Good sources of potassium?

Hey all! I've only been doing MFP for 6 days, but I notice that my potassium is consistently quite low. Anyone have tips on foods that are good sources of potassium that you enjoy? Or ways to add some more potassium-rich foods into a meal? Thanks! :)

Replies

  • mickiebabs
    mickiebabs Posts: 183 Member
  • smashy_smashy
    smashy_smashy Posts: 23 Member

    Thanks!!
  • HelenCDavis
    HelenCDavis Posts: 22 Member
    smashy,

    I made a list for myself that I'll share with you. I have high blood pressure, so I must add potassium to my diet.

    My Food Diary is public if you want to take a peek.

    Increasing HDL "the good cholesterol"

    Whole grains

    Eat fruit instead of juice

    Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables daily

    Eat a daily serving of essential fatty acids from avocados, nuts, olive oil, nut oils, and nut butters.

    Eat wild, fatty, cold-water fish and consider a fish oil supplement. (Best bets: wild, Alaskan salmon, wild mackerel, Nordic sardines.) Fish is the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids, so aim for two or three portions a week. Make sure you choose wild, cold-water fish to reduce exposure to chemicals like mercury.

    Garlic is wonderful for your cardiovascular system and as part of the allium family of plants it’s a natural anti-inflammatory. Other great foods that reduce inflammation: ginger, curry, and chili peppers.
    Whether its scallions, leeks, chives, white onions, red onions, or shallots, these flavorful bulbs are terrific for quelling inflammation and healing your arteries. Onions also contain high levels of quercetin, an important flavonoid that reduces cholesterol. Try to eat some every day.

    Switch to dark chocolate

    Eat grapefruit. One a day can reduce arterial narrowing by 46%, lower your LDL cholesterol by more than 10%, and help drop your blood pressure by more than 5 points.

    Eat 2 oz. of nuts per day

    Exercise

    Drink cranberry juice. Buy 100% juice that's at least 27% cranberry.

    Don't let your tank hit empty-A study in the British Medical Journal found that people who eat six or more small meals a day have 5% lower LDL cholesterol levels than those who eat one or two large meals. That's enough to shrink your risk of heart disease by 10 to 20%.

    Eat oatmeal cookies-In a University of Connecticut study, men with high LDL cholesterol (above 200 mg/dL) who ate oat-bran cookies daily for eight weeks dropped their levels by more than 20%.

    Take the Concord-University of California researchers found that compounds in Concord grapes help slow the formation of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. The grapes also lower blood pressure by an average of 6 points if you drink just 12 ounces of their juice a day.

    Swallow phytosterols or phytostanols-Both substances—derived from pine trees and soy—lower bad cholesterol levels by an average of 10 to 15%. Besides being available in supplements, the compounds are in cholesterol-lowering spreads like Benecol and Take Control. Sources: Wheat Germ Oil, Palm oil, sesame seeds, peanuts, wheat germ, puffed rice, passion fruit, watermelons, black olives, and boiled potatoes.

    Be a part-time vegetarian-Researchers in Toronto found that men who added a couple of servings of vegetarian fare such as whole grains, nuts, and beans to their diets each day for a month lowered their LDL cholesterol by nearly 30%.

    Olive Oil-Olive oil is high in unsaturated fats and can help you elevate your HDL. Replace butter and fried foods with foods cooked lightly in a heart-healthy olive oil, and switch to an oil-based vinaigrette for your salads. Oil is healthy, but it's high in fat and calories, so remember to practice moderation and keep your portions in check!

    Avocado-Although many dieters shy away from this fruit because of its high fat content, it's perfectly good for you thanks to its heart-healthy fats. Mash avocado to use as a spread on your sandwich or wrap, dice it into your salad, add it to omelets or whip up some homemade guacamole to enjoy with veggies or whole grain crackers.

