Iron and potassium, where are you!?!

samaradoring

I've been trying to count calories, eat organic and healthy but it seems impossible to hit the potassium and specially iron every day... why?

musicfan68

Because the MFP database is notorious for not having these things filled in. Most things entered are user entered, and a lot of it is not correct.

Old_Cat_Lady

Also, food manufacturers are not required to put potassium on the nutrition label. Did you know that even coffee has potassium?
Iron is added to cereal and many breakfast foods. Check your entries. Iron is also added to many women's daily multivitamins if you take one. I take one to help me with my calcium, vitamin d, folic acid, and b12.
There is a site called cronometer that shows the breakdown of nutrients of the foods you ate. Works really well if you eat produce and meats. That is where I learned I'm barely getting the magnessium I need.

seekingdaintiness

Highest potassium foods are potatoes, bananas, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, melons, beans, broccoli, tomatoes. There are more, a quick google search can find you a list. Basically your veggies, especially the starchy veggies usually labelled as "evil".
Iron is found primarily in meat, although also in iron fortified flour in the US (so all wheat containing products). There are trace amounts in some vegetables but it is harder for the body to use iron from vegetables no matter what vegetarians insist upon, which is why I used to be an anemic vegetarian.

seekingdaintiness

(adding) Most dieters should take a good multivitamin as stated above because if you are lowering your calorie intake, unless you have a trained nutritionist by your side or are an expert yourself with the discipline of a god it is nearly impossible to get your daily nutritional needs met from food alone.

estherdragonbat

Lentils and chickpeas are great for iron. As are some brands of veggie dogs. And cereal.

cwolfman13

Potassium isn't required on food labels and that is where most of the database entries come from...so suffice it to say, if it's not on the label it's not going to lacking in the database. If you're eating a good variety of veg and fruit it shouldn't be an issue.

Iron you can get from veg too, but most of it's going to come from red meat and dark meat poultry.

canadianlbs

i was surprised by the iron content of canned clams too. just dropping that in there - i'm not sure if it's universally true for frozen/fresh ones as well.

ohnonotcrystal

seekingdaintiness wrote: »

Highest potassium foods are potatoes, bananas, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, melons, beans, broccoli, tomatoes.

Any reason to eat potatoes is a good one I have been meaning to bake some wedges for a few weeks, and it'll help me meet my potassium goals.