Always Tired? This Could Be Why
How Low Potassium Affects Your Body
If you aren't getting enough potassium in your diet or you're dehydrated, it's a sure bet that you're going to feel exhausted. You may even get winded at the slightest bit of exertion and have trouble focusing.
When potassium levels drop, all the organs that make use of potassium can also be affected. The heart rate can become irregular, muscles become weak and blood pressure can increase. People can also experience severe cramps and intestinal problems. Low levels over time have also been linked to stroke, osteoporosis, kidney stones and high blood pressure.
The quick potassium test is easy. Drink 8 ounces of Low Sodium V-8 vegetable juice. It has almost double the potassium of regular V-8, and at 900 mg of potassium in 8 ounces you can't find a higher source of potassium that has the added benefit of being low calorie (50 calories in an 8 ounce serving).
If you start to feel better, you're body probably is low on potassium. It may take 2 – 3 servings to feel the difference. The recommended daily intake of potassium is 4,500 mg. Most people fall very short of this. Supplementing with vegetable juice is an easy and quick way to get more of it into your day, but there are plenty of foods you can incorporate into your diet.
Listed below are the potassium counts of common fruits, vegetables, proteins (like beans), and dairy. They're listed in order of the highest and medium level foods.
Get your daily recommendation of potassium and you'll feel your energy soar!
High and Medium Potassium Fruits
The amount of potassium in milligrams (mg) contained in each fruit or serving of fruit is listed beside the item.
High-potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):
1 medium banana (425)
½ of a papaya (390)
½ cup of prune juice (370)
¼ cup of raisins (270)
1 medium mango (325) or kiwi (240)
1 small orange (240) or ½ cup of orange juice (235)
½ cup of cubed cantaloupe (215) or diced honeydew melon (200)
1 medium pear (200)
Medium-potassium foods (50-200 mg per serving):
1 medium peach (185)
1 small apple or ½ cup of apple juice (150)
½ cup of peaches canned in juice (120)
½ cup of canned pineapple (100)
½ cup of fresh, sliced strawberries (125)
½ cup of watermelon (85) Low-potassium foods (less than 50 mg per serving):
½ cup of cranberries (45) or cranberry juice cocktail (20)
½ cup of nectar of papaya, mango, or pear (35)
High and Medium Potassium Vegetables
High-potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):
1 medium baked potato, with skin (925)
1 baked medium sweet potato, with skin (450)
½ cup of tomato or vegetable juice (275), or 1 medium raw tomato (290)
½ cup of mushrooms (280)
½ cup of fresh brussels sprouts (250)
½ cup of cooked zucchini (220) or winter squash (250)
¼ of a medium avocado (245)
½ cup of broccoli (230)
Medium-potassium foods (50-200 mg per serving):
½ cup of corn (195)
½ cup of fresh or cooked carrots (180)
½ cup of fresh cauliflower (150)
½ cup of asparagus (155)
½ cup of canned peas (90)
1 cup of lettuce, all types (100)
½ cup of fresh green beans (90)
½ cup of frozen green beans (85)
½ cup of cucumber (80)
High and Medium Potassium Protein Foods
High-potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):
½ cup of cooked pinto beans (400) or lentils (365)
1 cup of soy milk (300)
3 ounces of baked or broiled salmon (319)
3 ounces of roasted turkey, dark meat (250)
¼ cup of sunflower seeds (241)
3 ounces of cooked lean beef (224)
2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter (210)
Medium-potassium foods (50-200 mg per serving):
1 ounce of salted peanuts, almonds, and cashews (200)
1 large egg (60 mg)
High and Medium Potassium Dairy Foods
High-potassium foods (more than 200 mg per serving):
6 ounces of yogurt (260-435)
Medium-potassium foods (50-200 mg per serving):
½ cup of ricotta cheese (154)
½ cup of vanilla ice cream (131)
½ cup of low-fat (2%) cottage cheese (110) Low-potassium foods (less than 50 mg per serving):
1 ounce of cheese (20-30)
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