Boost your potassium to keep your blood pressure down

Foods that are rich in potassium are important in managing high blood pressure because potassium lessens the effects of sodium. The more potassium you eat, the more sodium you lose through urine. Potassium also helps to ease tension in your blood vessel walls, which helps further lower blood pressure.
Increasing potassium through diet is recommended in adults with blood pressure above 120/80 who are otherwise healthy. Potassium can be harmful in patients with kidney disease, any condition that affects how the body handles potassium, or those who take certain medications. The decision of whether to take excess potassium should be discussed with your doctor.
The recommended potassium intake for an average adult is 4,700 milligrams (mg) per day.
Many of the elements of the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet
fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) dairy foods and fish
are good natural sources of potassium. For example, a medium banana has about 420 mg of potassium and half a cup of plain mashed sweet potatoes has 475 mg.
Other potassium-rich foods include:
Sweet potato, baked, 1 potato (146 g)
694 mg potassium, 131 calories
Tomato paste, 1/4 cup
664 mg potassium, 54 calories
Beet greens, cooked, 1/2 cup
655 mg potassium, 19 calories
Potato, baked, flesh, 1 potato (156 g)
610 mg potassium, 145 calories
White beans, canned, 1/2 cup
595 mg potassium, 153 calories
Yogurt, plain, non-fat, 8-oz container
579 mg potassium, 127 calories
Tomato puree, 1/2 cup
549 mg potassium, 48 calories
Clams, canned, 3 oz
534 mg potassium, 126 calories
Yogurt, plain, low-fat, 8-oz container
531 mg potassium, 143 calories
Prune juice, 3/4 cup
530 mg potassium, 136 calories
Carrot juice, 3/4 cup
517 mg potassium, 71 calories
Blackstrap molasses, 1 tbsp.
498 mg potassium, 47 calories
Halibut, cooked, 3 oz
490 mg potassium, 119 calories
Soybeans, green, cooked, 1/2 cup
485 mg potassium, 127 calories
Tuna, yellowfin, cooked, 3 oz
484 mg potassium, 118 calories
Lima beans, cooked, 1/2 cup
484 mg potassium, 104 calories
Winter squash, cooked, 1/2 cup
448 mg potassium, 40 calories
Soybeans, mature, cooked, 1/2 cup
443 mg potassium, 149 calories
Rockfish, Pacific, cooked, 3 oz
442 mg potassium, 103 calories
Cod, Pacific, cooked, 3 oz
439 mg potassium, 89 calories
Bananas, 1 medium
422 mg potassium, 105 calories
Spinach, cooked, 1/2 cup
419 mg potassium, 21 calories
Tomato juice, 3/4 cup
417 mg potassium, 31 calories
Tomato sauce, 1/2 cup
405 mg potassium, 39 calories
Peaches, dried, uncooked, 1/4 cup
398 mg potassium, 96 calories
Prunes, stewed, 1/2 cup
398 mg potassium, 133 calories
Milk, non-fat, 1 cup
382 mg potassium, 83 calories
Pork chop, center loin, cooked, 3 oz
382 mg potassium, 197 calories
Apricots, dried, uncooked, 1/4 cup
378 mg potassium, 78 calories
Rainbow trout, farmed, cooked, 3 oz
375 mg potassium, 144 calories
Pork loin, center rib (roasts), lean, roasted, 3 oz
371 mg potassium, 190 calories
Buttermilk, cultured, low-fat, 1 cup
370 mg potassium, 98 calories
Cantaloupe, 1/4 medium
368 mg potassium, 47 calories
1 percent-2 percent milk, 1 cup
366 mg potassium, 102-122 calories
Honeydew melon, 1/8 medium
365 mg potassium, 58 calories
Lentils, cooked, 1/2 cup
365 mg potassium, 115 calories
Plantains, cooked, 1/2 cup slices
358 mg potassium, 90 calories
Kidney beans, cooked, 1/2 cup
358 mg potassium, 112 calories
Orange juice, 3/4 cup
355 mg potassium, 85 calories
Split peas, cooked, 1/2 cup
355 mg potassium, 116 calories
Yogurt, plain, whole milk, 8 oz container
352 mg potassium, 138 calories
Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, U.S. Department of Agriculture