Not So Bananas for Bananas?
September 3, 2008
To keep muscle cramps at bay, some dancers swear by a banana a day. The fruit has built a wholesome reputation around its high levels of potassium, which makes for smooth, steady muscle contractions. But if you’re turned off (like I am) by the texture or taste and still want all the benefits, plenty of other foods are just as potassium-rich, or more so: Compare the banana’s 467mg to a half-cup of raisins (598mg), two ounces of sunflower seeds (482mg), or a baked sweet potato, skin included (694mg). Other good sources include tomatoes, orange juice, almonds, fish, and more obscurely, the skin of an eggplant, which by itself contains 200mg or more.