Some of the fish also have other favorable characteristics beyond those of all high potassium foods. They are a good source of protein and have little saturated fat. Those with a higher fat content generally have mostly healthier fats, such as the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, including the healthier omega 3s. The Florida pompano is the only fish with a fairly high percentage of fat that is saturated.
Salted Fish
If the fish have not been salted, they have favorable potassium to sodium ratios. Those that have been salted have even more unfavorable characteristics than the adverse effects on blood pressure, cardiac health, bone density and kidney stones. Many studies on the feeding of salted fish in Asia have been done. In Southeast Asia, the feeding of salted fish (not fresh fish) in infancy and childhood is associated with the most common type of cancer in the region, and the cancer occurs in young adults. In Japan, salted fish and other salted foods is associated with the most common cancer in Japan.
Canned Fish
You will find in the table some canned fish that has not had salt added. The potassium to sodium ratio is good, and it should not have the adverse effects of salted fish.
But if you do eat canned fish, be aware of the salt content. Some of the canned fish has so much salt added that you can get 6 days' supply of sodium (over 7 1/2 grams) in one 3 1/2 oz serving of fish. You won't find these items in the table, since the high salt content disqualifies them from being one of the healthy high potassium foods, no matter what their potassium content. When shopping for canned fish, be careful.
The Table
The carbohydrate, fiber, and sugar columns are eliminated from the table, since the values for these components in fish are all zero. Since most of us eat about 3 1/2 oz as a serving, the amount of potassium we would get at a meal would be the amount that is recorded in the listings.
The weights for the potassium and sodium are milligrams. The potassium and sodium values given are for 100 grams (about 3 1/2 oz) of food.
As usual, K is potassium, and Na is sodium.
Except for the potassium to sodium ratio (which we calculated), the source of data is: USDA National Nutrient Database Standard Reference – Release 22.
| Food | K | Na | Ratio K:Na |
| ANCHOVY, EUROPEAN | 383 | 104 | 3.7 |
| BASS, FRESHWATER | 456 | 90 | 5.1 |
| BASS, STRIPED | 256 | 69 | 3.7 |
| BLUEFISH | 372 | 60 | 6.2 |
| BURBOT | 404 | 97 | 4.2 |
| BUTTERFISH | 375 | 89 | 4.2 |
| CARP | 333 | 49 | 6.8 |
| CATFISH, CHANNEL, FARMED | 299 | 53 | 5.6 |
| CATFISH, CHANNEL, WILD | 358 | 43 | 8.3 |
| CISCO | 354 | 55 | 6.4 |
| COD, ATLANTIC | 413 | 54 | 7.6 |
| COD, PACIFIC | 403 | 71 | 5.7 |
| CROAKER, ATLANTIC | 345 | 56 | 6.2 |
