Brussels and sweet potatoes show zero potassium

qkpq22t87n
qkpq22t87n Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I logged brussels and sweet potatoes but the app showed zero potassium. Does this mean the app is inaccurate?
Tagged:

Best Answer

  • qkpq22t87n
    qkpq22t87n Posts: 2 Member
    Answer ✓
    Really helpful answers thank you. I’d best not increase my intake of sodium and potassium because the app says I’m not getting enough. ☹️

Answers

  • lesdarts180
    lesdarts180 Posts: 3,050 Member
    The database is almost entirely populated by users entering the data on the labels of products they have purchased. I have never yet seen a bag of sprouts or sweet potatoes (or any veg for that matter) with potassium on the label.

    While we're on the subject, I don't think I have ever seen a pack of beef with the iron content although I know it's a good source of iron. Many packs of cheese, yogurt etc do not include the calcium content.
  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 3,603 Member
    Most of the foods listed have been entered by people like you and me. Since many people don't count potassium (and other things) they don't enter it. Also, a lot of labels may not list certain nutrients. Also foods like fresh Brussels and sweet potatoes won't have a label with nutrition listed.
    Check each entry to make sure the things you care about are listed. If you don't find one, do us all a favor and make a complete entry--one that lists all the nutrients that MFP lists.
    Best wishes ❤️ on your journey.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,162 Member
    If you're concerned that you may be short on some important nutrient, one option is to take a couple of typical eating days, and look up those foods in a more comprehensive source to see where you stand. This is one possible source, the USDA Food Data Central database:

    https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

    Alternatively, do a web search for foods high in that nutrient to see if you're already eating some, or look at solid resources about that nutrient. There are a bunch of the latter for many nutrients and supplements at this link:

    https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/

    I particularly like the "for professionals" fact sheets there. They have more information than the "for consumers" ones, but aren't super technical or difficult to understand IME.

Categories