If you love eating pomegranate seeds or drinking pomegranate juice, you're probably wondering how exactly this fruit is healthy and beneficial for your health.
We've also thought the same and today, we're having a look at how healthy pomegranate really is and if it's high in potassium. But also, how it compares to bananas, apples, and passion fruit.
Table of Contents
- Is pomegranate high in potassium?
- How much potassium is in pomegranate?
- Is pomegranate juice high in potassium?
- Is pomegranate good for you?
- Which has more potassium: pomegranate or banana?
- Which has more potassium: pomegranate or apple?
- Which has more potassium: pomegranate or passion fruit?
- Can you take in too much potassium from pomegranate?
- Can you eat pomegranate on a low-potassium diet?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Is pomegranate high in potassium?
Pomegranate is high in potassium because one pomegranate will give you almost 15% of your daily need for potassium. That's almost double the amount that a banana has.
Apart from being high in potassium, pomegranate is also high in fiber, and vitamins C, K, and B9, as well as manganese and zinc.
How much potassium is in pomegranate?
A 3.5 oz (100 g) serving of pomegranate has 236 mg of potassium or 5% of the daily recommended intake of potassium. If we look at the whole fruit, the potassium content is much higher because it has more weight (almost 10 oz!) and therefore more potassium - 666 mg or around 14% of the daily value.
To paint a picture, a banana, which is often touted as the holy grail of potassium, has 358 mg.
Can You Check Your Potassium Level at Home?
Is pomegranate juice high in potassium?
Pomegranate juice is also high in potassium because a one-cup serving of pomegranate juice contains 533 mg of potassium or around 11% of the daily value for potassium.
100% Pomegranate Juice - USDA Organic Certified on Amazon
Is pomegranate good for you?
Both pomegranate and pomegranate juice are widely known worldwide for their antioxidant effects that can help promote longevity and heart health.
This delicious fruit is high in antioxidants and flavonoids that prevent free radicals from damaging our bodies cells. Pomegranates also show potential in preventing breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers.
Studies also suggest that pomegranates help protect the heart in various ways. This includes lowering blood pressure and decreasing blood sugar levels.
Which has more potassium: pomegranate or banana?
Banana, a popular source of potassium, has 358 mg of potassium (8% DV) while the same amount of pomegranate has 236 mg (5% DV). As you can see, both fruits are an excellent source of potassium but also vitamin C and B6.
Vitamin B6 is significant for normal brain development and for sustaining the nervous and immune systems.
| 100 g | Pomegranate | Banana |
| Calories | 83 | 89 |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g | 23 g |
| Protein | 1.7 g | 1.1 g |
| Fat | 1.2 g | 0.3 g |
| Fiber | 4 g | 2.6 g |
| Potassium | 236 mg | 358 mg |
| Vitamin C (%DV) | 12% | 14% |
| Vitamin B6 (%DV) | 6% | 20% |
| Calcium (%DV) | 1% | 0% |
| Iron (%DV) | 2% | 1% |
| Magnesium (%DV) | 3% | 6% |
| Vitamin D (%DV) | 0% | 0% |
Which has more potassium: pomegranate or apple?
Pomegranate is a much better source of potassium than apples because the same amount of pomegranate has more than double the amount of potassium that can be found in an apple (236 mg vs. 107 mg).
When we look at the daily values, pomegranate has 5% of DV, while apples have only 2.2%.
| 100 g | Pomegranate | Apple |
| Calories | 83 | 52 |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g | 14 g |
| Protein | 1.7 g | 0.3 g |
| Fat | 1.2 g | 0.2 g |
| Fiber | 4 g | 2.4 g |
| Potassium | 236 mg | 107 mg |
| Vitamin C (%DV) | 12% | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 (%DV) | 6% | 0% |
| Calcium (%DV) | 1% | 0% |
| Iron (%DV) | 2% | 0% |
| Magnesium (%DV) | 3% | 1% |
| Vitamin D (%DV) | 0% | 0% |
Which has more potassium: pomegranate or passion fruit?
Passion fruit is simply loaded with potassium and has a higher content than pomegranate. A 3.5-ounce serving of passion fruit has 348 mg of potassium (almost the same as bananas), while pomegranates have "only" 236 mg.
Translated to daily value, that's around 7% for passion fruit and 5% for pomegranate. Passion fruit is also much higher in vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.
| 100 g | Pomegranate | Passion fruit |
| Calories | 83 | 97 |
| Carbohydrates | 19 g | 23 g |
| Protein | 1.7 g | 2.2 g |
| Fat | 1.2 g | 0.7 g |
| Fiber | 4 g | 10 g |
| Potassium | 236 mg | 348 mg |
| Vitamin C (%DV) | 12% | 50% |
| Vitamin B6 (%DV) | 6% | 5% |
| Calcium (%DV) | 1% | 1% |
| Iron (%DV) | 2% | 8% |
| Magnesium (%DV) | 3% | 7% |
| Vitamin D (%DV) | 0% | 0% |
Can you take in too much potassium from pomegranate?
Pomegranate has a high potassium content and if you eat seeds from the whole fruit you'd get around 14% of the daily value.
That might be too much for some. For example, low-potassium diet followers will get 22-33 percent of daily value based on the low-potassium diet recommendations which stand at 2,000-3,000 mg per day.
Can you eat pomegranate on a low-potassium diet?
You can incorporate pomegranates into a low-potassium diet if you don't overindulge in this delicious fruit. By eating around 3.5 ounces or less, you will get all the pomegranate health benefits while still limiting your potassium intake.
As we already learned, 3.5 oz equates to 5% of the daily value or to 7-12 percent of the daily value for low-potassium diets.
Frequently Asked Questions
This interesting name for a piece of fruit comes from Greek mythology because the Greeks apparently believed that pomegranate sprung from the blood of Adonis, the mortal lover of the goddess Aphrodite.
The peel, stem, and root are possibly unsafe when eaten in large quantities. These parts of the pomegranate contain toxic substances and shouldn't be eaten. Simply stick to the delicious seeds.
Pomegranate seeds are edible. In fact, they're delicious and can be swallowed before or after chewing on them. You can scoop them out with a spoon and sprinkle them in salads or desserts, or eat them on their own.
According to a study, pomegranate seeds in the US range from 286 to 1,370 with the average being 680 seeds.
Conclusion
Pomegranates are an extraordinary source of potassium, vitamin C, B6, and magnesium. Eating seeds from an average-sized pomegranate will give you quite a boost in potassium and other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Don't know which foods are high in potassium? Read our article, 15 Best Food Sources of Potassium. We also have a guide to this important mineral: Potassium 101: All You Need To Know About Potassium.
Source: USDA