Fruit is a crucial part of a healthy, balanced diet. It’s rich in nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and many plant compounds that help keep you healthy while preventing various health conditions from developing.
One of the most important minerals that a lot of fruit is rich in is potassium. But do you know exactly which fruit you should add to your diet to ramp up your intake of potassium?
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What fruits are high in potassium?
A lot of citruses and dried fruit are high in potassium. To be considered high-potassium, the food needs to have more than 150 mg of potassium per single serving, and fruit like pomegranate, oranges, and cherries are great examples.
Fruit is also very easy to add to any diet, so you can easily up your intake of potassium when needed.
Top 15 potassium-rich fruit
1. Avocados
A whole avocado contains an impressive amount of potassium – 975 mg. Avocado is high in calories, but most of them come from healthy fats, which contribute to heart health.
It’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids that lower your blood pressure and slow the development of plaque in your arteries.
Because of that, adding avocados to your diet may lower your risk of heart attacks.
2. Pomegranate
One pomegranate provides you with 666 mg of potassium. This is an impressive amount, so eating pomegranates can help you quickly replenish your potassium storage.
This fruit is also rich in vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting and bone strength.
Adding pomegranates to your diet can also help reduce inflammation in your body, which, if left untreated, can lead to various chronic conditions.
3. Dates
A 3-ounce serving of dates contains 585 mg of potassium. Dates are incredibly nutritious and contain a lot of plant compounds that have disease-fighting properties, including antioxidants.
If you’re pregnant, adding dates to your diet, especially during the last few weeks of your pregnancy, could help you reduce labor time and make it easier.
Dates are also very easy to add to any diet as they can be thrown into a salad, a larger meal, or eaten as a snack.
4. Bananas
A medium-sized banana contains around 422 mg of potassium. This delicious fruit is not only high in potassium but also other essential nutrients, such as manganese, vitamin B6, and even vitamin C.
These micronutrients contribute to healthy skin, an efficient immune system, and even strong bones.
As a result, adding bananas to your diet can keep your immune system healthy and prevent various infections.
5. Honeydew melon
One cup of honeydew melon balls provides you with 404 mg of potassium. Aside from potassium, honeydew melon also contains a good amount of vitamin B6 and folate.
These two B vitamins help your body form hemoglobin, which is a substance in your red blood cells that carries oxygen around your body.
Folate also contributes to white blood cells production, so these two vitamins can help prevent anemia and several cardiovascular issues.
6. Prunes
A half-cup serving of prunes contains 387 mg of potassium.
This type of dried fruit is also a great source of iron, copper, vitamin B6, and vitamin A – all of which contribute to a healthy body and prevent the development of various health conditions.
Prunes are also high in antioxidants that help flush out harmful free radicals out of your body, lowering your risk of oxidative stress and damage to your cells.
7. Papaya
One cup of papaya cubes contains 360 mg of potassium. Aside from their high potassium content, papayas are especially rich in vitamin C and A, which help your eyes stay healthy, boost your immune system and keep your skin youthful.
This fruit also contains special plant compounds that reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
So, even though papayas aren’t a popular fruit worldwide, it’s a good idea to add them to your diet.
Don't know which foods are high in potassium? Read our article 15 Best Food Sources of Potassium. We also have a guide on this important mineral: Potassium 101: All You Need To Know About Potassium.
8. Grapefruit
A whole grapefruit contains 332 mg of potassium. It’s a great dose, especially considering that it’s low in calories and provides you with a great amount of fiber.
Like most citrus fruits, grapefruit is also rich in vitamin C that boosts your immune system and helps in wound healing.
Aside from vitamin C, grapefruit also has a lot of vitamin A and calcium, which are two nutrients that help keep your bones healthy.
9. Sweet cherries
One cup of sweet cherries gives you 306 mg of potassium.
This type of cherries is also a good source of iron and vitamin K, which are essential nutrients for red blood cell formation and blood clotting.
