Good Potassium Sources?

DelilahFreeman
DelilahFreeman Posts: 29 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I can never hit my daily goal for potassium!! I like to stay away from bananas, mostly, because of the sugar. I have researched potassium some BUT I never seem to even come close to hitting my daily recommended potassium. MFP has it set at 3500g, woah- I'm lucky to get 1300. I've also looked at the potassium supplements and I could only find supplements that gave you 3% of your daily potassium per capsule AND the serving size was 1-3 capsules. That's not very helpful! Any ideas would be appreciated (especially low cal, low sugar, low fat, and low sodium ideas LOL) Cheers to a happy & healthy you.

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Replies

  • Mnata
    Mnata Posts: 35 Member
    Coconut water has a good amount of potassium, with not many calories. I've been able to find Vita Coco at Publix stores, and one 17 oz container has over 1000 mg of potassium with 90 calories. It also comes in different flavors if you don't like the taste of plain coconut water.
  • ashley67203
    ashley67203 Posts: 95
    I get a lot of my potassium from beans, lentils, spinach and potatoes.

    Oh, and squash. I make a squash soup about every other week and it's full of potassium.
  • xcirce
    xcirce Posts: 20 Member
    Dried (or fresh) apricots! Delicious and they have oodles of potassium. =]
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    bananas.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    Milk, oranges, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, or meats. And a WIDE variety of other things. Bananas are not your only or even best option!

    Remember, potassium is not required on nutritional labels. You are most certainly getting more than you think. As long as your potassium and sodium are pretty balanced, you'll be okay.
  • psychopiglet
    psychopiglet Posts: 130 Member
    Bananas were the first thing to come to mind.
  • delsey2007
    delsey2007 Posts: 68 Member
    Yep, bananas are probably the best source.
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
    White beans(beans in general), beet greens(never had them), spinach, fish like halibut and salmon....big one is baked potato...Potatoes! They get a bad rep for being starchy but they have some of the highest amounts of potassium. Just eat more fresh produce in general and your count will be higher. :) People have always led others to bananas but all the ones I listed have twice as much if not more. Bananas are good too though.
  • candicebauer
    candicebauer Posts: 7
    YES vita coco coconut water flavored with mango fruits or regular and its 120 calories for 17oz bottle and its got 1000mg potassium
  • candicebauer
    candicebauer Posts: 7
    YES vita coco coconut water flavored with mango fruits or regular and its 120 calories for 17oz bottle and its got 1000mg potassium
    I DRINK IT EVERYDAY yum haha
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    Coconut water has a good amount of potassium, with not many calories. I've been able to find Vita Coco at Publix stores, and one 17 oz container has over 1000 mg of potassium with 90 calories. It also comes in different flavors if you don't like the taste of plain coconut water.

    Yep - just read this yesterday as well - 600mg per cup of coconut water according to the article I read - bananas has 450mg....
  • cynraz
    cynraz Posts: 11
    coconut water, nirvana seems to be the lowest in calories
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Why the hate on bananas on these forums? They taste awesome and they give you monkey powa!

    The sugar they give is the good sugar i thought and they got all kinds of good stuff in it. Plus also a good way to get rid of that sweet tooth!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Yes, don't rely solely on the MFP database - it's very poor nutrients like vitamins.

    A quick Google suggests these are the top 10 potassium rich foods.

    Swiss Chard

    Lima Beans

    Potatoes

    Yam

    Soybeans

    Spinach

    Papaya

    Pinto Beans

    Lentils

    Kidney Beans

    Another source suggests sweet potatoes, orange juice, beet greens, white beans, dates, yoghurt, tomatoes, raisins and clams.

    Happy cooking!
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 8,469 Member
    Low sodium V8 has a lot of potassium, but your macros may be messed up because potassium isn't always included in the counts and then it is counted as 0. I was trying to track my potassium but gave up when I realized that the beans I had entered counted as 0 potassium when beans actually have a lot.
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    bananas are NOT the best source by far!!!! we've been brainwashed by commercials and marketing campaigns.

    The other sources that people have named here are far better, with less calories and fat.
    Another one that no one has mentioned is potassium salt. You can find it in the spice section as a salt substitute. Use it instead of regular salt and you will get ALL the potassium you need.


    Also, COFFEE is high in potassium. it's true!!! look it up.
  • onedayillbamilf
    onedayillbamilf Posts: 662 Member
    Yogurt has a good bit of potassium.
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    not to beat a dead horse, but sugar is sugar. there is no good sugar.
    Why the hate on bananas on these forums? They taste awesome and they give you monkey powa!

