Potassium

missmeganlyn
missmeganlyn Posts: 14
in Food and Nutrition
What do you guys eat to meet your potassium needs?
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Replies

  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Bananas!
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
    In addition to bananas I consume coconut water, tomatoes, watermelon (very high for low calories), potatoes (they are not evil), appricots, milk (not evil either) and meats do contain potasium even though not listed in data base. I really wish potassium was a required listing.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy. Out of my regular foods, potatoes are probably the best source. You're probably getting more than you think since a lot of foods aren't labelled with potassium in the database.
  • tlou5
    tlou5 Posts: 497 Member
    I tend to run low on potassium due to Celiac disease and have found orange juice, peanuts, raisins, potatoes and bananas to be the best for that.
  • missmeganlyn
    missmeganlyn Posts: 14
    I had no idea that a lot of food didn't provide the potassium info..lol we'll that's good to know. I eat a lot of vegetables and I usually have a banana a day. I pretty much only eat fish/shellfish. Idk if they have more or less potassium then other meats. But I'll have to look into it! Thanks guys.
  • Scott_2025
    Scott_2025 Posts: 201 Member
    I read an article that stated Potassium is so common in all foods that there is really no need to track it. It is very rarely diagnosed as a nutrient that someone might be deficient. If I remember correctly, the only group of people who are deficient with any regularity are alcoholics who eat very little and get all their calories from alcohol.
  • cwaters120
    cwaters120 Posts: 354 Member
    I am gluten, dairy and banana allergic and have low potassium so I have a lot of coconut water (no sugar kind), tomatoes, beets and beet greens, goji berries, lentils, carrots, beans (kidney, garbanzo, etc.), avocado, and swiss chard :bigsmile:
  • dutchk
    dutchk Posts: 121 Member
    Need a boost of potassium? Try low sodium (not the regular stuff) V8 juice. 8 ounces has over a 1000 mg.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Chicken breast, spinach, & potatoes mostly.
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
    I had no idea that a lot of food didn't provide the potassium info..lol we'll that's good to know. I eat a lot of vegetables and I usually have a banana a day. I pretty much only eat fish/shellfish. Idk if they have more or less potassium then other meats. But I'll have to look into it! Thanks guys.

    Shrimp and Fish are really good too.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    Romaine lettuce has a lot so I usually have that. I'm not crazy about bananas. Does salmon have a fair bit? Chili has tons too.
  • ShannonKN
    ShannonKN Posts: 152 Member
    You can add some tomato paste to recipes to pump up the potassium quickly. This website has some great info on potassium contents of foods: http://potassiumrichfoods.com/potassium-rich-foods-list/
  • kpcardwell
    kpcardwell Posts: 8 Member
    I was told by my doctor that I needed to increase my potassium to decrease water retention. If you get the "salt substitute" stuff it is LOADED with potassium. It tastes gross, so I bought empty pill casings and filled it with the salt and got a huge dose.

    Make sure you take it with a meal.
  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
    Need a boost of potassium? Try low sodium (not the regular stuff) V8 juice. 8 ounces has over a 1000 mg.
    That^ or tomato juice very good sources
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
    I had no idea that a lot of food didn't provide the potassium info..lol we'll that's good to know. I eat a lot of vegetables and I usually have a banana a day. I pretty much only eat fish/shellfish. Idk if they have more or less potassium then other meats. But I'll have to look into it! Thanks guys.

    The food database contains many errors.

    Sorry. I forgot to warn you to buckle your seat belt first. LOL
  • musicalboats
    musicalboats Posts: 31
    I was just thinking of a similar thing the other day...

    I am always low on potassium... Maybe get around 15% of the recommended amount a day. Does it actually matter a whole lot?

