Conference turris::cooks

    You could try a table salt substitute marketed for people on low-sodium
    diets.  These substitutes consist mainly (if not completely) of
    potassium chloride.
    
    Dale

    
    I was just reading an article yesterday on products that have
    an equal amount of potassium in them as 1 banana.  I can't
    remember what all of them were but one I remember is 8 oz. of
    milk.  
    
    I'll try to figure out which magazine I was reading and type
    them in tomorrow.
    
    Pam
    

    .2
    
    Thanks,
    
      Any recommendations of high potassium content foods would be great.
    
    .1
    
      I thought about that too, but my doctor told me not to reduce my
    intake of regular salt at all since that seems to have a hand in
    balancing the potassium content in the blood, so I don't know if
    getting away from regular salt and just using potassium cloride would
    help.   I'll ask him next time I talk with him though.  Thanks for the
    input...
    
    Sarah

   You may want to talk with a nutritionist about this, but what about
   the rest of your diet?  Are you only in need of additional potassium,
   or do you also need to reduce those foods that bind available
   potassium?  I don't know enough about food interactions to know for
   sure, but I know that certain combinations of foods make available
   nutrients almost useless to the body because they affect each other.
   
   Just another angle to look at..
   
   - Tom

Here's what I found on the WEB, the last article seems to be the most
informative.

Laura
********************************************************************************


 Foods high in potassium are: one-half cup of orange juice, one large
banana, one baked potato, one-half winter squash, one cup tomato juice,
one cup vegetable juice cocktail, one-half cup avocado, one-half cup
cooked dried beans and one tablespoon black strap molasses. See the
nutrient sort in Sant� for more foods high in potassium.

Additional foods that are moderately high in potassium are: 100% bran
cereals, dried fruit (apricots, dates, peaches, figs, prunes, raisins), meat
(beef, chicken, halibut, pork, salmon, veal), cantaloupe, milk, grapefruit
juice, lima beans, mushrooms (canned), parsnips, peanut butter,
pineapple juice, plums, spinach, watermelon, yams, and yogurt. A wide
variety of foods have potassium in them. If you eat a balanced diet with a
variety of foods, you would normally eat enough foods high in potassium.

Potassium is necessary for water balance and is found inside of every cell
in your body. The potassium inside the cells balances the sodium outside
the cells to maintain pressure and water balance in the body. Otherwise,
if either the potassium or the sodium are both high, or both low, or one
high and the other one low, a pooling of water or dehydration can occur.

Symptoms of low potassium levels are tiredness, muscle weakness and
heart muscle irritability. As the dosage of a blood pressure pill is
increased, the likelihood of low blood potassium will increase. This loss of
potassium only occurs with some of the medications prescribed by
doctors for high blood pressure.

Potassium is necessary for water balance and is found inside of every cell
in your body. The potassium inside the cells balances the sodium outside
the cells to maintain pressure and water balance in the body. Otherwise,
if either the potassium or the sodium are both high, or both low, or one
high and the other one low, a pooling of water or dehydration can occur.

Symptoms of low potassium levels are tiredness, muscle weakness and
heart muscle irritability. As the dosage of a blood pressure pill is
increased, the likelihood of low blood potassium will increase. This loss of
potassium only occurs with some of the medications prescribed by
doctors for high blood pressure.

********************************************************************************
Mineral : POTASSIUM 


Why it is needed 

Essential for muscles, nerves and heart. Aids in proper maintenance of
mineral balance of blood, as well as stable blood pressure. Works with
sodium to regulate the body's water balance. 

Where it is found 

Vegetables (especially green leafy) , oranges, whole grains, sunflower
seeds, potatoes (especially peels), and bananas. 

What it is most effective with 

Vitamin B-6 
*******************************************************************************
Potassium This is one in a series of fact sheets containing information to
help you select foods that provide adequate daily amounts of vitamins,
minerals, and dietary fiber as you follow the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. The Guidelines are - 

   .Eat a Variety of Foods 
   .Maintain Desirable Weight 
   .Avoid Too Much Fat, Saturated Fat, and Cholesterol 
   .Eat Foods with Adequate Starch and Fiber 
   .Avoid Too Much Sugar 
   .Avoid Too Much Sodium 
   .If You Drink Alcoholic Beverages, Do So in Moderation

WHAT IS MEANT BY A GOOD FOOD SOURCE?

A good food source of potassium contains a substantial amount of
potassium in relation to its calorie content and contributes at least 200
milligrams of potassium in a selected serving size.

The food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has
estimated the minimum requirements for potassium for men and
women over 18 years of age to be 2,000 milligrams per day.


WHY DO WE NEED POTASSIUM?

