How to get more potassium?

Options
sammyantics
sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've started trying to pay attention to more than just calories, and i'm always significantly under my potassium goals. I don't want to eat bananas every day because I just don't like bananas that much. I've looked online for other foods that have potassium, but it seems like everything has such small amounts.

I'm thinking about just picking up some supplements, but like. I just don't know anything more than I must have at least a minor deficiency of potassium.

Any help is appreciated.

Replies

  • Lotusstarr
    Lotusstarr Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    You could try juicing... basically getting more veggies and fruits in your diet by just drinking them down...
  • kirk_clawson
    kirk_clawson Posts: 36 Member
    Options
    Hot tea. A cup of Earl Grey has 25 mg.
  • pudadough
    pudadough Posts: 1,271 Member
    Options
    I would go the supplement route. I take a multivitamin and a separate potassium tablet every day. I think that often a multivitamin alone can put you at your daily requirements. Check the labels though, because they're all different. In my case, the extra potassium tablet helps control my heart palpitations.
  • bratista86
    bratista86 Posts: 2
    Options
    I was told a baked potato has more potassium than bananas anyway. I haven't double-checked this info though. Do you like potatoes? I used to top mine with weird things like barbecue sauce to avoid putting a bunch of sour cream and heavier toppings but some people like them plain.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    Options
    You're probably getting more than you think you are. Most of the nutritional information in the data base is from labels and such, and potassium is not a requirement to be labeled. Google high potassium foods....

    I drink 2 or 3 low sodium 5.5 oz v8 juices per day (I don't have the time to juice myself) there's like 700 mg of potassium in each of those servings. Also, more leafy greens...kale, spinach, chard, etc...more greens. Veggies in general are a good source. Also, milk and other dairy products are decent sources of potassium...any number of fruits as well...nuts, etc. Potatoes and Sweet potatoes are both excellent sources, but the nutrients are in the peel so don't peel them.

    IMHO, you don't need potassium supplements...it can all be done through diet. Just lots of nutritionally dense whole foods that you should be eating anyway for total health.
  • goldmay
    goldmay Posts: 258 Member
    Options
    Here is a list of foods with high and low potassium: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/transplant/posttransplant/post_potass_eng.pdf

    I've read that potassium supplements without a prescription are limited to 99mg, which doesn't seem like a lot to me.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    Options
    Here is a list of foods with high and low potassium: http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/transplant/posttransplant/post_potass_eng.pdf

    I've read that potassium supplements without a prescription are limited to 99mg, which doesn't seem like a lot to me.

    Considering you're supposed to get around 4700 mg per day, 99 mg is a drop in the bucket. There's more in a serving of broccoli.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Options
    Coffee
    Tea
    Potatoes
    Sweet Potatoes
    Tomatoes
    Raisins
    Kiwi Fruit
    Artichokes
    Asparagus
    Strawberries
    Avocados
    Eggs
    Milk
    Yogurt
  • chrisjathompson
    chrisjathompson Posts: 227 Member
    Options
    Yes, the supplements are a waste of money. Check yogurt, even the yoplait desert stuff is very low cal and high potassium. I have a few different protein shakes that are high in potassium too. You can add bananas to just about anything you make.

    1 container of yogurt, 1 scoop of protein powder, a banana, and serving of cereal in the morning will usually give me my potassium for the whole day.
  • justgin1
    justgin1 Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    Coconut water, lots of potassium. I don't like coconut but that's a texture issue, not the flavor. I use Vita Coco pure coconut water, add it to my smoothie instead of water, I don't taste anything different. My DH has been having issues with leg cramps so he's been drinking 8 oz of coconut water every morning, and *he* doesn't like coconut either. I read that coconut water has the potassium of 4 bananas.

    Just checked the label, 8 oz has 470mg of potassium and 75 mg of sodium. I can't just drink a glass of it though, which is why I add it to my smoothies.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Options
    Hot tea. A cup of Earl Grey has 25 mg.
    Oooh, great idea, you only need 140 cups a day!

Categories