Nutrient Information: Potassium, K

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Nutrient Key Information 
Nutrient Name: Potassium, K
Nutrient Category: Minerals
Unit Name: mg
Nutrient Summary: Potassium is required for normal cellular function. This is the nutrient we should get more of to have healthy affects on neural transmission, muscle contraction, and vascular tone.


Sample Foods High in: Potassium, K
Additional Top Food Sources
Food Description Nutrient Amount1 Daily Value%2
Soybeans, mature seeds, dry roasted
Category: Legumes and Legume Products
1,364 mg 29.02%
Nuts, pistachio nuts, dry roasted, without salt added
Category: Nut and Seed Products
1,007 mg 21.43%
Yam, cooked, boiled, drained, or baked, without salt
Category: Vegetables and Vegetable Products
670 mg 14.26%
Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, flesh, without salt
Category: Vegetables and Vegetable Products
475 mg 10.11%
Bamboo shoots, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
Category: Vegetables and Vegetable Products
533 mg 11.34%
Bananas, ripe and slightly ripe, raw
Category: Fruits and Fruit Juices
326 mg 6.94%
Raisins, seeded
Category: Fruits and Fruit Juices
825 mg 17.55%
Peanut butter with omega-3, creamy
Category: Legumes and Legume Products
780 mg 16.60%
CLASSIC HOT COCOA MIX, CLASSIC
Category: Beverages
986 mg 20.98%
1 Nutrient amount is in 100 gram food
2 Use Female 31-50 years old as Daily Value reference


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Nutrient Detail Information
Nutrient Summary Potassium is required for normal cellular function. This is the nutrient we should get more of to have healthy affects on neural transmission, muscle contraction, and vascular tone.
Nutrient Function • Help to regulate body fluid balance: potassium is the major intracellular cation and sodium is the main electrolyte in extracellular fluids. They balance the fluid of inside and outside body cells.
• May lower blood pressure level
• Carbohydrate metabolism and blood sugar control
• Reduce the negative impact of the sodium intake to the blood pressure
• Decrease bone loss, as a result increase bone strength and reduce the risk of calcium-containing kidney stones
• Help to maintain a steady heartbeat
• Help muscle contraction
• Help nervous system function
Food Sources
Top Food Sources
• Vegetables: leafy greens (such as spinach and beet greens) and root vegetables (such as potatoes and sweet potatoes)
• Fruits: such as bananas, kiwifruit, dried apricots, and stewed prunes
• Vine vegetables/fruits: such as tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, and pumpkin
• Nuts (such as pistachio and almond) and seeds (such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds)
• Lentils, kidney beans, soybeans
• Juices: such as carrot and other vegetable juices, orange, pomegranate, and prune
• Dairy products (e.g., milk and yogurt)
• Seafood (e.g., clams and salmon)

Note: though meat and milk products contain some potassium, they are less effective in absorption by body.
Deficiency Health Effects • Moderate potassium deficiency may increase blood pressure, salt sensitivity, calcium loss in bones, risk of kidney stones, and risk of cardiovascular disease (particularly stroke).
• Severe potassium deficiency (hypokalemia) can cause irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, tiredness, and increased risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease (glucose intolerance).
Effects if Above Upper Limit For healthy people (not the individuals with impaired urinary potassium excretion), excess potassium above the Adequate Intake level is readily excreted in the urine, so there is no upper limit values set for potassium intake from foods.

However, high level consumption of potassium supplements may cause acute toxicity in healthy people if their bodies can't eliminate the excessive potassium. The most serious potential effect of hyperkalemia is irregular heartbeat (cardiac arrhythmia) and chest pain.
External References Learn more at:
• The National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine publication: Dietary Reference Intakes
• NIH (National Institutes of Health) article: Potassium
• healthline.com article: What Does Potassium Do for Your Body?



Daily Value Age Group Recommended Daily Values
Toddler 1 to 3 years old: 3,000 mg
Child 4 to 8 years old: 3,800 mg
Male 9 to 13 years old: 4,500 mg
Male 14 to 18 years old: 4,700 mg
Male 19 to 30 years old: 4,700 mg
Male 31 to 50 years old: 4,700 mg
Male 51 to 70 years old: 4,700 mg
Male Senior 71 or older: 4,700 mg
Female 9 to 13 years old: 4,500 mg
Female 14 to 18 years old: 4,700 mg
Female 19 to 30 years old: 4,700 mg
Female 31 to 50 years old: 4,700 mg
Female 51 to 70 years old: 4,700 mg
Female Senior 71 or older: 4,700 mg
Female Pregnancy (>18): 4,700 mg
Female Lactation (>18): 5,100 mg
FDA (Based on 2000 calorie daily diet): 4,700 mg


Dietary Reference Intakes The nutrient Dietary Reference Intakes and nutrition facts is from Institute of Medicine of National Academies 2006. Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11537
US FDA Nutrition Education Nutrition facts knowledge are based on U.S. FOOD & DRUG Administration Nutrition Education Resources & Materials. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/
National Institutes of Health Nutrition facts knowledge are based on National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all
Disclaimer The nutrient information provided here should not take the place of medical advice. We encourage you to talk to your healthcare providers (such as your doctor) about your dietary requirements which are best for your overall health. We also recommend you to read organization or professional reference documents or articles mentioned, but not limited to, in this page. Any mentions and reference links in this page don't represent our endorsement of their services and advice.


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