Not reaching my potassium goal :-\

I have been experiencing symptoms of potassium deficiency like cramps heart palpitations and anxiety along with trouble sleeping I eat spinach avocados Greek yogurt but it doesn't put a dent in my daily goal I'll be lucky to even reach it halfway. I'm having problems trying to get all that potassium in a low calorie deficit diet. Any good supplements or potassium rich foods/ I don't like bananas. Please help :'(
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Replies

  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    Bananas, coffee, potatoes.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited July 2015
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited July 2015
    You won't know from your diary because the database is whack

    Please see a doc
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    This is what I eat for my potassium...

    V8 juice...1 cup has 900mg for 50 calories (big bang for the bucks)
    4-5 srvg...vegetables
    Bananas
    Potatoes

    Just google foods high in potassium for a list and try to incorporate more of them.




  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
    I am trying to raise my Potassium as well. Right now I have to take Potassium Chloride powder every day. It tastes awful and I have to mix it with orange juice.

    This is the list of foods my Dr. gave me that are high in potassium:

    Winter squash, cubed, 1 cup, cooked: 896 mg
    Sweet potato, medium, baked with skin: 694 mg
    Potato, medium, baked with skin: 610 mg
    White beans, canned, drained, half cup: 595 mg
    Yogurt, fat-free, 1 cup: 579 mg
    Halibut, 3 ounces, cooked: 490 mg
    100% orange juice, 8 ounces: 496 mg
    Broccoli, 1 cup, cooked: 457 mg
    Cantaloupe, cubed, 1 cup: 431 mg
    Banana, 1 medium: 422 mg
    Pork tenderloin, 3 ounces, cooked: 382 mg
    Lentils, half cup, cooked: 366 mg
    Milk, 1% low fat, 8 ounces: 366 mg
    Salmon, farmed Atlantic, 3 ounces, cooked: 326 mg
    Pistachios, shelled, 1 ounce, dry roasted: 295 mg
    Raisins, quarter cup: 250 mg
    Chicken breast, 3 ounces, cooked: 218 mg
    Tuna, light, canned, drained, 3 ounces: 201 mg
  • lalainap19
    lalainap19 Posts: 165 Member
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?

    Not on any meds or have any health problems just the ones I listed.

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    sweet potatoes, raisins, squash, cantaloupe, yogurt.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?

    Not on any meds or have any health problems just the ones I listed.

    If that's the case, the heart palps are probably due to having anxiety. It's pretty common. What about caffein or preworkouts? Taking any of those?
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    Dried apricots are tremendous for potassium. Acron squash. Spinach. White beans. Baked taters.
    And yea, MFP doesn't track potassium. :/
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
    I also agree that the database is whack. Here are some additional potassium sources I didn't see mentioned:

    Butternut squash
    Coconut water
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 563 Member
    Try a black bean brownie smoothie. This makes 3 big servings, but I confess I sometimes drink it all as a meal:

    1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
    2 large bananas
    1T. cinnamon
    3T. unsweetened cocoa
    3 c. Silk Soymilk (original, plain)
    Puree in blender and serve room temp or chilled.

    This will not only give you tons of potassium, but protein, iron, calcium, and fiber as well. And it is really delicious! One problem with potassium is that it does not appear on the nutritional info label for many foods, since it is not required by law. It also doesn't appear in some MFP database listings when it should. I make sure I find an entry that gives me credit for potassium eaten, if I can.
    Canned butter beans microwaved with frozen spinach, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper is another great way to get a load of potassium. Keep trying~!
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    edited July 2015
    OP...I ended up having to enter my own foods in to the data base in order to get a more accurate count. Very few entries include potassium.

    ETA...Even a lot of food labels do not include potassium. I use the USDA data base to get most of my info.
  • lalainap19
    lalainap19 Posts: 165 Member
    .
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?

    Not on any meds or have any health problems just the ones I listed.

