Not getting enough potassium

[myabigail]

I've been religiously logging my food on FitDay for several weeks now, and I've noticed by looking at my Nutrition stats that I'm not getting enough potassium. Apparently, I'm only getting 33% of what I need.

This probably helps explain leg cramps.

I'm trying to eat foods high in potassium -- meats, spinach, broccoli -- but I just can't seem to get enough!

Most foods that are really high in potassium are way up the ladder, or not on the list at all... And potassium supplements only give 3% of USRDA (by law).

Should I be concerned? What is everyone else doing? I'm taking supplements for nutrients I don't seem to be getting enough of in my diet, but potassium seems to be a difficult one to supplement.

[liv]

People are often misinformed when comes to what foods are high in potassium. Banana is usually always mentioned but lowcarb stuff are actually the best sources of potassium. As you say meat (poultry fish)But also sardines, tuna, avocado, artichoke, green vegetables, tomato, cauliflower,yogurt,cottage cheese, peanutbutter, almonds, brazilnuts, chocolate, cantaloupe, strawberries, kidney beans, sweet potato

Some of these everyday and you should be covered. Potassium is one of the things to be quite conscius about when we do low carb. And I do take supplements in addition to trying to pick those kinds of foods.

[liv]

Oh I was going to say but forgot that Eades (the low carb people behind Protein Power) always recommend potassium salt
Here is a blog Mary Eades wrote about it.
Potassium Good for the Heart; Vindication Good for the Soul Mary Dan Eades, M.D.

[blueberrylady]

I had a lot of trouble with leg cramps in the beginning too but now I take a multi, a B-complex and a potassium pill at least twice a week and I don't get the cramps anymore.

Of course, I'm not on induction anymore either so maybe it's all due to that. Maybe when you move up the rungs little further, it will help you too. Here's hoping!

[myabigail]

Originally Posted by liv

People are often misinformed when comes to what foods are high in potassium. Banana is usually always mentioned but lowcarb stuff are actually the best sources of potassium. As you say meat (poultry fish)But also sardines, tuna, avocado, artichoke, green vegetables, tomato, cauliflower,yogurt,cottage cheese, peanutbutter, almonds, brazilnuts, chocolate, cantaloupe, strawberries, kidney beans, sweet potato

Some of these everyday and you should be covered. Potassium is one of the things to be quite conscius about when we do low carb. And I do take supplements in addition to trying to pick those kinds of foods.

I do eat meat, poultry, fish (less often), avocado, green veggies, tomato, & cauliflower pretty regularly. The other items are on higher OWL rungs, so I'm not eating them yet. I'm still averaging only about 33% of USRDA for potassium.

Supplements only give you 3% of USRDA, which isn't much.

There's got to be a better way. I'm worried that I may be harming my body.

[liv]

Well list all your foods and let's see what you can do
Here is how I ate yesterday

grapefruit 32 mg
orange 17 mg
avocado 420 mg
beef 650 mg
pork 200
yogurt 140
strawberries 32
onions 5mg
mushrooms 100mg
cheese 60
supplement 80
cocoa 116
almonds 250
total 2102

[myabigail]

Yesterday:

Ground beef 0 (according to pkg)
Zucchini 37.9
Bell Pepper 94.3
Cream Cheese 33.7
Chicken 273.1
Pork Rinds 72.4
Sirloin 387.8
Spinach 334.8
Pumpkin 289.2
Cream Cheese 33.7

TOTAL 1556.9

USRDA 4700
Deficit 3143.1


I'd have to take 39 supplement pills to make up that deficit

[liv]

You're doing good. Ground beef would have potassium because it is beef and there is plenty of potassium in beef. 100 gram of ground beef has about 330 mg potassium.

No point of eating those pills to make up for it. I think the amount of potassium we absorb from those pills are not that great and you would certainly have stomach issues.

[not2late]

Magnesium and phosphorus deficiency can also cause leg cramps.