicines or are pregnant, ask a healthcare provider before changing your diet a lot or adding any supplement, and follow the label. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Potassium Supplement Guide: The 99 Milligram Limit, Side Effects and Low Potassium Symptoms, Potassium Citrate: Prescription vs OTC, Research and Safety, Electrolytes: What They Do, Who Needs Them and How to Read Labels.