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Electrolyte rich foods, in USDA SR Legacy data, are mostly cooked greens, beans, soy foods and dairy. MedlinePlus defines electrolytes as minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge, and names calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium as common ones. In USDA data, half a cup of firm tofu made with calcium sulfate lists 861 milligrams of calcium (66% of the FDA Daily Value), and a cup of boiled spinach lists 839 milligrams of potassium (18%), 157 of magnesium (37%) and 245 of calcium (19%). The table below shows four minerals for 22 USDA entries.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- MedlinePlus names calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium as common electrolytes; USDA SR Legacy has food values for all of them except chloride.
- Ranked by the sum of three FDA Daily Value percentages (potassium, magnesium, calcium), USDA data put calcium-set tofu, boiled spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard and white beans first.
- Coconut water lists 600 milligrams of potassium per cup in USDA data, 13% of the FDA Daily Value, and a medium banana 422 milligrams, 9%.
- Sodium is shown for every food but not ranked: in USDA data a cup of 2% cottage cheese lists 696 milligrams, 30% of the FDA Daily Value.
Electrolyte rich foods ranked by USDA values
Servings are USDA SR Legacy portions; cooked vegetables and beans are the USDA entries prepared without salt. Each percent Daily Value (%DV) divides the USDA figure by the FDA Daily Value for adults and children 4 years and older (21 CFR 101.9): 4,700 milligrams for potassium, 420 milligrams for magnesium, 1,300 milligrams for calcium and 2,300 milligrams for sodium. The ranking adds the potassium, magnesium and calcium percentages, an editorial choice; ties go to the higher potassium percentage. Sodium is listed so you can see it, not ranked.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Potassium (% DV) | Magnesium (% DV) | Calcium (% DV) | Sodium (% DV) | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tofu, firm, calcium sulfate (172475) | 1/2 cup | 299 mg (6%) | 73 mg (17%) | 861 mg (66%) | 18 mg (1%) | 181 |
| Spinach, boiled (168463) | 1 cup | 839 mg (18%) | 157 mg (37%) | 245 mg (19%) | 126 mg (5%) | 41 |
| Beet greens, boiled (170376) | 1 cup | 1309 mg (28%) | 98 mg (23%) | 164 mg (13%) | 347 mg (15%) | 39 |
| Swiss chard, boiled (170401) | 1 cup chopped | 961 mg (20%) | 150 mg (36%) | 102 mg (8%) | 313 mg (14%) | 35 |
| White beans, boiled (175203) | 1 cup | 1004 mg (21%) | 113 mg (27%) | 161 mg (12%) | 11 mg (0%) | 249 |
| Yogurt, plain, low fat (170886) | 1 cup | 573 mg (12%) | 42 mg (10%) | 448 mg (34%) | 172 mg (7%) | 154 |
| Edamame, frozen, prepared (168411) | 1 cup | 676 mg (14%) | 99 mg (24%) | 98 mg (8%) | 9 mg (0%) | 188 |
| Black beans, boiled (173735) | 1 cup | 611 mg (13%) | 120 mg (29%) | 46 mg (4%) | 2 mg (0%) | 227 |
| Pumpkin seed kernels, roasted, unsalted (170557) | 1 oz | 223 mg (5%) | 156 mg (37%) | 15 mg (1%) | 5 mg (0%) | 163 |
| Milk, 2% milkfat (171267) | 1 cup | 342 mg (7%) | 27 mg (6%) | 293 mg (23%) | 115 mg (5%) | 122 |
| Collards, boiled (170407) | 1 cup chopped | 222 mg (5%) | 40 mg (10%) | 268 mg (21%) | 28 mg (1%) | 63 |
| Russet potato, flesh and skin, baked (170030) | 1 medium | 952 mg (20%) | 52 mg (12%) | 31 mg (2%) | 24 mg (1%) | 164 |
| Coconut water (170174) | 1 cup | 600 mg (13%) | 60 mg (14%) | 58 mg (4%) | 252 mg (11%) | 46 |
| Cottage cheese, 2% milkfat (172182) | 1 cup | 282 mg (6%) | 20 mg (5%) | 251 mg (19%) | 696 mg (30%) | 183 |
| Almonds, dry roasted, unsalted (170158) | 1 oz | 202 mg (4%) | 79 mg (19%) | 76 mg (6%) | 1 mg (0%) | 170 |
| Avocado, raw (171705) | 1 cup cubes | 728 mg (15%) | 44 mg (10%) | 18 mg (1%) | 10 mg (0%) | 240 |
| Sweet potato, baked in skin (168483) | 1 medium | 542 mg (12%) | 31 mg (7%) | 43 mg (3%) | 41 mg (2%) | 103 |
| Banana, raw (173944) | 1 medium | 422 mg (9%) | 32 mg (8%) | 6 mg (0%) | 1 mg (0%) | 105 |
| Cheddar cheese, sharp (170899) | 1 oz slice | 21 mg (0%) | 8 mg (2%) | 199 mg (15%) | 180 mg (8%) | 115 |
| Celery, raw (169988) | 1 cup chopped | 263 mg (6%) | 11 mg (3%) | 40 mg (3%) | 81 mg (4%) | 14 |
| Orange, raw (169097) | 1 fruit | 237 mg (5%) | 13 mg (3%) | 52 mg (4%) | 0 mg (0%) | 62 |
| Watermelon, raw (167765) | 1 cup diced | 170 mg (4%) | 15 mg (4%) | 11 mg (1%) | 2 mg (0%) | 46 |
Foods high in electrolytes by food group
- Cooked greens: boiled spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard and collards all rank in the top 11 in USDA data; in the same data, spinach and chard each list more than a third of the FDA Daily Value for magnesium per cup.