| CUSK | 392 | 31 | 12.6 |
| DOLPHINFISH | 416 | 88 | 4.7 |
| DRUM, FRESHWATER | 275 | 75 | 3.7 |
| EEL, MIXED SPECIES | 272 | 51 | 5.3 |
| TILAPIA | 302 | 52 | 5.8 |
| FLATFISH (FLOUNDER&SOLE SP) |
361 | 81 | 4.5 |
| GROUPER, MIXED SPECIES | 483 | 53 | 9.1 |
| HADDOCK | 311 | 68 | 4.6 |
| HALIBUT, ATLANTIC&PACIFIC |
450 | 54 | 8.3 |
| HALIBUT, GREENLAND | 268 | 80 | 3.4 |
| HERRING, ATLANTIC | 327 | 90 | 3.6 |
| HERRING, PACIFIC | 423 | 74 | 5.7 |
| LINGCOD | 437 | 59 | 7.4 |
| MACKEREL, ATLANTIC | 314 | 90 | 3.5 |
| MACKEREL, PACIFIC&JACK, MXD SP |
406 | 86 | 4.7 |
| MACKEREL, SPANISH | 446 | 59 | 7.6 |
| MILKFISH | 292 | 72 | 4.1 |
| MONKFISH | 400 | 18 | 22.2 |
| MULLET, STRIPED | 357 | 65 | 5.5 |
| OCEAN PERCH, ATLANTIC | 273 | 75 | 3.6 |
| PERCH, MIXED SPECIES | 269 | 62 | 4.3 |
| PIKE, NORTHERN | 259 | 39 | 6.6 |
| PIKE, WALLEYE | 389 | 51 | 7.6 |
| POLLOCK, ATLANTIC | 356 | 86 | 4.1 |
| POLLOCK, WALLEYE | 326 | 99 | 3.3 |
| POMPANO, FLORIDA | 381 | 65 | 5.9 |
| POUT, OCEAN | 400 | 61 | 6.6 |
| ROCKFISH, PACIFIC, MXD SP | 405 | 60 | 6.8 |
| SABLEFISH | 358 | 56 | 6.4 |
| SALMON, ATLANTIC, FARMED | 363 | 59 | 6.2 |
| SALMON, ATLANTIC, WILD | 490 | 44 | 11.1 |
| SALMON, CHINOOK | 394 | 47 | 8.4 |
| SALMON, CHUM, CND, WO/SALT, DRND SOL W/BONE |
300 | 75 | 4 |
| SALMON, CHUM | 429 | 50 | 8.6 |
| SALMON, COHO, FARMED | 450 | 47 | 9.6 |
| SALMON, COHO, WILD | 423 | 46 | 9.2 |
| SALMON, PINK, CND, WO/SALT, SOL W/BONE&LIQ |
326 | 75 | 4.3 |
| SALMON, PINK | 323 | 67 | 4.8 |
| SALMON, SOCKEYE, CND, WO/SALT, DRND SOL W/BONE |
377 | 75 | 5 |
| SALMON, SOCKEYE | 391 | 47 | 8.3 |
| SCUP | 287 | 42 | 6.8 |
| SEA BASS, MXD SP | 256 | 68 | 3.8 |
| SEATROUT, MXD SP | 341 | 58 | 5.9 |
| SHAD, AMERICAN | 384 | 51 | 7.5 |
| SHEEPSHEAD | 404 | 71 | 5.7 |
| SMELT, RAINBOW | 290 | 60 | 4.8 |
| SNAPPER, MIXED SPECIES | 417 | 64 | 6.5 |
| SPOT | 496 | 29 | 17.1 |
| STURGEON, MXD SP | 284 | 54 | 5.3 |
| SUCKER, WHITE | 380 | 40 | 9.5 |
| SUNFISH, PUMPKIN SEED | 350 | 80 | 4.4 |
| SWORDFISH | 288 | 90 | 3.2 |
| TILEFISH | 433 | 53 | 8.2 |
| TROUT, MIXED SPECIES | 361 | 52 | 6.9 |
| TROUT, RAINBOW, FARMED | 451 | 35 | 12.9 |
| TROUT, RAINBOW, WILD | 481 | 31 | 15.5 |
| TUNA, FRESH, BLUEFIN | 252 | 39 | 6.5 |
| TUNA, FRESH, SKIPJACK | 407 | 37 | 11 |
| TUNA, FRESH, YELLOWFIN | 444 | 37 | 12 |
| TUNA, LT, CND IN H2O, WO/SALT, DRND SOL |
237 | 50 | 4.7 |
| TUNA, LT, CND IN OIL, WO/SALT, DRND SOL |
207 | 50 | 4.1 |
| TUNA, WHITE, CND IN H2O, WO/SALT, DRND SOL |
237 | 50 | 4.7 |
| TUNA, WHITE, CND IN OIL, WO/SALT, DRND SOL |
333 | 50 | 6.7 |
| WHITEFISH, MXD SP | 317 | 51 | 6.2 |
| WHITING, MIXED SPECIES | 249 | 72 | 3.5 |
| WOLFFISH, ATLANTIC | 300 | 85 | 3.5 |
| YELLOWTAIL, MXD SP | 420 | 39 | 10.8 |
