?????Potassium?????

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gailygail99
gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so why the heck do we need so much potassium? 3500mg? Is that a lot? What does it do for you? What else is it in besides bananas? I NEVER reach my goal for potassium. Today I have 1051/3500. Doesnt look too good, or does it? So to all you nutrition buffs out there, please fill us in on POTASSIUM and why we need it and how we can get more of it. Thanks :huh:

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  • vanfox23
    vanfox23 Posts: 110
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    Potassium is needed for the regulation of blood pressure. It's in all meats and dairy. I'm watching that and magnesium for my blood pressure.
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
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    I know that potassium will help you not have muscle cramping, a lot of runners eat then before and after races :glasses:

    That is why I started having a banana a day... just to help increase my potassium. When I went for a week without a banana a day, I could feel it in my legs as I just walked around work. Stiff thighs when you haven't just finished working out are not fun!?
  • busub
    busub Posts: 58
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    Just want to add that potatoes with skin have tons of potassium...k?
  • KellyBurton1
    KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
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    some good soures are: 1 medium baked potato with skin, 1 medium banana, 1 medium papaya, 1/2 cup steamed edamame, 1/2 cup tomatoe sauce, 1/2 cup cooked spinach, 1 medium orange.

    When your sodium level is high, your tissues hold on to fluid. you can restore your sodium-potassium equilibrium by increasing your potassium intake to an optiumum 4,700 mg per day. with this you need to eat about 4 1/2 cups of produce daily including the above foods to rebalance your system, you'll flush out the extra sodim along with the water. all this helps with belly bloat.
  • shelbert13
    shelbert13 Posts: 9
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    Raisins are good! I'm watching it due to heart irregularities that may be caused by a lack of potassium.
  • traceybett
    traceybett Posts: 206 Member
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    This is just a guess, but I feel that alot of foods do not list how much potassium is in the food and that we are getting alot more in our diet than what we see and record.

    I went to buy a potassium suppliment and the most mg I could get was like 90mg.

    It's a mystery, but i do feel it has to do with the fact that foods aren't required to list it on nutrition labels.

    Just my guess :ohwell:
  • hemlock2010
    hemlock2010 Posts: 422 Member
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    Potassium is also part of the process of turning glucose into glycogen.
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
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    the FDA doesn't require potassium levels listed on nutritional information, so you probably are getting much more than you think & it is necessary to help your body regulate sodium levels. if you're overly concerned about it, go get labs done, otherwise i wouldn't worry too much about it. the body is good at maintaining homeostasis. :o)
  • jjhanlon
    jjhanlon Posts: 74 Member
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    Potassium helps maintain electrolyte balance, and is also important for proper muscle and nerve function. The AI or adequate intake for potassium is approx. 4,700 mg per day (not sure where MFP got 3,500). Many people probably don't reach this level with their daily intake, it can be difficult to do! You normally don't have to worry about being low in potassium unless you are losing a lot of fluid from vomiting or diarrhea (or other forms of dehydration). Good sources of potassium are fresh fruits, vegetables and meat, grains, beans and legumes and milk (basically whole foods). Potatoes, bananas, acorn squash, soybeans and artichokes are great sources of potassium. Try to increase your intake of these and other whole foods, getting potassium from foods is MUCH better than taking supplements (supplemented potassium can be dangerous in high amounts - in contrast, there is no toxic level when potassium is consumed in food) Hope this helps!
  • eellis2000
    eellis2000 Posts: 465 Member
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    Just want to add that potatoes with skin have tons of potassium...k?
    and only 6min in the micro and less than 200 cals
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
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    thanks everyone!! i stopped eating potatoes when I started MFP, so i havent had one since JAN!! YIKES!! i didnt realize that they had so much potassium in them. i think i will eventually go back to potatoes at some point. thanks for all the help!! i also didnt know that it isnt listed on all nutrition labels so i might be getting more than i thought. thanks again for all the info! you all are awesome! :wink:

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