    If that's the case, the heart palps are probably due to having anxiety. It's pretty common. What about caffein or preworkouts? Taking any of those?
    I have tea once or twice a day no preworkouts but I moved to California in February ever since I've had problems sleeping and anxiety it was a drastic change in my life.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    I have been experiencing symptoms of potassium deficiency like cramps heart palpitations and anxiety along with trouble sleeping I eat spinach avocados Greek yogurt but it doesn't put a dent in my daily goal I'll be lucky to even reach it halfway. I'm having problems trying to get all that potassium in a low calorie deficit diet. Any good supplements or potassium rich foods/ I don't like bananas. Please help :'(

    After I lost my thyroid to cancer several years ago, I developed the same symptoms It took me a while to see a doctor, because with a healthy diet I thought I could possibly not be potassium deficient. I was checked out and it was discovered that I had an absorption problem.
    My MD told me that with those problems it was next to impossible to get enough potassium through my food. I had to take potassium pills every day for a while and now take one once a week.
    If you are concerned, see a doctor and if not so much, maybe make an all-out effort to eat a lot of potassium rich food.
    Good Luck !

  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    .
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?

    Not on any meds or have any health problems just the ones I listed.

    If that's the case, the heart palps are probably due to having anxiety. It's pretty common. What about caffein or preworkouts? Taking any of those?
    I have tea once or twice a day no preworkouts but I moved to California in February ever since I've had problems sleeping and anxiety it was a drastic change in my life.

    lol. Yeah, that'll do it. I hate California. moving away as soon as am financially able.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    I'm really serious about the coffee. Trying out logging it yourself.
  • SimoneBee12
    SimoneBee12 Posts: 268 Member
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    .
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?

    Not on any meds or have any health problems just the ones I listed.

    If that's the case, the heart palps are probably due to having anxiety. It's pretty common. What about caffein or preworkouts? Taking any of those?
    I have tea once or twice a day no preworkouts but I moved to California in February ever since I've had problems sleeping and anxiety it was a drastic change in my life.

    OP, you should really go see your doctor, from what you've said, I don't think your anxiety is related to low potassium, but rather an anxiety disorder. Especially if you just made a massive move, they can commonly cause anxiety. Plus, the doctor can give you a blood test to see if you actually are low on potassium, so you'll know either way.

    That's just my opinion, though.

    Also, tea can give me heart palpitations, maybe try avoiding it for a week, and see if it helps. However, the anxiety and sleeping problems are most likely something else.
  • lalainap19
    lalainap19 Posts: 165 Member
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    .
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?

    Not on any meds or have any health problems just the ones I listed.

    If that's the case, the heart palps are probably due to having anxiety. It's pretty common. What about caffein or preworkouts? Taking any of those?
    I have tea once or twice a day no preworkouts but I moved to California in February ever since I've had problems sleeping and anxiety it was a drastic change in my life.

    lol. Yeah, that'll do it. I hate California. moving away as soon as am financially able.
    Yes we are moving back to Florida in 2 weeks I pray it helps
  • lalainap19
    lalainap19 Posts: 165 Member
    edited July 2015
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    .
    lalainap19 wrote: »
    I doubt you're deficient, it's pretty difficult to get deficient. Most of the foods in the MFP database don't have potassium entered even if the food contains it, so your diary will likely always be low unless you make an effort to pick entries that have it.

    You should see your dr and get your levels check and your thyroid checked as well just in case.

    Are you on thyroid meds?

    Not on any meds or have any health problems just the ones I listed.
    I get scared to go to the doc I don't want to get on pills I've had family with drug issues and a friend overdose it scares me a lot :-(

    If that's the case, the heart palps are probably due to having anxiety. It's pretty common. What about caffein or preworkouts? Taking any of those?
    I have tea once or twice a day no preworkouts but I moved to California in February ever since I've had problems sleeping and anxiety it was a drastic change in my life.

    OP, you should really go see your doctor, from what you've said, I don't think your anxiety is related to low potassium, but rather an anxiety disorder. Especially if you just made a massive move, they can commonly cause anxiety. Plus, the doctor can give you a blood test to see if you actually are low on potassium, so you'll know either way.

    That's just my opinion, though.

    Also, tea can give me heart palpitations, maybe try avoiding it for a week, and see if it helps. However, the anxiety and sleeping problems are most likely something else.


    I'm scared to go to the doc I've had family get in those pills and a friend overdose so it scares me a lot to take anything a doc will prescribe :-(
  • GeapetCore
    GeapetCore Posts: 32 Member
    I thought MFP does track potassium??? I thought I've seen it there before.

    I have problems with not enough potassium due to a few medications I take. Coconut water has a lot of potassium as does tomato paste.

    As for heart palpitations, do you mean a rapid heart beat or afib? I know when I get too low on water and/or potassium, I will go into afib. Not fun.

    Finally, decaf coffee and decaf tea still have some level of caffeine in them so avoid as well.