    The sugar they give is the good sugar i thought and they got all kinds of good stuff in it. Plus also a good way to get rid of that sweet tooth!
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    duplicate post
  • onedayillbamilf
    onedayillbamilf Posts: 662 Member
    bananas are NOT the best source by far!!!! we've been brainwashed by commercials and marketing campaigns.

    The other sources that people have named here are far better, with less calories and fat.

    Also, COFFEE is high in potassium. it's true!!! look it up.

    Brainwashed by the marketing for bananas? The cheapest fruit there is?
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
    Here's a good link on the subject that I bookmarked: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member

    Brainwashed by the marketing for bananas? The cheapest fruit there is?

    absolutely yes. they had a HUGE marketing campaign in the 70s, and it got stuck in the culture. Other foods are FAR better sources of potassium, for cheaper and for fewer calories.
  • SammyKatt
    SammyKatt Posts: 363 Member
    1,000 mg

    Avocado (1 cup)
    Baked potato (8 ounces with skin)
    Beet greens (3/4 cup, cooked)
    Edamame (1 cup shelled, cooked)
    Lima beans (1 cup, cooked)
    Papaya (1 large)
    Sweet potato (1 cup, cooked)


    750 mg

    Plantains (1 cup, cooked)
    Salmon (6 ounces, raw)
    Tomato sauce (1 cup)
    Winter squash (1 cup, cooked)



    500 mg

    Banana (1 large)
    Beets (1 cup, cooked)
    Cantaloupe (1 cup)
    Dried apricots (12 halves)
    Dried figs (4)
    Orange juice (1 cup)
    Yogurt (1 cup plain low-fat)


    250 mg

    Broccoli (1/2 cup, cooked)
    Chicken breast (5 ounces, roasted)
    Dates (5 whole)
    Kiwifruit (1)
    Mango (1)
    Milk (1 cup)
    Nectarine (1)
    Orange (1 medium)
    Peanut butter (2 tablespoons)
    Peanuts (1 ounce, about 1/4 cup)
    Pear (1 large)
    Raisins (1/4 cup)
    Strawberries (1 cup)
    Zucchini (1/2 cup, cooked)
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    12 ounces of coffee has about 250 mg of potassium.

    Many other foods have potassium as well.

    for the most part, you probably don't need to worry about it, unless you drink gallons of water as MFP and women's magazines urge you to do. If you drinnk when you are thirsty, as nature intended, your potassium levels will be absolutely fine.
  • psychopiglet
    psychopiglet Posts: 130 Member
    bananas are NOT the best source by far!!!! we've been brainwashed by commercials and marketing campaigns.

    Erm.... I have never in my entire life seen a commercial for bananas. I just learned in school that they are the most affordable and easily obtainable good source of potassium.
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    You're too young. there used to be commercials all the time. At this point, it has just become universally accepted.

    Erm.... I have never in my entire life seen a commercial for bananas. I just learned in school that they are the most affordable and easily obtainable good source of potassium.
  • lipglossjunky73
    lipglossjunky73 Posts: 497 Member
    Coconut water. Taste Nirvana is the best one out there!!!
  • lipglossjunky73
    lipglossjunky73 Posts: 497 Member
    bananas are NOT the best source by far!!!! we've been brainwashed by commercials and marketing campaigns.

    Erm.... I have never in my entire life seen a commercial for bananas. I just learned in school that they are the most affordable and easily obtainable good source of potassium.

    The banana conspiracy. Yes. Watch out for those damn banana pushers.
  • b0mbxchelle
    b0mbxchelle Posts: 40
    I am actually really BIG on eating potassium right now. I've lowered my sodium and increased the crap out of my potassium. Here are some of the things I rely on on a daily basis.

    BAKED POTATOES. (These are really high in potassium) I eat two with dinner.
    ORANGE JUICE
    PASTACHIOS
    SUN FLOWER SEEDS
    AVOCADO
    RAISINS
    DARK CHOCOLATE
    CRANBERRIES
    PINEAPPLE

    and I also drink a Slim fast everyday which is HUGE in potassium as well. Good luck!!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I have the same issue. I can never reach my potassium goal.... I had a big glass of milk after dinner and that gave me 700 mg of potassium lol. I eat at least one banana every day... I eat lots of apples, too. Dried fruits have a lot of potassium so I'm thinking of buying some type of dried fruit and making a trail mix with it.

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