How to get enough Potassium? Why do multivitamins have barely any?

waituntil
waituntil Posts: 42 Member
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
As I log my food on MFP, I notice that I don't get nearly enough potassium that it says I need.

So I am taking multivitamins, but all the ones I've seen have very little potassium... usually about 2% of the daily requirement. Does anyone know why they don't contain enough potassium?

So how can anyone get as much potassium as MFP nutrtional info shows we need?

No, a banana a day doesn't give enough potassium either.

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    You may be getting more than MFP shows. MFP only shows what is on the label and not all food shows the potassium on the label.

    Taking supplements can be dangerous if you don't need them. That's probably why they don't put any potassium in there.
  • waituntil
    waituntil Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks for the reply Kalikel,

    I wish I was... but I've also looked up the foods I eat on the Nutritional Database and I don't get much potassium. Does anyone else?
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
    Lite Salt or No Salt, in the salt section of your regular grocery store. Dilute 1/8 or 1/4tsp in 16oz of water, flavor with Mio or something. Easy way to get potassium and sodium (if using Lite Salt). I do this twice a day to supplement.
  • infomancer
    infomancer Posts: 16 Member
    I found your second question interesting, so I did some reading. If Wikipedia is to be believed, "very high concentrations of potassium ion (which might occur next to a solid tablet of potassium chloride) can kill tissue, and cause injury to the gastric or intestinal mucosa. For this reason, non-prescription supplement potassium pills are limited by law in the US to only 99 mg of potassium." (emphasis mine)

    99 mg of a 4700 mg RDA would work out to around 2%, right?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    waituntil wrote: »
    Thanks for the reply Kalikel,

    I wish I was... but I've also looked up the foods I eat on the Nutritional Database and I don't get much potassium. Does anyone else?

    Most Americans don't get enough potassium. I have worked on mine. You can google for foods with a lot of it to see which ones you can incorporate. It would be difficult to eat enough potassium to do any harm. :)
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    ^Yeah, it's screwy. Potassium supplement pills are pretty useless. Nu Salt is the way to go, like ketorach said.
    I use a mix of that and Lite Salt (half salt, half potassium) when seasoning.
  • waituntil
    waituntil Posts: 42 Member
    infomancer wrote: »
    I found your second question interesting, so I did some reading. If Wikipedia is to be believed, "very high concentrations of potassium ion (which might occur next to a solid tablet of potassium chloride) can kill tissue, and cause injury to the gastric or intestinal mucosa. For this reason, non-prescription supplement potassium pills are limited by law in the US to only 99 mg of potassium." (emphasis mine)

    99 mg of a 4700 mg RDA would work out to around 2%, right?

    Yes! I understand now... about the supplements. Thanks! Always wondered about that.
    I notice magnesium is very low too but I've never read that magnesium is dangerous.
  • SchweddyGirl
    SchweddyGirl Posts: 244 Member
    Potatoes (white and sweet) have a lot of potassium. As does things like cucumbers, peppers, bananas, turnips, celery root, etc.. If you load up on vegetables then the potassium will fall into place. It is actually quite common to see some marathoners carrying boiled salted potatoes as fuel, they have the carbs they need for the 26.2 miles and at the same time provide potassium to help curb muscle cramps and support all the hard work the heart is doing.
  • waituntil
    waituntil Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks Ketorach. Good idea. I don't usually use salt, so I would be okay with that little bit. :)
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    If your doctor has done blood work which demonstrates low potassium levels have them direct you in picking the levels up, otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it. Potassium is not required on labelling, so you could be getting more than you think. Both high and low potassium are problematic for muscle (including cardiac) functioning. For this one, I would suggest seeing your doctor if you have concerns.
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
    edited January 2015
    Nu Salt and Lite Salt taste really bad. You'll want to mix it in water and flavor it. If you add it to food, it'll make your food taste nasty. (In my opinion... :wink: )
  • waituntil
    waituntil Posts: 42 Member
    Oh okay. Hee hee thanks for the warning Ketorach!

    Thanks Fiesty_bucket. I've never heard of Nusalt.

    SchweddyGirl, I wish I could eat more potatoes, but I have prediabetes, so I need to cut down on carbs.

    But cucumbers and peppers are good :)

    Thanks a lot!

    Nutmegoreo, thanks. I have had my electrolytes tested a few times (not lately though) and I've always had the right amount of potassium, except one time it was a couple points too high. Then the doctor repeated the test and it was normal. I guess maybe I shouldn't worry about finding it in my diet afterall. :)
  • ketorach
    ketorach Posts: 430 Member
    If you're cutting carbs, you need more sodium and potassium and magnesium. Please do supplement.
  • RacquetChick
    RacquetChick Posts: 164 Member
    Low sodium V8 has it added (like 700)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Carrots have potassium.
    3k2wqv9fqjus.jpeg
  • waituntil
    waituntil Posts: 42 Member
    ketorach wrote: »
    If you're cutting carbs, you need more sodium and potassium and magnesium. Please do supplement.

    This is true. But I'm not eating "low carb", just lower... hah. I'm trying to limit my carbs to about 175g a day.

  • BackInTheSaddle13
    BackInTheSaddle13 Posts: 47 Member
    Potatoes, peppers, oranges, zucchini, bananas, tuna, chicken are some top contenders. Keep in mind that if you're working out you're going to purge some salt in your sweat so while you don't want to guzzle salt water your body will get rid of some on its own.
  • waituntil
    waituntil Posts: 42 Member
    edited January 2015
    Thanks Melissa. I should try the V

    Thanks Lifting4Lis, I wish I liked carrots.

    Thanks BackintheSaddle.. good tips
  • infomancer
    infomancer Posts: 16 Member
    waituntil wrote: »
    Yes! I understand now... about the supplements. Thanks! Always wondered about that.
    I notice magnesium is very low too but I've never read that magnesium is dangerous.
    Nothing I found quickly about magnesium was very definitive, but it was suggested that it's bulky and therefore it would be difficult to fit more into a single multivitamin tablet. But no citations were given, so mileage may vary :smile:
  • waituntil
    waituntil Posts: 42 Member
    Oh okay! Thanks Infomancer :)
This discussion has been closed.

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