    Oatmeal-Fiber, especially soluble fiber, can help bump up your HDL while reducing LDL. Oatmeal is an excellent source of soluble fiber, as is rice, bran, barley, dried peas and beans, and certain fruits like prunes and apples. A couple servings a day of these heart-healthy foods can have a positive effect on your HDL.
  • HelenCDavis
    HelenCDavis Posts: 22 Member
    Mickiebabcock

    That's a great list you posted. I like knowing the amounts I should eat.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    How do you know your potassium is low?
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Google
  • ArtGeek22
    ArtGeek22 Posts: 1,429 Member
    Bananas! Smash them in :tongue:
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    Google

    What I meant was...how does one know day to day if their potassium is low. I am a clinical lab scientist and I am not aware of any over the counter test for potassium. I am sorry, I should have made myself clear.
  • phil6707
    phil6707 Posts: 541 Member
    white beans and avocados
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
    Google

    What I meant was...how does one know day to day if their potassium is low. I am a clinical lab scientist and I am not aware of any over the counter test for potassium. I am sorry, I should have made myself clear.

    If you have the MFP app, you can see how much potassium you are consuming daily.

    Some food sources on MFP do not list the amounts of potassium in them, so you are most likely eating more than it says.

    Coconut water is a great source as well!
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    Google

    What I meant was...how does one know day to day if their potassium is low. I am a clinical lab scientist and I am not aware of any over the counter test for potassium. I am sorry, I should have made myself clear.

    If you have the MFP app, you can see how much potassium you are consuming daily.





    Some food sources on MFP do not list the amounts of potassium in them, so you are most likely eating more than it says.

    Coconut water is a great source as well!

    Thank you.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Spinach is one of the best sources of potassium out there. I like to steam it so I can eat lots.

    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Keep in mind that potassium isn't required on food labels in the U.S. which is where many of the food entries come from...thus you are probably consuming more potassium than you realize. It is pretty rare to actually be potassium deficient though many people who follow the SAD don't really take in optimal levels because they don't eat enough vegetables.

    At any rate, google high potassium foods. I drink coconut water in lie of sports drinks after a workout to replenish my electrolytes and it is very high in potassium...so is V8 (I go for the low sodium variety) and most canned tomato products/sauces. Beyond that, just eat your veggies, particularly your green leafy ones, and you should be fine.
  • LagputLew
    LagputLew Posts: 17 Member
    Smashy, Nice topic especially if anyone has a high Sodium intake. This app is great for showing what you're missing in terms of consumption.

    Feel free to message me. I am consciously working on hitting my daily goals for potassium.

    A Large number of Potassium Mgs can be consumed with by drinking LOW Sodium Vegetable Juice.
    ex a small 5.5 oz of Low Sodium V8 has 700mgs of Potassium.
    Other sources are Avocado's, Milk, Muscle Milk , Tomato, Spinach, Kale , Oranges or real Orange Juice (watch the sugar ), Papaya and Baked Potato's
    Grab a blender and blend some of it up, drink it down and stay healthy
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    Banana a day keep the potassium... in your body...
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
    Coconut water. If you don't like plain, VitaCoco has some yummy flavors to choose from. They're really low cal too.

    I notice my potassium (according to the reports on MFP) is low. I drink a few of those a week and it really bumps it up.
  • HelenCDavis
    HelenCDavis Posts: 22 Member
    I have high blood pressure controlled by medicine. My doctor wanted to add a potassium pill to my meds. I asked him if I couldn't just eat food instead of taking the pill. He suggested I eat an orange and banana everyday.

    Bananas don't keep well, I like oranges and bananas both, but wanted more variety in my diet. So, I looked up the potassium content of a banana and orange and used them as a guide for other foods. A simple source of potassium that keeps well is dried parsley. I add it to stews, soups, salad and pasta dishes.I use it by the 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup.
  • mszsun
    mszsun Posts: 12 Member
    Bananas are great! I eat a lot of them and reach my daily intake of potassium most days.