- Beans and soy: USDA lists boiled white beans at 1,004 milligrams of potassium per cup, and boiled black beans and prepared edamame at 120 and 99 milligrams of magnesium. Calcium-set tofu leads the whole table on calcium in USDA data.
- Dairy: plain low-fat yogurt (34% of the FDA calcium value per cup in USDA data), 2% milk (23%), cheddar (15% per ounce) and cottage cheese, which also has the most sodium in the table.
- Roots, fruit and seeds: a baked russet (see our potatoes guide) lists 952 milligrams of potassium in USDA data, ahead of avocado, sweet potato and banana; an ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds lists 156 milligrams of magnesium and almonds 79.
Liquid foods with electrolytes in USDA data
USDA lists 600 milligrams of potassium, 60 of magnesium, 58 of calcium and 252 of sodium in a cup of coconut water (see our coconut water guide). In USDA data a cup of 2% milk lists 342, 27, 293 and 115 milligrams of the same four minerals, so the two drinks differ mainly in calcium. Plain low-fat yogurt, which USDA lists by the cup, carries 448 milligrams of calcium and 573 of potassium. These are USDA food values, not a comparison of what either drink does in the body; this article makes no such claim.
Juicy fruit ranks low in this table. In USDA data a cup of diced watermelon lists 170 milligrams of potassium, 4% of the FDA Daily Value, and a raw orange 237 milligrams, 5%. A cup of chopped raw celery lists 263 milligrams of potassium and 81 of sodium in USDA data.
The salt side of the table
Sodium is one of the common electrolytes MedlinePlus names, and USDA reports it for every food here. Most whole foods in the table list little: boiled white beans 11 milligrams per cup and a medium banana 1 milligram in USDA data. Dairy and some greens list more: USDA gives 696 milligrams for a cup of 2% cottage cheese (30% of the FDA Daily Value), 347 for a cup of boiled beet greens (15%) and 180 for an ounce of sharp cheddar (8%). Our low sodium foods list covers the other side of this topic, and canned or salted versions of these foods are separate USDA entries with their own values.
Two more minerals MedlinePlus names
MedlinePlus also names chloride and phosphorus. USDA SR Legacy defines a chlorine field but holds no food values in it, so this table cannot rank chloride. Phosphorus has 7,467 food values in SR Legacy; this article leaves it out of the table to keep the columns readable. FDA sets Daily Values of 2,300 milligrams for chloride and 1,250 milligrams for phosphorus (21 CFR 101.9).
Reading electrolyte rich foods on a Nutrition Facts label
FDA rules (21 CFR 101.9) list calcium and potassium, with vitamin D and iron, among the nutrients the Nutrition Facts label declares as an amount and a percent Daily Value, and sodium has its own line. Magnesium is not one of those required lines, so a label without it does not show that a food lacks it. MedlinePlus adds that electrolytes can be acids, bases or salts and that they can be measured by different blood tests; questions about your own results belong with your care team.
For single minerals, our lists of foods high in potassium, foods high in magnesium and foods high in calcium rank many more foods, and our potassium and magnesium list uses a two-mineral cut-off. Our electrolytes guide covers the topic beyond food, and our sibling ancient grains guide uses the same USDA method.
Food first: what this list does not cover
This list is about food. It gives no intake target: USDA publishes content data and FDA sets Daily Values for labels, and these are official reference facts, not a target for any reader. The list makes no health promises about any mineral. Each USDA value describes one food entry. Some people are told by their care team to limit potassium or sodium; follow that advice over any list. Check the label on packaged foods, and ask a healthcare provider about your own needs, especially if you take medicines or have a health condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which electrolyte rich foods lead the USDA table?
Calcium-set firm tofu, boiled spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard and white beans, ranked by the sum of their potassium, magnesium and calcium percentages of the FDA Daily Values in USDA data.
Which minerals does MedlinePlus name?
MedlinePlus defines electrolytes as minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge, and names calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium as common ones.
Are bananas foods with electrolytes?
Yes, in the sense that USDA lists 422 milligrams of potassium (9% of the FDA Daily Value) and 32 milligrams of magnesium (8%) in a medium banana, but they rank 18th of 22 in this table.
How do the two liquids in the table compare?
USDA lists 600 milligrams of potassium and 58 of calcium per cup of coconut water, and 342 and 293 per cup of 2% milk.
Why does the table show only four minerals?
USDA SR Legacy defines a chlorine field but holds no food values in it, and phosphorus is left out to keep the columns readable.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. 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: Ancient Grains: A List With USDA Values, Electrolytes: What They Do, Who Needs Them and How to Read Labels, Foods High in Potassium and Magnesium: USDA Values per Serving, Coconut Water Benefits: USDA Nutrition, Sports Drink Research and Potassium Cautions.