Potassium

csli0364
csli0364 Posts: 7 Member
edited December 3 in Food and Nutrition
How do I get enough potassium in my diet daily ?

Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    A lot of entries do not include potassium so it's possible you are getting enough already. Are you having any side effects of low potassium?

    I know mine is low if I have muscle spasms. I just add NuSalt to my dinner and all is well.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Ignore the potassium. :) For now the US does not require it to be listed on food labels. Therefore. Potassium is not included in most of the foods in the data base.
  • Ravenstar66
    Ravenstar66 Posts: 1 Member
    Bananas, sweet potatoes, spinach and avocado have high potassium
  • csli0364
    csli0364 Posts: 7 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    A lot of entries do not include potassium so it's possible you are getting enough already. Are you having any side effects of low potassium?

    I know mine is low if I have muscle spasms. I just add NuSalt to my dinner and all is well.

    No I haven't had muscle spasms I just keep track and it seems no matter how health I eat I can't meet my goal .
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited July 2016
    Other question going on similar to yours right now.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10433677/potassium-deficiency#latest

    If anyone knows why potassium is part of all this let me know.
    More people are deficient in magnesium, and I consider it much more important.
  • csli0364
    csli0364 Posts: 7 Member
    Ravenstar66 wrote: »
    Bananas, sweet potatoes, spinach and avocado have high potassium

    I do eat each of those items but still can meet my goal thanks for the reply .
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Potassium isn't required to be on the label so you probably are meeting your goal if you are eating all of those
  • StacyChrz
    StacyChrz Posts: 865 Member
    edited July 2016
    Copied from another thread because @SueInAz is dead on:

    SueInAz wrote: »
    Potassium pills are a waste of money. The highest concentration available is 99 mg and the daily recommended allowance is so far beyond that it's laughable.

    Part of the problem you are experiencing is that potassium is not a required nutrient on the labels of foods. I've purchased things like dried apricots, which are relatively rich in potassium, and potassium wasn't even listed on their label! If it's not on the label it won't be listed here in MFP. As a result, you're almost certainly getting more potassium in your diet than MFP says you are. I've been going on that theory for awhile and not worrying about it too much. My doctor checks my sodium and potassium levels with my blood work every year and they are always excellent.

    All of that said, the new labels just announced by the FDA earlier this year is correcting this. The FDA has realized that potassium is an issue for a lot of people: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm

    There are lists of foods that are high in potassium which might help you. Here are 10:

    1) Avocado
    1 whole: 1068 mg

    2) Spinach
    1 cup: 839mg

    3) Sweet potato
    1 medium: 952 mg

    4) Coconut Water
    1 cup 600 mg

    5) Kefir or Yogurt
    1 cup: 579 mg

    6) White Beans
    ½ cup: 502 mg

    7) Banana
    1 large: 422 mg

    8) Acorn squash
    1 cup: 899

    9) Dried apricots
    ½ cup: 755 mg

    10) Mushrooms
    1 cup: 428 mg

    There are many other foods have plenty of potassium, too. Here are a few websites with lists:

    https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm

    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/
    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/high-potassium-foods-topic-overview

    You can also buy a "salt substitute" which is actually potassium. I tried it a few years ago and, frankly, didn't like the metallic taste of it, though
  • csli0364
    csli0364 Posts: 7 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Potassium isn't required to be on the label so you probably are meeting your goal if you are eating all of those

    OK thank you .
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
    edited July 2016
    I started with a potassium deficiency and do keep track of it. If an MFP entry doesn't list potassium for a food, I look it up on USDA nutritional databases. Here's one:

    nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2

    Then I pick "Potassium pill" from the MFP database and enter the equivalent value (so if 3 ounces of a food contains 300mg of potassium, let's say, I enter 3 potassium pills from MFP).

    You'd be pleased at how nicely things add up!
  • csli0364
    csli0364 Posts: 7 Member
    StacyChrz wrote: »
    Copied from another thread because @SueInAz is dead on:

    SueInAz wrote: »
    Potassium pills are a waste of money. The highest concentration available is 99 mg and the daily recommended allowance is so far beyond that it's laughable.

    Part of the problem you are experiencing is that potassium is not a required nutrient on the labels of foods. I've purchased things like dried apricots, which are relatively rich in potassium, and potassium wasn't even listed on their label! If it's not on the label it won't be listed here in MFP. As a result, you're almost certainly getting more potassium in your diet than MFP says you are. I've been going on that theory for awhile and not worrying about it too much. My doctor checks my sodium and potassium levels with my blood work every year and they are always excellent.

    All of that said, the new labels just announced by the FDA earlier this year is correcting this. The FDA has realized that potassium is an issue for a lot of people: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm385663.htm

    There are lists of foods that are high in potassium which might help you. Here are 10:

    1) Avocado
    1 whole: 1068 mg

    2) Spinach
    1 cup: 839mg

    3) Sweet potato
    1 medium: 952 mg

    4) Coconut Water
    1 cup 600 mg

    5) Kefir or Yogurt
    1 cup: 579 mg

    6) White Beans
    ½ cup: 502 mg

    7) Banana
    1 large: 422 mg

    8) Acorn squash
    1 cup: 899

    9) Dried apricots
    ½ cup: 755 mg

    10) Mushrooms
    1 cup: 428 mg

    There are many other foods have plenty of potassium, too. Here are a few websites with lists:

    https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm

    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/
    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/high-potassium-foods-topic-overview

    You can also buy a "salt substitute" which is actually potassium. I tried it a few years ago and, frankly, didn't like the metallic taste of it, though

    Thank you .
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