What’s more, the iron that sweet cherries contain is even easier to absorb for your body as this fruit is also rich in vitamin C – a micronutrient that aids in iron absorption.
Cherries are incredibly easy to incorporate into any diet, so even snacking on them throughout the day can help you reap lots of benefits.
10. Kiwi
One large kiwi fruit contains 284 mg of potassium. This is a great dose, especially since kiwis are small and low in calories.
Eating kiwis may contribute to better digestion as they have special plant compounds that feed the ‘good’ gut bacteria in your stomach, which protect your digestive tract and even prevent acid reflux symptoms.
For some people, eating kiwis may even help prevent constipation better than some over-the-counter medication.
11. Apricots
A serving of three apricots gives you 272 mg of potassium. Since apricots are small, most people tend to consume more in one sitting, so you can easily get even more potassium from this fruit.
Apricots are also a great source of vitamin A, which helps protect your eyes and lower the risk of certain types of cancer.
12. Mangos
A one-cup serving of mango slices contains 257 mg of potassium. Mangos are excellent at fighting inflammation and preventing chronic conditions.
They also contain a good dose of fiber, which helps soak up excess stomach acid and improve digestion.
Additionally, the same fiber feeds the ‘good’ gut bacteria in your stomach, preventing digestive tract issues, such as constipation, diarrhea, and acid reflux.
13. Oranges
One orange provides you with 237 mg of potassium. It’s also especially rich in vitamin C, which contributes to iron absorption and keeps your skin healthy.
This is one of the most common fruits available on the market, and it comes in many varieties, depending on where they were grown.
You can also drink freshly squeezed orange juice to get all the potassium and other nutrients you need without sacrificing the flavor.
14. Guavas
One guava contains 229 mg of potassium. It’s a delicious fruit that people most often consume in the form of juice.
It’s also a great source of vitamin C, which means it keeps your skin healthy, boosts your immune system, and helps in wound healing.
Regularly eating guavas might also improve blood sugar levels and insulin resistance.
So, even though most people don’t consume a lot of this fruit, it’s a good idea to incorporate it into your diet.
15. Raisins
Just a one-ounce serving (around 60 raisins) provides you with 212 mg of potassium. Eating raisins has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve your blood sugar levels.
The fiber in raisins may also lower the ‘bad’ cholesterol levels in your body, which keeps your heart healthy and reduce the strain on it.
There are many fruits out there that pack a good dose of potassium.
Some of them are more known while others are slightly more exotic, but all of them are delicious, nutritious, and easy to add to any diet.
Because of that, there is definitely a fruit that you enjoy on this list, which can make it easier for you to keep your potassium levels high without much trouble.
What does potassium do in your body?
Potassium is a mineral that’s also an electrolyte. This means that it conducts electrical impulses throughout your body.
Because of that, it’s important for nerve impulses and muscle contractions, as they connect muscles and nerve cells with your brain.
So, since potassium plays such an important role in your body, it’s important to get enough of it from your diet as your body doesn’t produce it naturally.
A diet high in potassium-rich foods helps offset the negative effects of dietary sodium.
This is because potassium helps lower your blood pressure and decrease your risk of stroke.
It also keeps your heart rhythm steady, preventing arrhythmia and heart attacks.
As a result, maintaining good levels of potassium is crucial as a deficiency of this mineral can lead to temporary but also long-term health problems.
While hyperkalemia – high potassium levels in your body – does happen, it’s not an issue for healthy individuals.
People who should control their potassium intake carefully are those who have kidney issues since the excess potassium isn’t removed from your body, which is bad for your health.
If you know you suffer from potassium sensitivity or kidney failure, make sure to follow your doctor’s guidelines and consume a low-potassium diet to stay healthy.
Don't know which foods are high in potassium? Read our article 15 Best Food Sources of Potassium. We also have a guide on this important mineral: Potassium 101: All You Need To Know About Potassium.
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