Bananas are quite known in the world of fitness and athletics as a healthy and natural energy bar, more energy-giving than any commercial sports drink there is.
Potassium-rich bananas also allow your body to balance sodium levels preventing your blood pressure from escalating beyond its normal degree as well as help your muscles, heart and digestive system to work well. While many are aware that potassium is important to their well-being, most fail to consume the right amount of potassium needed each day.
How Much Potassium Is In a Banana?
- One whole banana about 118 g contains 422 mg of potassium
- One medium (100 g) banana contains 358 mg of potassium
- One large (136 g) banana contains 486.9 mg of potassium
- One cup of sliced banana (150 g) contains 537 mg of potassium
- One cup of mashed banana (225 g) contains 805.5 mg of potassium
How Much Potassium Do I Need for a Day?
Infants, children and adults can enjoy the remarkable benefits of potassium from eating bananas. It is essential to determine how much potassium is in a banana in order to get the right potassium intake suitable for your age. The following are the recommended amounts per age group as suggested by the Food and Nutrition Center of the Institute of Medicine:
For infants:
- 0-6 months old – 0.4 grams per day
- 7-12 months old – 0.7 grams per day
For children and teenagers:
- 1 to 3 years old – 3.0 grams per day
- 4-8 years old – 3.8 grams per day
- 9-13 years old – 4.5 grams per day
- 14-18 years old – 4.7 grams per day
For adults:
- 19 and above – 4.7 grams per day
Food with Higher Potassium Than Banana
While it is worth knowing how much potassium is in a banana, it is also beneficial to be aware of other foods that can provide you with this energy-packed mineral. This way, you can get enough dose of potassium whenever banana is not available. Here are 8 foods that are also rich in potassium count; some are even far more fully-packed.
1. Sweet Potato
One average-sized, baked sweet potato contains about 542 milligrams of potassium. Just add the suggested serving of this delicious side dish to your meal and enjoy the benefit of eating a vitamin-packed super food.
2. Avocado
Each half of the avocado fruit can provide you 487 mg potassium. Serve it together with guacamole options and salad season on the horizon.
3. Yoghurt
Get the healthiest snack from standard, plain yoghurt. If you can get 422 mg of potassium from one banana, a regular eight-ounce serving of yoghurt can provide you about 579 mg of potassium.
4. Spinach
Add spinach to your delicious smoothie, burger or salad. This way, you can truly relish the richness of this vegetable that offers an enormous 839 of potassium on each cup.
5. Beans
All kinds of dry beans are far more abounding in potassium compared to bananas. One cup serving of bananas offers 537 mg of potassium according to USDA; on the other hand, the same amount of canned white beans practically contains 1,200 mg. Other kinds of beans with their corresponding amount of potassium are as follows:
- Pinto beans (boiled) – 746 mg
- Red kidney beans (boiled) – 713 mg
- Red kidney beans (canned) – 658 mg
- Navy beans (boiled) – 708 mg
- Great northern beans (boiled) 692 mg
- Black beans (boiled)– 611 mg
- Baked beans (canned) – between 550 mg and 750 mg per cup, depending on the preparation
6. Dates
Deglet noor dates or bread dates are convenient alternatives to bananas. Four ounces of these handy, firm and chewy bites will give you nearly 740 mg of potassium. If you prefer one cup serving of dates, you can remarkably expect 1,170 mg from it.
7. Raisins and Prunes
Having a total of 1,086 mg of potassium, a cup of raisins is twice more packed than a cup serving of banana. So, even if you’re just in the mood for a half cup off raisins, you’re still ahead from a half-cup of banana or a piece of banana. Raisins may be dried out of water, but their minerals remain intact. Likewise, dried plums, also called as prunes will give you about 830 mg of potassium.
8. Tomato Sauce
Although a whole banana is twice richer in potassium than a single tomato, sauces or juices extracted from tomatoes can beat the mineral content of each banana. One cup of tomato juice has a total of 556 mg of potassium, tomato sauce offers 811 mg and a prepared vegetable marina sauce containing tomato extracts gives 790 milligrams. Tomatoes are also packed with B vitamins, iron and low fat and moderate fiber. Meanwhile, a chopped tomato served in a full cup provides potassium about 427 mg, more or less equal to one whole banana.