Potassium shortfall

Hi,
I have been eating 1650 kcal to achieve a loss of just 1/4lb a week as I am trying to tone and lose steadily not yoyo. According to my Mfp I never make my recommended Potassium levels which is needed for muscle function though and I just wondered if anyone could recommend their best food for it - other than bananas.
I have been having some muscle cramps lately and wonder if the two are connected.
I take multivitamins but would like to eat 'real' foods. Thanks for any pointers.

Replies

  • joelovescarmen
    joelovescarmen Posts: 7 Member
    I use low salt V8 Juice
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Low sodium-canned tomatoes, no sugar added orange juice, kidney beans, sweet potatoes are good for potassium, but I don't eat them much.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Muscle cramping is one of the possible symptoms of a potassium deficiency, here's a link to a list of potassium rich foods (lima beans were a bit of a surprise at 955mg per 1 cup serving!)

    http://www.algaecal.com/potassium-rich-foods.html
  • _hi_hat3r_
    _hi_hat3r_ Posts: 423 Member
    Potatoes
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    There is probably a lot of potassium in your diet that just isn't being tracked. The FDA does not require potassium content to be listed on the RDA panel on food labels - it's optional. So, many, many foods that contain relatively generous amounts of potassium will show as containing NONE in MFP.

    I bet your potassium intake isn't nearly as low as it seems! :-)
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Brocolli, lettuce, cauliflower. Any fruits or veggies have potassium. The numbers might not be significant, but they do add up.
  • shel1103
    shel1103 Posts: 185 Member
    I have struggled with my Potassium levels for a while. I was on supplements as well, but have finally gone off. Any green leafy vegetable is good, also raisins, or dried fruit (but watch the sugar).

    Foods with Potassium Serving Size Potassium (mg)
    Apricots, dried 10 halves 407
    Avocados, raw 1 ounce 180
    Bananas, raw 1 cup 594
    Beets, cooked 1 cup 519
    Brussel sprouts, cooked 1 cup 504
    Cantaloupe 1 cup 494
    Dates, dry 5 dates 271
    Figs, dry 2 figs 271
    Kiwi fruit, raw 1 medium 252
    Lima beans 1 cup 955
    Melons, honeydew 1 cup 461
    Milk, fat free or skim 1 cup 407
    Nectarines 1 nectarine 288
    Orange juice 1 cup 496
    Oranges 1 orange 237
    Pears (fresh) 1 pear 208
    Peanuts dry roasted, unsalted 1 ounce 187
    Potatoes, baked, 1 potato 1081
    Prune juice 1 cup 707
    Prunes, dried 1 cup 828
    Raisins 1 cup 1089
    Spinach, cooked 1 cup 839
    Tomato products, canned sauce 1 cup 909
    Winter squash 1 cup 896
    Yogurt plain, skim milk 8 ounces 579
  • Thanks for that. I was rather concerned. I eat plenty of potatoes and pulses, so maybe they are just not tracking. Still got cramps though, will try the juice next. This was my first post. :)
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
    If your diet is healthy, I would not worry about the Potassium levels. Most foods do not list potassium, so I am sure you are getting enough.

    Your body is a wonderful, perfect machine. It takes what it needs and is extremely good at eliminating what it does not need. If you start to worry about each and every electrolyte your body needs, you will burn out and give up. Just keep it healthy.
  • wjrapp
    wjrapp Posts: 56 Member
    Vitacoco Coconut water has 515mg of potassium per serving, and only 45 cal. Fresh tomatoes and sweet red peppers are high in potassium also....Those are my favorites...
  • bleumanchu
    bleumanchu Posts: 23 Member
    Zucchini, cucumbers, acorn squash, and a myriad of other fresh fruits and vegetables. There is evidence linking high potassium intake and reductions in blood pressure ( 2-3.1 point of the top number, the systolic blood pressure). Added bonuses to eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables include a likely reduction in sodium intake (as the calories eaten in fruits/veggies will push other higher sodium options out), significant increase in vitamins and minerals from "real food" sources, increased fiber consumption, probably reduction in risk of colon and other cancers, and a drastic increase in your feelings of superiority over those not eating enough ;)

    It should be noted that the same improvements in blood pressure have not been found with consumption of potassium supplements--this includes multivitamins, and unfortunately also include low sodium V8 as the high potassium content comes largely from potassium added as potassium chloride (a salt substitute), which excludes it as a "whole food" source of K+.

    Edit: I see there's a much more comprehensive list posted above :)
  • dperich1968
    dperich1968 Posts: 235 Member
    I have struggled with my Potassium levels for a while. I was on supplements as well, but have finally gone off. Any green leafy vegetable is good, also raisins, or dried fruit (but watch the sugar).

