Potassium

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cggalli
cggalli Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started
Why am I not even coming close to my Potassium needs? I eat a banana almost everyday and frequently a potato or sweet potato in my day. I am only on day 4 but surprised that is where my nutrition is lacking.

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  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
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    Only about 2% of Americans hit the recommended amount of potassium. So you are not alone.

    1 large potato with skin on and 1 large banana together give you about 1400 mg potassium. So while that is certainly something, it alone won't get you to your goal. You'll need more intake of potassium rich foods.

    As mentioned, not all entries contain their proper potassium, in a large part because the manufacturers don't list it. But even with that, most people would still fall short.

    Here is a list of other potassium rich foods you can incorporate in your diet: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-loaded-with-potassium
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    Are you experiencing a symptom related to potassium deficiency (muscle cramps) or has your doctor told you to increase your potassium? Otherwise you are probably fine.

    As @concordancia says MANY database entries do not have the potassium information entered. Even when it is on the labels some people will just get lazy and enter the calories and macros. Even fiber is hit or miss.

    I only think about it when I am cramping or I go through a week of sudden weight drop from water leaving through frequent urination.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
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    You can also have heart issues from depleted potassium. It's put me in the ER multiple times.
  • kimondo666
    kimondo666 Posts: 194 Member
    edited August 2019
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    try tomato juice. 229mg pottasium on 100g.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
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    Potassium is a tricky one! It's no longer labeled on foods in the US, so I'm never sure exactly how much potassium I'm actually getting.

    I use a potassium salt substitute, a very light sprinkle over my cooked foods. I do not cook with it, it taste bitter to me when cooked. So, I usually cook with white sea salt. Pink for a big pot of food.

    I've been using both sea salt and potassium salt substitute this way for years. Try to keep my electrolytes somewhat balanced.
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 910 Member
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    a 173 gram baked potato has 926 mg of potassium, which is more potassium than a banana or orange juice. i believe many kinds of beans also have lots; my soy pasta claims to have 40% of your daily potassium.

    i use that potassium salt substitute, and you would need 1/6 of a tsp on that salt substitute to give you just over a quarter of your daily potassium - it beats taking those huge potassium pills my husband's doctor gives him.
  • Kwas260
    Kwas260 Posts: 11 Member
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    Same here! I'm on day 4 I ate a sweet potato and a banana today...and am only at half my goal. What other foods are high in potassium?
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
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    zebasschick wrote: »
    a 173 gram baked potato has 926 mg of potassium, which is more potassium than a banana or orange juice. i believe many kinds of beans also have lots; my soy pasta claims to have 40% of your daily potassium.

    i use that potassium salt substitute, and you would need 1/6 of a tsp on that salt substitute to give you just over a quarter of your daily potassium - it beats taking those huge potassium pills my husband's doctor gives him.

    LOL, I know those pills!! K-Dur are what mine were called. They were HUGE!!
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    Kwas260 wrote: »
    Same here! I'm on day 4 I ate a sweet potato and a banana today...and am only at half my goal. What other foods are high in potassium?

    Many fruits, veg, beans/lentils, plus a variety of other foods. Coffee has some. Various grains have some, nuts have some, some fish have some. One of the goals of the DASH diet is increasing potassium, and it focuses on veg and fruit, dairy, grains, getting protein less from meat, more from fish and vegetarian sources like beans and lentils.

    If you log packaged products you often won't get credit for it, though, since it won't be on the entry. I find trying to track it at MFP accurately difficult. I logged for a while at another site to make sure I was happy with my potassium and other vitamins/minerals and found that I was usually over so long as I was eating lots of veg and some fruit, which is what I prefer to do anyway.

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