Potassium?
jbeth30
Posts: 42 Member
I can never get enough potassium in my diet. It's always really low no matter what I eat. The only time I got enough in was a day I ate a huge sweet potato. Does anyone know what I can eat to get enough in? Thanks
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If you are basing this off MFP, it might be wrong. Many of the entries in MFP don't have the micronutrients filled out correctly, so you might actually be getting adequate potassium and not know it.
But potassium is heavy in potatoes, dairy, dark lefty greens, bananas and kiwi.2 -
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Thanks! I will check that site out and I have kiwis in the house today! I will give those a try.0
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If you are basing this off MFP, it might be wrong. Many of the entries in MFP don't have the micronutrients filled out correctly, so you might actually be getting adequate potassium and not know it.
But potassium is heavy in potatoes, dairy, dark lefty greens, bananas and kiwi.
Don't forget chicken and especially salmon. I was actually kind of shocked at how much they have, once I looked up the usda listings for them.2 -
Oh wow! According to that site...beet greens is where it's at.0
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I didn't even think about chicken and salmon! I have been so hungry for fish. Maybe that's why0
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Don't worry about potassium. I was very concerned, found a way to ingest a lot. An hour later my heart rate 110 bpm.
Eat veggies, fish etc. No mega doses.1 -
My dietitian told me that as long as I ate a good range of foods not to worry about it. Also, the bad side effects with heart problems far outweigh any benefit from focusing on it too much.0
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Most foods don't list potassium on the nutrition label in general. Lots of things contain potassium, but if it isn't on the label, it doesn't make it into the food log.1
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I eat spinach, egg whites, non Greek yogurt (source brand is great) and potatoes. Spinach is where you will find the most0
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And yes its important1
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Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.0
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Fruits and vegetables0
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Potassium works with Sodium for electrolyte balance, water balance, and other things. My go-to is avocados and spinach. Avocados are the best food on the planet, in my opinion. However, besides those powerhouse foods, there is also potatoes, bananers, and pork chops1
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Do you eat eggs?0
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Low sodium tomato juice has a little over 900 mg, a serving of coconut water has 470 mg, a glass of milk has about 500 mg. That's almost 1,900 mg right there. A 1 cup serving of cooked spinach has 839 mg, a 1/2 cup serving of brocolli has 229 mg, bananas, avocados, apples. Most vegetables and fruits will have a good amount of potassium.
Also, the My Fitness Pal data base is horribly wrong a lot of the time. I have to correct so many things. I make sure to check the nutrition that is listed in the data base here and correct it if it is wrong and also to be sure tings like potassium are included. It takes some extra work but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.1 -
Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.2 -
Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.
I'll attest to the issues. Gave myself a case of tachycardia that will not be forgotten!0 -
markrgeary1 wrote: »Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.
I'll attest to the issues. Gave myself a case of tachycardia that will not be forgotten!
So did you end up in the hospital? How much potassium did you take?0 -
So I've been told to up my potassium. I'm thought I was, but it's not showing up on MFP. You say that a lot of the foods aren't properly entered for potassium. Now I'm going to look more closely.0
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The only time I supplement with potassium is if I'm in a calorie deficit and getting muscle spasms. As others have said, a lot of times the potassium doesn't show up in the entries.0
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I've been taking potassium supplements for high blood pressure and it really helps. I also supplement magnesium for the same reason.0
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ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »markrgeary1 wrote: »Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.
I'll attest to the issues. Gave myself a case of tachycardia that will not be forgotten!
So did you end up in the hospital? How much potassium did you take?
A couple of grams. I was driving, no hospital for me. I'd been diagnosed before and knew what it was. It's a frightening experience.1 -
markrgeary1 wrote: »ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »markrgeary1 wrote: »Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.
I'll attest to the issues. Gave myself a case of tachycardia that will not be forgotten!
So did you end up in the hospital? How much potassium did you take?
A couple of grams. I was driving, no hospital for me. I'd been diagnosed before and knew what it was. It's a frightening experience.
You may have been low on magnesium because magnesium deficiency causes tachycardia and heart arrhythmia among other issues.0 -
TheDevastator wrote: »markrgeary1 wrote: »ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »markrgeary1 wrote: »Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.
I'll attest to the issues. Gave myself a case of tachycardia that will not be forgotten!
So did you end up in the hospital? How much potassium did you take?
A couple of grams. I was driving, no hospital for me. I'd been diagnosed before and knew what it was. It's a frightening experience.
You may have been low on magnesium because magnesium deficiency causes tachycardia and heart arrhythmia among other issues.
Interesting. I need to look into that. Thanks.0 -
TheDevastator wrote: »markrgeary1 wrote: »ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »markrgeary1 wrote: »Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.
I'll attest to the issues. Gave myself a case of tachycardia that will not be forgotten!
So did you end up in the hospital? How much potassium did you take?
A couple of grams. I was driving, no hospital for me. I'd been diagnosed before and knew what it was. It's a frightening experience.
You may have been low on magnesium because magnesium deficiency causes tachycardia and heart arrhythmia among other issues.
This sounds more likely. I know that everyone responds to things differently, but I often have days, when trying to shed carb bloat, where my sodium is around 12-1500mg, and my potassium is over 12g. Never had the first issue with heart rate. Admittedly though, I supplement potassium via adding potassium salt to food, and make sure to use usda matching MFP entries that include potassium whenever possible.
Unlike most people, I actually have a pretty accurate idea of how much I am getting. Luckily that will be changing in the near future, when potassium labeling becomes mandatory under the changed guidelines.1 -
This is all very eye opening. I have dealt with borderline high blood pressure it seems for most of my adult life...I figured because of my weight. I do eat eggs and greens and potatoes and all the other things that were mentioned. I guess at my next doctors appointment I will ask if they will look at my levels. If it is low it sure would be nice to know and if it's not then I definitely don't want to over do it. Thank you for your responses.0
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markrgeary1 wrote: »Potassium can be supplemented, if you truly feel that you're not getting enough, though I don't think it's relevant unless you're super worried about sodium. My best guess is that you're getting enough already, if you're eating a broad range of micronutrient rich foods.
I would caution those who think they need a potassium supplement to get a blood test first. Very few people actually need one. The people who generally due follow keto diets or have issues like POTS. High potassium levels can cause issues too.
I'll attest to the issues. Gave myself a case of tachycardia that will not be forgotten!
My wife went in pre-tachycardia arrest about a year ago, and it was from very low electrolytes. She now has to get IV infusions 2x a week, supplements with magnesium and takes a prescription potassium (like 800mg of some crazy crap like that), and 10000 mg of sodium a day. She salts bacon. I *kitten* you not.
And on the other hand, my friends mom was hospitalized with very high potassium and almost died from it.1
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