How much potassium is in lentils?
Lentils has 365 mg of potassium per 1/2 cup cooked (99 g) — about 8% of the 4,700 mg Daily Value. That's 369 mg per 100 g, roughly 0.9× a medium banana (~422 mg).
USDA FoodData Central · cooked, boiled · FDC 172421
Potassium by portion
| Portion | Potassium | % DV | Sodium | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup cooked (99 g) | 365 mg | 8% | 2 mg | 115 |
| 100 g | 369 mg | 8% | 2 mg | 116 |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 105 mg | 2% | 1 mg | 33 |
% 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 172421, SR Legacy). cooked, boiled.
A serving of lentils lands almost exactly where a banana does: a 1/2-cup serving of cooked lentils (99 g) carries about 365 mg of potassium, which is roughly 8% of the 4,700 mg Daily Value and about 0.9× the potassium in a medium banana (~422 mg). Per 100 g that’s 369 mg, and a full cooked cup (about 198 g) reaches roughly 731 mg — over one and a half bananas’ worth from a single bowl. The difference is that lentils pair that potassium with protein and fiber, where the banana is mostly potassium and sugar.
Why the potassium matters — and the low-sodium edge
Potassium is the blood-pressure mineral, and the reason is its tug-of-war with sodium. Sodium tends to raise blood pressure; potassium helps blood vessels relax and helps the kidneys flush excess sodium back out, which is why the DASH eating pattern — designed specifically to lower blood pressure — is built around potassium-rich, naturally low-sodium foods. Lentils are close to an ideal example: cooked from dry, they contain only about 2 mg of sodium per serving, so a half cup gives you ~365 mg of potassium against almost no sodium at all. That ratio is the whole point. The main place sodium creeps in is the can or the seasoning pouch — canned lentils and pre-flavored mixes can add hundreds of milligrams — so rinse canned lentils or buy no-salt-added if blood pressure is your reason for reading this. (General nutrition information, not medical advice; people with kidney disease are frequently advised to limit potassium and should follow their clinician.)
Potassium that comes with protein and fiber
What makes lentils a smarter potassium source than fruit for many people is the rest of the label. The same 1/2-cup serving brings about 8.9 g of plant protein and roughly 8 g of fiber, for only around 115 calories — so you’re getting near-banana potassium plus a meaningful protein-and-fiber payload in one low-sodium scoop. Lentils also cook fast (20–30 minutes, no soak), which makes them an easy weeknight way to push daily potassium up without relying on a banana every morning. Folded into a soup, a salad, or a grain bowl, a cup quietly contributes 700-plus milligrams toward a target most people miss.
For the protein side of lentils — including how to make their amino acids “complete” with grains — see protein in lentils.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much potassium is in a serving of lentils?
About 365 mg of potassium in a 1/2-cup serving of cooked lentils (99 g), which is 369 mg per 100 g (USDA FDC 172421). A full cooked cup (about 198 g) brings roughly 731 mg — and it comes with essentially no sodium, around 2 mg per serving.
What percent of the daily value for potassium is that?
Roughly 8% of the 4,700 mg Daily Value per 1/2 cup, and about 16% for a full cup. Most people don't reach 4,700 mg a day, so a single lentil side covering 8% — with protein and fiber attached — is a genuinely efficient way to chip away at the gap.
Is half a cup of lentils about as much potassium as a banana?
Nearly — a 1/2 cup is about 0.9× a medium banana (~422 mg), so one serving lands just shy of a whole banana, and a full cup clears more than one and a half. Lentils make the comparison interesting because they deliver banana-level potassium plus protein, which fruit doesn't.
Why does potassium matter?
Potassium helps balance sodium in the body and supports healthy blood pressure by helping blood vessels relax and helping the body shed excess sodium — the reason heart-focused patterns like DASH lean on potassium-rich, low-sodium foods like lentils. It also supports normal muscle and nerve function. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Do canned or seasoned lentils have more sodium?
Lentils cooked from dry are about as low-sodium as food gets — roughly 2 mg per serving — so the potassium-to-sodium ratio is excellent. Canned lentils or pre-seasoned pouches can carry several hundred milligrams of added sodium, so rinse canned lentils well or choose a no-salt-added version if you're watching it.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-04, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 172421 (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, 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.