Potassium was identified as a shortfall nutrient by the Dietary Guidelines for 
Americans 2010 Advisory Committee. The committee concluded that there was a 
moderate body of evidence of the association between potassium intake and blood 
pressure reduction in adults, which in turn influences the risk of stroke and 
coronary heart disease. Evidence is also accumulating of the protective effect 
of adequate dietary potassium on age-related bone loss and reduction of kidney 
stones. These benefits depend on organic anions associated with potassium as 
occurs in foods such as fruits and vegetables, in contrast to similar blood 
pressure-lowering benefits of potassium chloride. Benefits to blood pressure and 
bone health may occur at levels below current recommendations for potassium 
intake, especially from diet, but dose-response trials are needed to confirm 
this. Nevertheless, intakes considerably above current levels are needed for 
optimal health, and studies evaluating small increases in fruit and vegetable 
intake on bone and heart outcomes for short periods have had disappointing 
results. In modern societies, Western diets have led to a decrease in potassium 
intake with reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables with a concomitant 
increase in sodium consumption through increased consumption of processed foods. 
Consumption of white vegetables is associated with decreased risk of stroke, 
possibly related to their high potassium content. Potatoes are the highest 
source of dietary potassium, but the addition of salt should be limited. Low 
potassium-to-sodium intake ratios are more strongly related to cardiovascular 
disease risk than either nutrient alone. This relationship deserves further 
attention for multiple target tissue endpoints.