With most Americans eating too much sodium, people need to include more potassium-rich foods in their diets. Potassium works to move out excess sodium from your body and relax your blood vessels, which helps to lower your blood pressure. That’s why many potassium-rich foods are recommended as part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan.
Potassium is also a key electrolyte, along with sodium, magnesium, and calcium. Electrolytes keep your fluid levels in balance. When it’s hot outside or you’ve engaged in heavy exercise, you lose fluids and these electrolytes through your sweat. Without electrolytes such as potassium, you could become dehydrated.
When your body is dehydrated, you might notice some stoppage in your digestive system. Your intestines need both water and fiber to help move food and nutrients smoothly. Low potassium levels can also make you feel like you can’t poop. Certain fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans are not only rich in potassium, but also fiber, which helps with constipation.
Try these foods that are high in potassium and fiber
Although your individual potassium needs might differ, women should get at least 2,600 milligrams and men should aim for 3,400 milligrams. The American Heart Association recommends getting about 28 grams of fiber. Just a half cup of passion fruit has more than 12 grams of fiber and 410 milligrams of potassium. It also has 8% of your recommended magnesium, which is an electrolyte that can kickstart your bowels.
Skip the bagel in the morning and pour a bowl of muesli for more than 600 milligrams of potassium. Muesli’s oats and other whole grains are naturally rich in fiber, providing more than 10 grams in a cup. Although some brands differ, you could get up to 92% of your daily magnesium in muesli.
Adzuki beans might become a regular staple in your diet if you need potassium and fiber. Adzuki beans are Asian red beans with 1,223 milligrams of potassium and almost 17 grams of fiber per cup. They’re also rich in iron, magnesium, and zinc with little sodium.
The benefits of more potassium in your diet
Adding more potassium to your diet not only helps you poop and lowers your blood pressure, but foods rich in potassium also have other health benefits. According to a 2020 review in Kidney360, diets high in sodium and low in potassium are linked to obesity, heart disease, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. More potassium-rich foods also reduce your risk of kidney stones and improve your bone health.
More potassium in your diet could also reduce the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. A 2024 study in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention, and Health had people eat a vegetarian diet focused on potassium, a high-potassium vegetarian diet plus a potassium supplement, or a control diet for 16 weeks. The potassium-rich vegetarian diet improved the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, but adding a potassium supplement reduced the pain even more.
It’s not likely you’ll consume too much potassium from food because your kidneys usually filter it out of your system. However, people with chronic kidney disease can’t filter excess potassium, and the kidneys of older adults become less efficient. If you plan to take a potassium supplement, consult with your doctor. Some medications can increase the levels of potassium in your blood.