We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Potassium

lilylight
lilylight Posts: 128 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
This is only my fifth day of doing this. I've noticed that every day, my potassium intake is much, much lower than what is recommended. E.g., today, I have 2215 mg left! But my food intake is pretty "normal," I think... I'm surprised that the deficit is so large and I'm wondering if I need to take a potassium supplement. Even if I add some high-potassium foods, like a banana, etc. -- it seems it's hard to meet what the goal is. How about anyone else -- do you actually meet the potassium goal? Does it matter?

Replies

  • Leahh999
    Leahh999 Posts: 42 Member
    I have the same problem and was wondering the same thing.
  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
    Morton Lite Salt is 50% potassium. 350mg in a qtr. teaspoon. I use it liberally.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I wouldn't rely too much on MFP numbers for potassium - it isn't listed on food packaging (not in Australia anyway) so it's probably not added to many foods in the database.
  • suziecue66
    suziecue66 Posts: 1,312 Member
    make sure eating foods rich in potassium
    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php
  • LemonSnap
    LemonSnap Posts: 186 Member
    Many of the entries in the database don't include potassium so it is likely that you aren't logging all the potassium you consume. This site has a more detailed breakdown of foods and you can edit the database entries to add potassium: http://nutritiondata.self.com/

    I find that eating fresh fruit and veg keeps the potassium levels up.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    MFP is pretty accurate for calories, carbs, protein, fat, and sodium; less accurate for saturated fat and cholesterol; and not very accurate for much else.
  • indy_jh
    indy_jh Posts: 20
    I have the same problem with Potassium, and I don't think the database is completely accurate, either.

    However, some souces of potassium that I like are fish, broccoli and bananas. Salmon (which is cheap in Utah, and one that I could eat everyday) is a great source of potassium. Believe it or not, coffee is another good source, and yogurt is decent.

    Most fruits and veggies have at least moderate amounts as well.

    But, I DO know that potassium is one that we need an extra amount when we're sweating a lot. Potassium is important for muscle development, it appears, and I have been told that 3000-4000 mg for aggressive exercising is a proper amount. (Normal is about 2000-2500.)
  • lilylight
    lilylight Posts: 128 Member
    Thanks for all the feedback, everyone! It didn't occur to me that MFP could just be WRONG; I guess that was stupid. On the other hand, I don't eat a lot of processed food, so for just regular whole foods, I would imagine that the MFP folks would have entered potassium and the numbers would be accurate. Maybe I'll be sure to get more high potassium foods and/or that lite salt...
This discussion has been closed.

Categories