Five foods with more potassium than a banana

Foods that pack potassium. Photo: Getty Images

Potassium is a crucial nutrient, playing key roles in muscle strength, nerve function and heart health.

And if you don't get enough (about 4,700 mg a day) it could lead to a deficiency, complete with fatigue, muscle cramps, heart palpitations and dizzy spells. Yikes.

You've probably heard that bananas are packed with potassium, which is true. This tasty staple is a great option for an ample dose of the nutrient, with 422 mg in each medium-sized serving according. But it's certainly not the only way to load up on this important mineral—or even the best way!

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Here, we've rounded up five foods with more potassium than a banana. Nosh away.

Sweet potato
Have a sweet potato as a side dish all summer long. This delicious, vitamin-packed super-food has 542 mg of potassium (for one medium-sized, baked sweet potato).

Avocado
With salad season here, and guacamole options abounding, there couldn't be a better time to eat avocado, especially given the 487 mg of potassium contained in half the fruit.

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White beans
Whether you cook them up in chili, drop them in a soup or serve them on the side, white beans are loaded with potassium. In just half a cup, you'll get around 502 mg of the mineral.

Yoghurt
If you want to reach for a healthy snack, you couldn't do much better than simple plain yoghurt. In a standard serving, expect to take in roughly 579 mg of potassium.

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Spinach
In your salad, on your burger, or in a delicious smoothie, there are a million ways to get spinach into your diet—and take advantage of its whopping 839 mg of potassium per cup.