Potassium Shortage

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Bioprof1227
Bioprof1227 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Vegetarian here with a 5-week 10 lbs weight loss goal (~1800 Cal/day). I've lost 5 lbs, but the problem is that I've had a significant potassium deficit (i.e. 50% or less the recommended level) just about every day for the past two weeks. What are your suggestions for upping my K intake other than with supplements? Thanks!

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  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    Potassium isn't required to be listed on nutrition labels in the U.S. and Canada, so many of the database entries don't have it. Here's brief list of potassium rich foods - http://www.drugs.com/cg/potassium-content-of-foods-list.html - and you can always check what you're eating on SelfNutrition - http://nutritiondata.self.com/ - for foods that don't have a label.
  • KrunchyMama
    KrunchyMama Posts: 420 Member
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    I asked this question a while back and found out that coffee has potassium ('coffee- brewed grounds' I think is the one with potassium listed)
  • Tessa0724
    Tessa0724 Posts: 5 Member
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    Is potassium good for weight loss? Sorry if that's a dumb question...
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    Tessa0724 wrote: »
    Is potassium good for weight loss? Sorry if that's a dumb question...

    It's not going to magically make you lose weight. It's an essential nutrient that our bodies need.
  • Bioprof1227
    Bioprof1227 Posts: 6 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks all. A little more searching, and I learned that many fresh fruits (bananas, oranges, avocados, kiwis), and fresh vegetables (greens, peas, beets, tomatoes) and mushrooms are good sources of potassium.
  • Kida_Adeylne
    Kida_Adeylne Posts: 201 Member
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    I've been tracking for months and I've never, by the nutrition lables provided, hit the potassium intake. I doubt I ever have. I'm not dead (or even mildly ill) yet. As someone said above, it's not a requirement for listing on labels.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I would suggest you always try and find the generic USDA database version of a food in the MFP database. They all have potassium included.

    In fact, the USDA database is a good place to figure out which foods are high in potassium in general ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods. It's also handy for checking out fats etc.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Bioprof1227 wrote: »
    Thanks all. A little more searching, and I learned that many fresh fruits (bananas, oranges, avocados, kiwis), and fresh vegetables (greens, peas, beets, tomatoes) and mushrooms are good sources of potassium.

    Don't forget potatoes! One medium-to-large sized russet (Idaho) potato will give you 800-1300mg potassium (size/weight dependent, of course). If you're veg*n, and eat all your veggies and fruits every day (as we all should), you're getting plenty of potassium (regardless of its omission in some of the database entries).

    Oh, and bean/legumes are great for potassium (and fiber, and protein) <3

    ETA: Feel free to peek at my diary for ideas. I'm not veg*n, but I eat all the plants I can get in my mouth, and use the "official" (NON asterisk) MFP database entries for as many foods as I can, so I can see my potassium numbers (I hit 4,000mg+ most days, except fast food days--Oops!)
  • kayeiam
    kayeiam Posts: 215 Member
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    too high or too low of potassium can effect the heart. It is important to get enough, but don't go over board. I track my potassium (was low on blood tests a few years ago and my doctor put me on prescription potassium). I now track it. I was getting between 500 to 700 mg's a day, now I try to get 3500 to 4700 a day. My food diary is open, but been real sick since Saturday 3/14/2015. so look before that to see what my true diary looks looks like. My day today is getting back on track, but my potassium is under today still.

    Mushrooms, tomato's, have high potassium. Also I will drink low sodium V8 (yes I use to think it was nasty, but now I like it, got use to it). a 5.5 oz can has 700 mg and a 8oz glass has 900mg of potassium.
  • VeggieLyfe
    VeggieLyfe Posts: 12 Member
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    Bump
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    If you're really worried, drink some coconut water. But if you're a veggie and eating mostly fresh foods, you probably aren't even close to deficient. If it worries you, get a blood test. Even during the "winter of ice cream," my blood levels of potassium were still within the normal range.
  • lorenswan
    lorenswan Posts: 30 Member
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    Oftentimes with healthy minded people potassium or magnesium deficiency points to underlying digestive issues with bacterial causation in its early stages. Consider adding some greek yogurt or soy silk yogurt to your diet. Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute for that all fat sour cream! Put it on a baked potato. Done and Done! If you eat healthy there's no reason not to get potassium already.
  • br3adman
    br3adman Posts: 284 Member
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    Squash is in season and has so much.
  • pzyxian
    pzyxian Posts: 22 Member
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    eat a banana or more a day!

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