Potassium-Rich Foods: Table (BLS Values)

The 40 foods highest in potassium per 100 g

Without dried concentrates, powders and mixed products; for each basic food the raw form, and at most eight entries per group. Legumes listed as "mature" are dry, before cooking.

#	Food	Group	mg potassium	PRAL
1	Sushi nori (toasted)	Vegetables	2,235	−19.3 Alkaline
2	Palm heart, raw	Vegetables	1,810	−32.0 Alkaline
3	Lima bean/butter bean, mature	Legumes, nuts and seeds	1,750	−19.3 Alkaline
4	Kidney bean mature	Legumes, nuts and seeds	1,640	−14.0 Alkaline
5	Haricot bean mature	Legumes, nuts and seeds	1,337	−6.8 Alkaline
6	Mung bean mature	Legumes, nuts and seeds	1,250	−6.5 Alkaline
7	Sweet chestnut	Legumes, nuts and seeds	1,172	−19.2 Alkaline
8	Cowpea/black-eyed pea, mature	Legumes, nuts and seeds	1,110	−2.3 Alkaline
9	Lentil mature	Legumes, nuts and seeds	837	+4.8 Acidic
10	Softshell clam raw	Fish and seafood	800	−2.0 Alkaline
11	Chick pea mature	Legumes, nuts and seeds	800	+1.0 Acidic
12	Quinoa tricolore, raw	Grains, bread and potatoes	657	+2.3 Acidic
13	Soya bean immature (edamame) raw	Vegetables	620	−3.7 Alkaline
14	Chinese spinach raw	Vegetables	611	−14.0 Alkaline
15	Parsnip raw	Vegetables	594	−9.5 Alkaline
16	Curly kale raw	Vegetables	576	−11.7 Alkaline
17	Parma ham	Meat, offal and sausages	575	+9.8 Acidic
18	Spinach raw	Vegetables	573	−12.2 Alkaline
19	Japanese horseradish/wasabi root, raw	Vegetables	568	−10.1 Alkaline
20	Avocado raw	Fruit	550	−9.9 Alkaline
21	Jerusalem artichoke/topinambur, raw	Grains, bread and potatoes	533	−7.8 Alkaline
22	Black truffle (Perigord black truffle) raw	Grains, bread and potatoes	526	−5.6 Alkaline
23	Pork loin chop raw cured, smoked, grilled	Meat, offal and sausages	524	+16.4 Acidic
24	Barley whole grain, raw	Grains, bread and potatoes	510	+4.0 Acidic
25	Spiny lobster/rock lobster/crawfish, raw	Fish and seafood	500	+4.4 Acidic
26	Wholemeal crackerbread	Grains, bread and potatoes	500	+1.6 Acidic
27	Wholemeal rye crispbread	Grains, bread and potatoes	492	+1.6 Acidic
28	Rye whole grain, raw	Grains, bread and potatoes	492	+4.4 Acidic
29	Pork salami	Meat, offal and sausages	491	+8.6 Acidic
30	Multigrain wholemeal crispbread	Grains, bread and potatoes	488	+2.9 Acidic
31	Common bream raw	Fish and seafood	474	+5.3 Acidic
32	Plantain raw	Fruit	466	−9.0 Alkaline
33	Zervelatwurst sausage reduced-fat	Meat, offal and sausages	460	+10.6 Acidic
34	Katenrauchwurst sausage	Meat, offal and sausages	457	+10.4 Acidic
35	Landmettwurst sausage firm	Meat, offal and sausages	453	+10.7 Acidic
36	Halibut/white halibut, raw	Fish and seafood	446	+7.0 Acidic
37	Pork loin lean rolled, raw cured, smoked	Meat, offal and sausages	431	+17.7 Acidic
38	European catfish raw	Fish and seafood	430	+2.4 Acidic
39	Chicken breast fillet, raw	Meat, offal and sausages	429	+10.2 Acidic
40	Yellowfin tuna raw	Fish and seafood	426	+11.7 Acidic

Source: Max Rubner-Institut (2025). Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS), version 4.0. German Nutrient Database. PRAL values calculated from it according to Remer & Manz (1995): 0.49 × protein + 0.037 × phosphorus − 0.021 × potassium − 0.026 × magnesium − 0.013 × calcium, per 100 g. All values per 100 g of the edible portion. They do not replace medical or dietary advice.

Legumes, nuts, potatoes, leafy greens and bananas top every potassium list, because potassium is the most important mineral in plant cells. The values for legumes apply to the dry product. When cooked, legumes absorb about two and a half times their weight in water, so the content per 100 g drops to between a third and a half.

Potassium is water-soluble. When you boil food in a lot of water, 20 to 40 percent passes into the cooking water. Steaming, simmering in a little liquid or baking keeps almost all of it. If you want to get more potassium, reuse the cooking water, for example for soups, or cook with little liquid.

With a mixed diet, 4,000 mg is easy to reach: one large potato (about 600 mg), one banana (about 400 mg), 200 g of vegetables (400 to 800 mg), a serving of lentils (about 500 mg cooked) and a handful of nuts (about 200 mg) already add up to more than 2,000 mg.

Potassium and the acid-base balance

In the PRAL model by Remer and Manz, potassium counts with a factor of −0.021 per milligram. That is the largest alkaline contribution of any nutrient: on paper, 400 mg of potassium offsets 17 g of protein. That is why almost all foods in this table are alkaline or neutral, even the protein-rich legumes.

Potassium is taken in together with organic acids such as citrate and malate. The body metabolizes these acids into bicarbonate, which eases the load on the kidneys. This is the mechanism behind “tastes sour but acts alkaline” in lemons, berries and tomatoes.

