How much potassium is in broccoli?
Broccoli has 457 mg of potassium per 1 cup chopped (156 g) — about 10% of the 4,700 mg Daily Value. That's 293 mg per 100 g, roughly 1.1× a medium banana (~422 mg).
USDA FoodData Central · cooked, boiled · FDC 169967
Potassium by portion
| Portion | Potassium | % DV | Sodium | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup chopped (156 g) | 457 mg | 10% | 64 mg | 55 |
| 100 g | 293 mg | 6% | 41 mg | 35 |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 83 mg | 2% | 12 mg | 10 |
% DV against the FDA Daily Value of 4,700 mg of potassium. Whole foods are naturally potassium-rich and low in sodium — the ratio heart guidelines (like DASH) favor. Values from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 169967, SR Legacy). cooked, boiled.
A cooked cup of broccoli is a sneaky-good potassium source. A realistic serving — 1 cup chopped cooked (156 g) — carries about 457 mg of potassium, which works out to 293 mg per 100 g and lands at roughly 10% of the 4,700 mg Daily Value. Put it next to the fruit everyone credits for potassium and broccoli quietly wins: a medium banana has about 422 mg, so a cooked cup is about 1.1× a banana — and it does it for only about 55 calories and 64 mg of sodium. Gram for gram of calories, that’s a far denser potassium hit than the banana.
Why potassium is the blood-pressure mineral
Potassium matters most for blood pressure. It acts as sodium’s counterweight: where sodium pulls water in and raises pressure, potassium helps your kidneys shed excess sodium and relaxes the walls of blood vessels. That sodium-to-potassium ratio is the engine behind the DASH eating pattern, which leans on potassium-rich produce to help keep pressure in check. Potassium also steadies fluid balance, carries the electrical signals your nerves run on, and powers muscle contraction. For most people the problem isn’t getting too much — it’s getting too little, since intakes routinely run below the recommended 4,700 mg, and vegetables like broccoli are exactly how you close that gap.
Potassium-dense per calorie — and naturally low in sodium
What makes broccoli such a clean potassium source is the ratio: about 457 mg of potassium against only ~64 mg of sodium in that cup, for around 55 calories. That’s the lopsided, heart-friendly balance DASH wants, and it’s the opposite of what most processed foods deliver. The bonus is everything riding alongside the potassium — a cup covers most of a day’s vitamin C and vitamin K and brings about 5 g of fiber for almost no calories. The practical catch is cooking: a hard boil leaks potassium into the water, so steam, roast, or stir-fry to keep more of it, and skip drowning it in salty sauces that flip that clean ratio.
One honest, non-medical note: a few people — particularly those with kidney disease — are advised to limit potassium, because impaired kidneys can’t clear the excess. For them this is a food to discuss with a clinician, not a free pass. For everyone else, see protein in broccoli for the other half of this vegetable’s nutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much potassium is in a cup of broccoli?
About 457 mg of potassium in a 1 cup chopped cooked serving (156 g) — that's 293 mg per 100 g (USDA FDC 169967). It comes for just ~55 calories and about 64 mg of sodium, so broccoli is one of the more potassium-dense things you can eat per calorie.
What percent of the Daily Value is that?
Roughly 10% of the 4,700 mg Daily Value for potassium in a single cooked cup. One cup is a meaningful nudge toward a daily target most people fall short of, and you can easily eat two.
Does broccoli have more potassium than a banana?
Slightly, cup for fruit. A cooked cup of broccoli has about 457 mg of potassium versus roughly 422 mg in a medium banana, so the cup edges it out — about 1.1 times a banana — while bringing far fewer calories and a load of fiber and vitamin C.
Why does potassium matter?
Potassium helps regulate blood pressure by balancing sodium and easing tension in blood vessel walls — the core idea behind the DASH eating pattern — and it supports fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle function. Most people get plenty of sodium and not enough potassium, so potassium-rich whole foods like broccoli help tip that ratio back. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Does cooking change broccoli's potassium?
Some. Boiling leaches potassium into the cooking water, so steaming, roasting, or stir-frying holds onto more of it than a hard boil. The per-100 g figure here is for boiled, drained broccoli, so gentler cooking methods land at or above it.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-04, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 169967 (Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises the entry.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data, not a Labelgrade (that score is for branded packaged products). High-potassium diets aren't for everyone — people with kidney disease are often told to limit it; this is reference data, not medical advice. See our methodology.