    And on a side note, the majority of the foods I am entering do show potassium levels, so I don't feel like the low numbers are due to no information.
  • babyluthi
    babyluthi Posts: 285 Member
    What do you guys eat to meet your potassium needs?

    kiwifruit.
  • atibrat
    atibrat Posts: 70 Member
    white beans, Spinach, white mushrooms and avocados are all higher in potassium than bananas. I eat a lot of raw spinach in salads.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    I was told by my doctor that I needed to increase my potassium to decrease water retention. If you get the "salt substitute" stuff it is LOADED with potassium. It tastes gross, so I bought empty pill casings and filled it with the salt and got a huge dose.

    Make sure you take it with a meal.
    I have no idea how much is in that salt substitute stuff, so it might not be a problem, but be careful of getting a "huge dose". Too much potassium can be very dangerous, which is why (in the UK at least) you can't get very high amounts in over the counter supplements.
  • queenmolly68
    queenmolly68 Posts: 71
    sweet potatoes, black beans, spinach, bananas. Personally, I eat a sweet potato everyday with cinnamon and a Splenda to keep the leg cramps away, works like a charm.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Funny I found this post. I was just checking mine as I had a bad muscle cramp in my leg.

    Based on this site I am so low it's scary but then when I checked most foods don't list it even if it's in them.

    So I found this site
    http://potassiumrichfoods.com/potassium-rich-foods-list/

    Great list. Top of the list tomaoes paste followed by everything tomatoe....
    Just as a note as well a baked potatoe has double the potassium of a banana....;)
  • tlou5
    tlou5 Posts: 497 Member
    I am gluten, dairy and banana allergic and have low potassium so I have a lot of coconut water (no sugar kind), tomatoes, beets and beet greens, goji berries, lentils, carrots, beans (kidney, garbanzo, etc.), avocado, and swiss chard :bigsmile:

    I will have to check out coconut water, haven't tried it and if sugar free probably much lower in calories than orange juice.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    great question. was wondering the same thing. my potassium seems low every day.
  • haylsquish
    haylsquish Posts: 19 Member
    Banana's, mushrooms and leafy greens like kale and spinach!
    (Is there anything Kale doesn't do?!?!)

    Banana's can be full of sugar though, so I just make sure I incorporate spinach, kale and raw mushroom into a salad at some point in the day and that does the trick - I hardly ever get cramps when I work out now!

    46967410.png
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  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    great question. was wondering the same thing. my potassium seems low every day.

    The DB rarely has potassium filled in.

    Most people get enough from normal food.

    I get mine from coffee. :)
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    What do you guys eat to meet your potassium needs?

    Salmon, bananas and potatoes for me.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    I was told by my doctor that I needed to increase my potassium to decrease water retention. If you get the "salt substitute" stuff it is LOADED with potassium. It tastes gross, so I bought empty pill casings and filled it with the salt and got a huge dose.

    Make sure you take it with a meal.
    I have no idea how much is in that salt substitute stuff, so it might not be a problem, but be careful of getting a "huge dose". Too much potassium can be very dangerous, which is why (in the UK at least) you can't get very high amounts in over the counter supplements.

    Yes, please ask your doctor about what you are doing and no one else should follow this advice. Potassium can cause serious heart trouble if taken excessively.
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
    Actually most people do not get enough potassium in their diet .... Low potassium can be bad. Just raising your potassium intake can actually lower you blood pressure too .....

    4700mg/day is what is recommended for an ACTIVE adult, ie ... exercising, cardio, working out, running, ect .....

    Go online and check out some of the latest studies on it ... it is very a important macro ...
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    prunes
    bananas
    avocado
    potato
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you're getting your fruits and veg, you most likely don't need to worry about it. People who skimp on their fruits and veg are often deficient. Keep in mind that it is not required by law to include potassium on food labels so a lot of the food you're probably eating already has it in there and you just don't know it.

    Due to the nature of my workouts and how much I sweat, I also drink at least 1 can of low sodium V8 juice daily (about 1,000 mg potassium in 8 oz) and I drink coconut water after my runs and what not...natures gatorade. I avoid the coconut waters with all kinds of additives and added sugar though..kind of defeats the purpose and might as well just drink a gatorade.

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