Foods high in potassium, by group

The best sources of potassium within each food group, so you can spread your intake across your whole diet.

Fruit

Avocado raw	550 mg	−9.9
Plantain raw	466 mg	−9.0
Date raw	410 mg	−7.8
Jackfruit raw	407 mg	−7.7
Apricot raw	362 mg	−7.2
Banana raw	334 mg	−6.4
Passion fruit raw	324 mg	−4.7
Rhubarb raw	320 mg	−6.8

Vegetables

Sushi nori (toasted)	2,235 mg	−19.3
Palm heart, raw	1,810 mg	−32.0
Soya bean immature (edamame) raw	620 mg	−3.7
Chinese spinach raw	611 mg	−14.0
Parsnip raw	594 mg	−9.5
Curly kale raw	576 mg	−11.7
Spinach raw	573 mg	−12.2
Japanese horseradish/wasabi root, raw	568 mg	−10.1

Legumes, nuts and seeds

Lima bean/butter bean, mature	1,750 mg	−19.3
Soya bean mature	1,729 mg	−6.3
Kidney bean mature	1,640 mg	−14.0
Haricot bean mature	1,337 mg	−6.8
Mung bean mature	1,250 mg	−6.5
Sweet chestnut	1,172 mg	−19.2
Cowpea/black-eyed pea, mature	1,110 mg	−2.3
Broad bean mature	1,060 mg	+0.2

Grains, bread and potatoes

Quinoa tricolore, raw	657 mg	+2.3
Jerusalem artichoke/topinambur, raw	533 mg	−7.8
Black truffle (Perigord black truffle) raw	526 mg	−5.6
Barley whole grain, raw	510 mg	+4.0
Wholemeal crackerbread	500 mg	+1.6
Wholemeal rye crispbread	492 mg	+1.6
Rye whole grain, raw	492 mg	+4.4
Multigrain wholemeal crispbread	488 mg	+2.9

Eggs

Goose egg raw	210 mg	+8.9
Duck egg raw	150 mg	+8.5
Chicken egg white, raw	149 mg	+2.1
Quail egg raw	138 mg	+10.3

Dairy and cheese

Processed cheese sliceable min. 30 % fat in dry matter	200 mg	+26.5
Yogurt from skimmed milk, max. 0.5 % fat	187 mg	+0.5
Goat's milk min. 3 % fat	181 mg	+0.1
Soured milk (thick) skimmed, max. 0.5 % fat	175 mg	−0.1
Hard cheese min. 30 % fat in dry matter	175 mg	+29.6
Parmesan cheese min. 30 % fat in dry matter	175 mg	+29.6
Sheep's milk min. 4.5 % fat	168 mg	+1.1
Yogurt made from sheep's milk	168 mg	+0.5

Fish and seafood

Softshell clam raw	800 mg	−2.0
Spiny lobster/rock lobster/crawfish, raw	500 mg	+4.4
Common bream raw	474 mg	+5.3
Halibut/white halibut, raw	446 mg	+7.0
European catfish raw	430 mg	+2.4
Yellowfin tuna raw	426 mg	+11.7
Trout raw	418 mg	+8.1
Brook trout raw	417 mg	+9.7

Meat, offal and sausages

Parma ham	575 mg	+9.8
Pork loin chop raw cured, smoked, grilled	524 mg	+16.4
Pork salami	491 mg	+8.6
Zervelatwurst sausage reduced-fat	460 mg	+10.6
Katenrauchwurst sausage	457 mg	+10.4
Landmettwurst sausage firm	453 mg	+10.7
Pork loin lean rolled, raw cured, smoked	431 mg	+17.7
Chicken breast fillet, raw	429 mg	+10.2

Drinks

Coffee (infusion)	109 mg	−2.3
Turkish mocha (infusion)	109 mg	−2.3
Madeira wine	100 mg	−2.0
Red wine medium sweet	99 mg	−1.8
Port wine	97 mg	−1.9
Cider	95 mg	−2.0
Fruit wine	95 mg	−2.0
Apple must	95 mg	−2.0

Source: Max Rubner-Institut (2025). Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS), version 4.0. German Nutrient Database. All values per 100 g of the edible portion. They do not replace medical or dietary advice.

Common questions about potassium

Which food has the most potassium?

Per 100 g, dried foods such as chanterelles, tomatoes and apricots lead with 1,500 to over 4,000 mg, because the water is gone. Among fresh foods, legumes (dry: 800 to 1,750 mg), nuts, potatoes, spinach, avocado and bananas come out on top.

How much potassium do you need per day?

The DGE gives an estimated value of 4,000 mg per day for adults. Most people in Germany get about 3,000 to 3,500 mg. More vegetables, fruit and legumes close the gap.

Can you eat too much potassium?

If your kidneys are healthy, they excrete excess potassium. An overdose from food is practically impossible. If you have reduced kidney function, are on dialysis or take certain medications (for example ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics), your intake must be supervised by a doctor.

Are potassium-rich foods automatically alkaline?

Usually, but not always. Potassium lowers the PRAL, while protein and phosphorus raise it. Sunflower seeds are high in potassium and still acid-forming, because their phosphorus content outweighs it. The PRAL column in the table shows the balance.

Is potassium lost during cooking?

Yes. Depending on the cooking time, 20 to 40 percent passes into the cooking water. Steaming, simmering in a little liquid, baking and frying largely preserve potassium. If you reuse the cooking water as soup or sauce, you keep it.

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Potassium-Rich Foods: Table with Values per 100 g