potassium values

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nanakiley
nanakiley Posts: 10 Member
in Introduce Yourself
My Fitness Pal says there is no potassium in Quinoa. When I google it, it says there are
318 gm in 1 cup cooked. Who is right? Similar situation with roasted sweet potato.

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  • hhmb8k
    hhmb8k Posts: 49
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    Yes, quinoa has potassium. The amount drops considerably when cooked compared to uncooked, but it does have potassium.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,137 Member
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    MFP database is mostly created by users and people have different values on what to add for nutritional info. Some people only put in what they're tracking. Some people put in everything. Potassium isn't normally listed on nutritional labels in U.S. and Canada. I'd go by what a site like the USDA nutrient database and input the info myself.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Potassium is not required for labelling, so the database can be inaccurate. Unless you have blood serum potassium tests telling you that your levels are low or your doctor has encouraged you to eat a high potassium diet, it is not necessary to worry about it. Over supplementation can cause cardiac issues.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
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    You have to work a little harder to find the correct entries for stuff in the database, especially if you want potassium figures. For unprocessed foods like quinoa you can find the USDA entries. These are identifiable by the fact that they do not have an asterisk * next to their name (because they are not "member-submitted" data).

    g4zwdqbh29xv.jpg
  • Basilin
    Basilin Posts: 360 Member
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    Potassium is missing in a lot of the foods for the database because it's not a labeling requirement. Just be aware. :smile:
  • hhmb8k
    hhmb8k Posts: 49
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Potassium is not required for labelling, so the database can be inaccurate. Unless you have blood serum potassium tests telling you that your levels are low or your doctor has encouraged you to eat a high potassium diet, it is not necessary to worry about it. Over supplementation can cause cardiac issues.

    Let me apologize first for what I'm about to do, because I hate it when people do it to me.

    Both high and low potassium levels can cause cardiac issues. While low potassium levels are generally more likely to cause noticeable symptoms (muscle cramps, weakness, etc), high levels are dramatically more dangerous. I'm not saying that you didn't already know that.

    But, for exactly the reason you mentioned (focusing only on the dangers of high potassium levels) wanting to know the potassium level in the food you eat (in order to avoid letting it get too high) can be more important than wanting to know so that you can take it as a supplement. This is commonly an issue for people on some medications and for those with kidney issues.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited October 2014
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    hhmb8k wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Potassium is not required for labelling, so the database can be inaccurate. Unless you have blood serum potassium tests telling you that your levels are low or your doctor has encouraged you to eat a high potassium diet, it is not necessary to worry about it. Over supplementation can cause cardiac issues.

    Let me apologize first for what I'm about to do, because I hate it when people do it to me.

    Both high and low potassium levels can cause cardiac issues. While low potassium levels are generally more likely to cause noticeable symptoms (muscle cramps, weakness, etc), high levels are dramatically more dangerous. I'm not saying that you didn't already know that.

    But, for exactly the reason you mentioned (focusing only on the dangers of high potassium levels) wanting to know the potassium level in the food you eat (in order to avoid letting it get too high) can be more important than wanting to know so that you can take it as a supplement. This is commonly an issue for people on some medications and for those with kidney issues.

    Which is exactly why I suggested lab work and the doctor. There are multiple factors, none of which are known here.
  • hhmb8k
    hhmb8k Posts: 49
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    nutmegoreo wrote: »

    Which is exactly why I suggested lab work and the doctor. There are multiple factors, none of which are known here.

    Yes, I understand that part.

    What I was trying to say is that avoiding things can be more important than supplementing them.

    You said that it was only important to worry about it if your levels were low. If levels are NORMAL and a person has some medical conditions or is on some medications it is still important to want to have access to that info in the database to prevent it from becoming too high.

    My goal was only to support the notion that this is a valuable piece of information for some people to have in the database and not to dismiss it because "if it isn't too low it isn't a problem". I really wasn't chastising you. I was just piggybacking off your post to make another (different) point.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    hhmb8k wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »

    Which is exactly why I suggested lab work and the doctor. There are multiple factors, none of which are known here.

    Yes, I understand that part.

    What I was trying to say is that avoiding things can be more important than supplementing them.

    You said that it was only important to worry about it if your levels were low. If levels are NORMAL and a person has some medical conditions or is on some medications it is still important to want to have access to that info in the database to prevent it from becoming too high.

    My goal was only to support the notion that this is a valuable piece of information for some people to have in the database and not to dismiss it because "if it isn't too low it isn't a problem". I really wasn't chastising you. I was just piggybacking off your post to make another (different) point.

    Yes, I made the assumption that the OP was asking to ensure sufficient potassium intake. This is because most people who ask about it here are asking because they are concerned about not getting enough. Your addition to my statement is appropriate and does complete the picture. Thank-you.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    edited October 2014
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    dupe post
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
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    sympha01 wrote: »
    You have to work a little harder to find the correct entries for stuff in the database, especially if you want potassium figures. For unprocessed foods like quinoa you can find the USDA entries. These are identifiable by the fact that they do not have an asterisk * next to their name (because they are not "member-submitted" data).

    g4zwdqbh29xv.jpg

    I have been here since 2011, and I just NOW learned what the asterisk means.

    THANK YOU!

    I feel silly.
  • nanakiley
    nanakiley Posts: 10 Member
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    Thank you for all your input. I will ask for a K level at my next MD appointment. As a retired nurse I am aware of K's pitfalls. I obviously was low on K as my BP went to normal as I approached the daily recommended amounts obtained only through food.

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