Potassium
Potassium reaches its peak in our database in wheat bran at 1182 mg per 100 grams, shelled pistachios at 1025 mg, pumpkin seeds at 919 mg and ground flaxseed at 813 mg. The European reference intake is 2000 mg per day (EU NRV). That is one of the largest daily amounts on this site.
What the regulation permits about potassium
Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 lists for potassium, among others: "potassium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system", "potassium contributes to normal muscle function" and "potassium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure". That third wording is notable, because blood pressure claims are rare in the regulation. Maintaining a normal blood pressure is emphatically not the same as lowering a raised one; the latter is medical territory.
Five strong sources from the data
Per 100 grams: wheat bran 1182 mg, shelled pistachios 1025 mg, pumpkin seeds 919 mg, ground flaxseed 813 mg and raisins 749 mg. What you do not see on this shortlist is the proverbial banana. It is in the database, but delivers less per 100 grams than the seeds and dried fruits above. Potatoes, pulses and vegetables also contribute heavily per serving, precisely because the servings are large.
2000 mg a day, and why that looks like a lot
The EU NRV of 2000 mg per day looks high beside the milligrams of most vitamins, but potassium is a mineral present in nearly every unprocessed product. A day with potatoes or rice, two servings of vegetables, fruit and a handful of nuts arrives there without counting. The exception is a pattern leaning heavily on processed products: there the ratio between potassium and sodium shifts, and that is the heart of the story.
The ratio with sodium is the real point
With potassium the absolute amount matters less than the balance with sodium. Unprocessed food delivers plenty of potassium and little sodium; heavily processed food inverts that ratio. Eating more fresh vegetables, fruit and pulses therefore moves two numbers at once. That is no medical intervention, and we make no statement about your blood pressure — that is a conversation with your GP, with a measurement on the table.
What we steer on in a programme
We sell no supplements. With potassium that matters doubly, because this is a mineral where standalone high doses are not automatically sensible and where strict European rules apply to food supplements. Our route runs over the plate and is dull but effective: a vegetable or a potato at every meal, and pulses twice a week. That fills potassium, fibre and magnesium in one movement.
How we compile this list
We sort every row in the DCRAFT food database on the measured value per 100 grams and take the top of that list. Rows recorded per piece, per slice or per portion do not count, because a value per piece cannot be compared with a value per 100 grams. Products listed under a brand name are left out: their composition changes outside our control, and a ranking resting on it ages without us noticing. Where several products carry precisely the same value, it comes from one shared row in our source data and we name one product from that group. We set this rule out here because a ranking without a visible selection rule is an opinion rather than a measurement.
Frequently asked questions
Which foods contain the most potassium?
Wheat bran leads at 1182 mg per 100 grams, then shelled pistachios at 1025 mg and pumpkin seeds at 919 mg.
How much potassium per day?
The EU NRV sets the daily value at 2000 mg. A day with potatoes or rice, two servings of vegetables and fruit usually reaches it without steering.
Is the banana the best potassium source?
Not per 100 grams. Seeds, nuts, bran and dried fruit all supply more in our database. The banana is mainly convenient rather than richest.
What role does the potassium to sodium ratio play?
Unprocessed products supply plenty of potassium and little sodium; processed products invert that ratio. More fresh vegetables and pulses therefore change both sides at once.
Sources
- DCRAFT food database — KILLER COACH ENGINE V2.3 workbook (accessed 26 August 2026)
- EU NRV — Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII (accessed 26 August 2026)
- Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (accessed 26 August 2026)
Please note: This is general information about nutrition, not medical advice. If you have symptoms or suspect a deficiency, discuss it with your doctor. We do not sell supplements and have no commercial interest in any brand.
Last updated: .
Written by Dennis, founder of Dcraft Of Fitness.