Good Sources of Potassium
So I wrote an entry about two years ago about how I lost 40 lbs in 6 months. For the most part, I've managed to maintain my new weight, creeping up a few pounds every so often before focusing again to recover. I've also been kind of off again on again as far as exercise. A lot of that is due to breaking my foot and severely twisting my ankle last summer, along with a nagging case of tennis elbow that gets aggravated if I work out too intensely (which both sound better than attributing it to laziness).
Anyway, right now I'm in the midst of one of my 'recoveries' (for the record, I am currently lighter than my last weigh-in in that 2 year old entry - that entry was before I'd reach my target weight), and I'm also trying to get back in the routine of exercising, but I've been getting more leg cramps than normal. So, I figured I'd try to get a bit more potassium in my diet. And my first thought was, obviously, bananas. They seem to be everyone's go to food source for potassium. But, I decided to do a bit of research, first, and was surprised that there are actually quite a few foods that are better sources of potassium.
So, here's a list comparing the potassium levels in various foods, sorted by the most mg of potassium per calorie.
| Food | Serving Size, g | Serving Size, oz | Calories per Serving | K per serving, mg | K per cal, mg/cal |
| Zucchini | 196 | 6.91 | 33 | 512 | 15.52 |
| Asparagus | 100 | 3.53 | 20 | 202 | 10.10 |
| Broccoli | 148 | 5.22 | 50 | 468 | 9.36 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 88 | 3.10 | 38 | 342 | 9.00 |
| Green Bean | 100 | 3.53 | 31 | 209 | 6.74 |
| Potato | 213 | 7.51 | 163 | 897 | 5.50 |
| Strawberry | 100 | 3.53 | 33 | 153 | 4.64 |
| Black Bean | 100 | 3.53 | 339 | 1500 | 4.42 |
| Kidney Bean | 100 | 3.53 | 333 | 1406 | 4.22 |
| Banana | 118 | 4.16 | 105 | 422 | 4.02 |
| Pinto Bean | 100 | 3.53 | 347 | 1393 | 4.01 |
| Pineapple | 100 | 3.53 | 50 | 109 | 2.18 |
| Granny Smith Apple | 100 | 3.53 | 58 | 120 | 2.07 |
Since I did this research for myself, those are all foods that I like and tend to eat fairly regularly - in other words, lots of savory vegetables, not so many sweet fruits*. I'm rather glad. I'd much rather eat a bit more asparagus, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts than have to eat a banana every day. And I'm really excited that potatoes have more potassium than bananas.
Anyway, I just thought this was interesting, and worth sharing with anyone else looking to get a bit more potassium in their diets.
Related Entries (including updates):
- How I Lost 40 lbs in 6 Months
- Weight Loss Follow-Up - Keeping the Weight Off
- Weighing Myself Over a Whole Day
- Nutrition Supplement Crankery
*I actually do eat a Granny Smith apple almost every day, but obviously, they're a lot more tart than most fruits. I also like strawberries and pineapples from time to time, but again, they're more tart than typical fruits.