    Foods with Potassium Serving Size Potassium (mg)
    Apricots, dried 10 halves 407
    Avocados, raw 1 ounce 180
    Bananas, raw 1 cup 594
    Beets, cooked 1 cup 519
    Brussel sprouts, cooked 1 cup 504
    Cantaloupe 1 cup 494
    Dates, dry 5 dates 271
    Figs, dry 2 figs 271
    Kiwi fruit, raw 1 medium 252
    Lima beans 1 cup 955
    Melons, honeydew 1 cup 461
    Milk, fat free or skim 1 cup 407
    Nectarines 1 nectarine 288
    Orange juice 1 cup 496
    Oranges 1 orange 237
    Pears (fresh) 1 pear 208
    Peanuts dry roasted, unsalted 1 ounce 187
    Potatoes, baked, 1 potato 1081
    Prune juice 1 cup 707
    Prunes, dried 1 cup 828
    Raisins 1 cup 1089
    Spinach, cooked 1 cup 839
    Tomato products, canned sauce 1 cup 909
    Winter squash 1 cup 896
    Yogurt plain, skim milk 8 ounces 579

    bump this for later. Fantastic list. I google potassium levels of food constantly. Surprisingly Coffee has a good amount.
  • PLUMSGRL
    PLUMSGRL Posts: 1,134 Member
    Do a search for potassium rich foods...

    Beans (dark ones have more), dark green leafy veggies, potatoes (all types), any meat, meat products,oranges, bananas,ect.

    If your using other peoples information to add your foods, the nutritional information is probably off...especially when it comes to potassium.

    The muscle cramps could be due to low potassium, or sodium, but more likely to low magnesium. Most stores sell SLOW MAG, regular magnesium can give you diarrhea. Epsom salts (very cheap) is a transdermal method of getting it into your body, and a very relaxing soak.
  • pilk32
    pilk32 Posts: 15 Member
    I had the same concern until I looked into it more, and realized what everyone else is saying, there are a lot of foods that have Potassium in them that do not register on MFP. Not on the link above is a cup of strawberries has about 250, a cup of watermelon has about 225 too.

    Milk has 407 per cup, and I have only found 1 brand so far (Hood) that lists it in their Nutritional info on MFP.
  • shel1103
    shel1103 Posts: 185 Member
    I have struggled with my Potassium levels for a while. I was on supplements as well, but have finally gone off. Any green leafy vegetable is good, also raisins, or dried fruit (but watch the sugar).

    Foods with Potassium Serving Size Potassium (mg)
    Apricots, dried 10 halves 407
    Avocados, raw 1 ounce 180
    Bananas, raw 1 cup 594
    Beets, cooked 1 cup 519
    Brussel sprouts, cooked 1 cup 504
    Cantaloupe 1 cup 494
    Dates, dry 5 dates 271
    Figs, dry 2 figs 271
    Kiwi fruit, raw 1 medium 252
    Lima beans 1 cup 955
    Melons, honeydew 1 cup 461
    Milk, fat free or skim 1 cup 407
    Nectarines 1 nectarine 288
    Orange juice 1 cup 496
    Oranges 1 orange 237
    Pears (fresh) 1 pear 208
    Peanuts dry roasted, unsalted 1 ounce 187
    Potatoes, baked, 1 potato 1081
    Prune juice 1 cup 707
    Prunes, dried 1 cup 828
    Raisins 1 cup 1089
    Spinach, cooked 1 cup 839
    Tomato products, canned sauce 1 cup 909
    Winter squash 1 cup 896
    Yogurt plain, skim milk 8 ounces 579

    bump this for later. Fantastic list. I google potassium levels of food constantly. Surprisingly Coffee has a good amount.

    I knew there was a reason I loved my coffee. lol
  • Fabulous. Thanks again everyone, since I eat lots of veg. I am probably fine then. I had not even heard of potassium s a possible food issue before Mfp. Love the support Mfp gives.
  • 2hmom
    2hmom Posts: 241 Member
    I get leg cramps,too. Drinking water in the middle of the night sometimes! Thanks for this thread.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    FYI: With potatoes, eat the skin. That's where the potassium is stored so if you are peeling and cooking the potatoes then you aren't getting the maximum potassium.
  • jephry
    jephry Posts: 55 Member
    By the way, drinking pickle juice during cramping will alleviate the cramps almost immediately. I know it sounds weird, but it works!
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    By the way, drinking pickle juice during cramping will alleviate the cramps almost immediately. I know it sounds weird, but it works!

    That's because of the sodium in the pickle juice. That's the other thing that can cause cramps is a lack of sodium. If you cut your sodium to be healthier and then sweat (where we lose sodium as well as water) a lot from your exercise or drink a lot of water (which dilutes the sodium concentration in the body), then you could need a little more sodium.