Potassium

juststeve11
juststeve11 Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
I notice that the daily goal for potassium is 3500 mg. I've also noticed that I rarely ever get beyond 1000 mg. So I'm wondering how potassium do you really need each day? Is 3500 for real?? I don't get as much as 2000 mg in a week. Should I be alarmed?

Steve

Replies

  • JGT2004
    JGT2004 Posts: 231 Member
    Bump. I have the same issue and I usually have 1-3 bananas a day! Is it bad to only have around 1000-2000mg of potassium a day? Should I be using vitamins to fill this void?
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    You're actually consuming a lot more potassium than MFP reports show. Food manufacturers are not required to list potassium on the nutrition panel, so they don't. Same goes for many other vitamins/minerals.
  • mom2mozart
    mom2mozart Posts: 307 Member
    A potassium deficiency can cause you to feel faint and can cause problems with your blood pressure. My blood has tested low for potassium many times. Sweet potatoes, white beans, tomatoes, clams, and orange juice are way better sources of potassium than bananas. Yogurt and beet greens are also good sources. You can buy supplements at the drug store. 3500 mg is the recommended daily intake for potassium.
  • aiyana1228
    aiyana1228 Posts: 100 Member
    Potassium is vitally important. Potassium deficiency can cause really bad stuff to happen. One of the things it controls is muscle contraction. Ever get those horrible leg cramps at night? That is probably due to low levels of potassium. Potassium is also a factor in regulating blood pressure. Having done the low carb thing for a few years teaches you to be really intentional about your potassium. Remember that your heart is a muscle and anything that can cause a muscle to contract and not release could be a really really bad thing for your heart. MFP levels are actually a bit low compared to other places I just checked. Check out this article from the University of Florida. It also has the food sources of potassium. They say that there is no reason for suppliments because there are lots of foods that are fairly high. One source that also has lots of other vitamins is spinach. Thats another one of those foods I try to work into my diet every day. Think salads, soups, and side dishes. Everyone knows about bananas but we don't think about the other sources. and yes, I agree that you probably get more than what MFP reports.
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy889
    (not an expert per say-this is basic biology knowledge plus years of Atkins experience...)

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