The average person needs about 3,500 milligrams of potassium each day. If your doctor suggests you add more potassium to your diet, a dairy- or fruit-based drink offers a quickly prepared infusion of the crucial mineral. Getting enough potassium may help keep blood pressure in check. Potassium deficiency causes muscle cramps, weakness and fatigue. Which drink is best for you depends on a number of factors, including whether you need to lose or gain weight, and whether you are on a low-fat or sodium-restricted diet.
Full-fat, low-fat and skim milks, including chocolate milk, provide about 12 percent of the potassium you need in every 1-cup serving. Evaporated milk delivers high amounts of potassium, but few people enjoy it straight from the can. Instead, try mixing it with regular milk or club soda at a rate of ½ cup evaporated milk to ½ cup of the second liquid. Each ½-cup portion of evaporated milk delivers about 12 percent of the daily value, or DV, for potassium. Fat-free milk delivers an additional 6 percent in every ½-cup portion, making it possible to get about 18 percent of the DV for potassium by blending regular or skim milk with evaporated milk. If you are watching your fat and calories, use nonfat evaporated milk.
If your doctor approves, consider buying instant breakfast packets to up the potassium factor of your morning milk. According to one brand, 1 cup of skim milk combined with nonfat instant breakfast provides 20 percent of the potassium you need for the day. A no-sugar variety keeps the calorie, fat and sugar content in check.
For people who don’t need to lose weight, or need to put on a few pounds, large milkshakes offer generous helpings of potassium. A large fast-food chocolate milkshake provides about 20 percent of the potassium you need each day. A malted milk drink, available in instant form, provides about 16.5 percent of the DV for potassium.
Turn to juices made from potassium-rich fruits or vegetables for drinks that are rich in the mineral, suggests the Linus Pauling Institute. A 6-ounce glass of prune juice contributes 15 percent of the DV for potassium. The same amount of tomato juice has 12 percent of the potassium you need each day, but use a low-sodium brand for the most heart-healthy choice. Orange juice provides about 11 percent of the DV for potassium. The Mayo Clinic notes that noni juice also has high amounts of the mineral, and should be consumed in small quantities to avoid kidney problems. The USDA does not list potassium quantities for this recently introduced drink; check labels to ensure that it doesn’t provide significantly more potassium than the average glass of fruit or vegetable juice.
Use potassium-rich fruits and dairy products to create nutritious smoothies. Mayo Clinic’s banana-based smoothie, which serves two, combines one banana, six frozen strawberries, ½ cup soy milk and 1 cup frozen yogurt. Each serving contributes about 16 percent of the DV for potassium. Alternatively, use other high-potassium ingredients such as pureed dates or orange juice, to create smoothies rich in the mineral.
