I never hit my recomended Potassium level!!``

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markymarrkk
markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Every day Im always consistently short 1500-2000 mg short on potassium levels and I can only eat so many bananas without passing my sugar goal. I know I can get my Ka from meats but I think I eat plenty of meat and still not enough Ka....

any ideas on how to hit my Ka levels without eating up too much sugar from bananas and Fats from meats?

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  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    When you eat potatoes, don't peel them. The peel is a great source of potassium. You can also get it from things like broccoli.

    With all that being said, it is hard to get all the potassium you need from food if you're restricting your calories. There's only so much we can eat in a day, you know? You can try a supplement -- Puritan's Pride makes a chelated potassium supplement that's easily absorbed and doesn't cost very much (they're always running BOGO sales of some sort -- I think I got mine B2G3). Supplements aren't as good as getting it from food, of course, but it's good to help you until you get your diet sorted out.
  • Thorneapple
    Thorneapple Posts: 154
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    I take a daily Potassium supplement
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Check out this site and find the lists for potassium - they have sources for postassium - either alphabetically or in order of how much potassium it has. (I'd go with the latter, because some of their sources are pretty low - it's a VERY comprehensive list.)

    http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR16/wtrank/wt_rank.html

    Also, keep in mind that you are probably getting more potassium than you realize, because potassium isn't a required nutrient for food labels - many foods don't put it on there, and even when they do, not everyone fills it in when they enter foods in the database. I quit tracking potassium here for that reason.
  • funnygirl0940
    funnygirl0940 Posts: 260
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    Great topic!

    here's chart of potassium rich foods

    http://www.buzzle.com/articles/potassium-rich-foods-chart.html

    also, here's a quick article of what blocks potassium absorption, which you may want to consider.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/43125-foods-block-potassium-absorption/

    Potassium is a mineral found in many foods that aids your body in balancing fluids. It works in conjunction with sodium. Potassium is also responsible for proper muscle contraction and the muscles' resting phase after physical exertion. Levels of this mineral should be kept steady and not drop too low or go too high. Extreme highs or lows of potassium levels can be fatal. Watching your diet carefully is important. Most of our potassium intake comes from our diet and is found in fruits and vegetables. Additives and foods can block our body's absorption of potassium.
    High-Sodium Foods
    Potassium works with the sodium in your body to keep water retention to a minimum and to keep your body well hydrated. According to the George Mateljan Foundation, most potassium in your body is stored inside your cells while most of the sodium in your body is stored in the fluid that surrounds your cells. Too much sodium can block potassium absorption and raise fluid levels, causing swelling of the body. Salt is the main form of sodium taken in on a daily basis by many people. Canned processed vegetables and fruits also contain high amounts of sodium and should be kept at a minimum or avoided all together. Snack foods, such as chips and cookies, contain loads of sodium and should only be consumed in moderation. Get into the habit of reading labels when grocery shopping to help you determine if the convenience of canned processed foods are worth the risk.
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    Caffeine
    Caffeine can be found in teas, colas, coffee and candy. Consuming these items in large quantities can cause your potassium levels to drop. Caffeine inhibits absorption of potassium by "clogging" the kidneys and liver. Your liver is responsible for releasing potassium into your bloodstream after it has filtered it. Your liver can be seen as a large filter that strains bad bacteria from the good minerals that your body needs. Bad bacteria goes to waste; good minerals get distributed equally. If you take in large amounts of caffeine, you are clogging the filter. The good minerals cannot get through, causing deficiencies.
    Alcohol
    Drinking alcohol in excess thins your blood and causes dilution of the potassium in your bloodstream. Alcohol also dehydrates the body and blocks absorption of potassium. Again, you must consider the liver because alcohol has direct effects on this organ. Excessive drinking can cause strain on the liver increasing the risk for disease, such as cirrhosis of the liver. When strain is put on your liver, its function slows tremendously. Your body will not get steady amounts of the minerals it needs to survive. Slowing the liver can also cause immune system sluggishness, which can cause sickness, further harming potassium levels in the bloodstream.
  • watkinsc
    watkinsc Posts: 177 Member
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    Not sure why you are putting an emphasis on Potassium, but you need to be careful with this. If you have any type of kidney insufficiency you could be setting yourself up for irregular heart rhythms. If you are really concerned about your levels, have your doc run a potassium level with a blood draw. Potassium is an electrolyte that your body manages the level of. If it is too high you pee it out, if it is low, you continue to absorb it. But, it's level will fluctuate with things like your blood sugar. So, if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, you really need to talk to your doc before you start taking potassium supplements.
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
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    Not sure why you are putting an emphasis on Potassium, but you need to be careful with this. If you have any type of kidney insufficiency you could be setting yourself up for irregular heart rhythms. If you are really concerned about your levels, have your doc run a potassium level with a blood draw. Potassium is an electrolyte that your body manages the level of. If it is too high you pee it out, if it is low, you continue to absorb it. But, it's level will fluctuate with things like your blood sugar. So, if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, you really need to talk to your doc before you start taking potassium supplements.

    no Diabetes or health problems, and I don't know if I should be concerned or not, but I log everything I eat and im always short on Ka
  • watkinsc
    watkinsc Posts: 177 Member
    Options
    Not sure why you are putting an emphasis on Potassium, but you need to be careful with this. If you have any type of kidney insufficiency you could be setting yourself up for irregular heart rhythms. If you are really concerned about your levels, have your doc run a potassium level with a blood draw. Potassium is an electrolyte that your body manages the level of. If it is too high you pee it out, if it is low, you continue to absorb it. But, it's level will fluctuate with things like your blood sugar. So, if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, you really need to talk to your doc before you start taking potassium supplements.

    no Diabetes or health problems, and I don't know if I should be concerned or not, but I log everything I eat and im always short on Ka

    I am not a nutritionist , nor a fitness trainer. But as an RN, I will say that from what I have seen in my practice, is unless you have been told specifically (as a result of lab work) that your body is low on Potassium, be careful with supplementing it. Maybe just a once a day multi-vit if you are concerned. There is conflicting evidence on what is exactly absorbed from multi-vitamins, but at least it is formulated for nutritional balance.

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