Potassium, a mineral, assists in muscle contraction and in maintaining
fluid and electrolyte balance in body cells. Potassium is also important in
sending nerve impulses as well as releasing energy from protein, fat, and
carbohydrates during metabolism.

DO WE GET ENOUGH POTASSIUM?

According to recent USDA surveys, the average intake of potassium by
women and men 19 to 50 years of age was above the minimum
requirements estimated by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National
Academy of Sciences.

HOW CAN WE GET ENOUGH POTASSIUM?

Eating a variety of foods that contain potassium is the best way to get an
adequate amount. Healthy individuals who eat a balanced diet rarely
need supplements. The list of foods can help you select those that are
good sources of potassium as you follow the Dietary Guidelines. The list of
good sources was derived from the same nutritive value of foods tables
used to analyze information for recent food consumption surveys of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Service.

HOW TO PREPARE FOODS TO RETAIN POTASSIUM

Potassium is lost in cooking some foods even under the best conditions. To
retain potassium: .Cook foods in a minimal amount of water. .Cook for
the shortest possible time.

WHAT IS A SERVING?

The serving sizes used on the list of good sources are only estimates of the
amounts of food you might eat. The amount of nutrient in a serving
depends on the weight of the serving. For example, 1/2 cup of a cooked
vegetable contains more nutrients than 1/2 cup of the same vegetable
served raw, because a serving of the cooked vegetable weighs more.
Therefore, the cooked vegetable may appear on the list while the raw
form does not. The raw vegetable provides the nutrient - but just not
enough in a 1/2-cup serving to be considered a good source.

WHAT ARE GOOD SOURCES OF POTASSIUM?

FOOD SELECTED POTASSIUM SERVING SIZE PER SERVING(1)

BREADS, CEREALS, AND OTHER GRAIN PRODUCTS

Ready-to-eat cereals: Oat flakes, fortified with soy flour 1 ounce +
100-percent-bran cereals(2) 1 ounce ++

FRUITS

Apricots: Dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup +++ Dried, uncooked 1/4
cup ++ Banana, raw 1 medium ++ Cantaloup, raw About 1/2 cup diced +
Grapefruit juice: Canned or reconstituted frozen, unsweetened 3/4 cup +
Fresh 3/4 cup + Honeydew melon, raw About 3/4 cup diced + Melon balls
(cantaloup and honeydew), frozen, unsweetened 1/2 cup + Nectarine,
raw 1 medium + Orange juice: Canned 3/4 cup + Fresh or reconstituted
frozen, unsweetened 3/4 cup ++ Peaches: Dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2
cup ++ Dried, uncooked 1/4 cup ++ Pears, dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2
cup + Pomegranate, raw 1 medium ++ Prunes, dried, cooked,
unsweetened 1/2 cup ++ Prune juice, unsweetened 1/2 cup ++ Raisins
1/4 ccup + Watermelon, raw About 1 3/4 cups diced +

VEGETABLES

Artichoke, globe (french), cooked 1 medium + Asparagus, cooked 1/2 cup
+ Beans: Green, cooked 1/2 cup + Lima, cooked 1/2 cup +++ Cauliflower,
cooked 1/2 cup + Chard, cooked 1/2 cup ++ Corn, cooked 1/2 cup +
Jerusalem artichoke, raw 1/2 cup + Mushrooms, cooked 1/2 cup +
Parsnips, cooked 1/2 cup + Peas, green, cooked 1/2 cup + Plantain, green
or ripe, boiled 1 medium +++ Potato: Baked or boiled, with skin 1
medium +++ Baked or boiled, without skin 1 medium ++ Pumpkin,
cooked 1/2 cup ++ Rutabaga, cooked 1/2 cup + Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup
++ Squash, winter, cooked, mashed 1/2 cup +++ Sweetpotato: Baked 1
medium ++ Boiled 1 medium + Tomatoes: Raw 1 medium + Stewed 1/2
cup ++ Tomato juice, canned 3/4 cup ++ Tomato-vegetable juice or
tomato juice cocktail, canned 3/4 cup ++

MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, AND ALTERNATES

Meat and Poultry Beef: Brisket, braised, lean only 3 ounces + Ground;
extra lean, lean, or regular; baked or broiled 1 patty + Pot roast, braised,
lean only 3 ounces + Roast, rib, roasted, lean only 3 ounces + Shortribs,
braised, lean only 3 ounces + Steak, lean only: Baked or broiled 3 ounces
+ Braised 3 ounces + Stew meat, simmered, lean only 3 ounces +
Chicken, without skin: Breast, broiled or roasted 1/2 breast + Leg (thigh
and drumstick), broiled or roasted 1 leg + Cornish hen, roasted, without
skin 1/2 hen + Ham, roasted, lean only: Fresh 3 ounces + Smoked or
cured 3 ounces + Lamb, lean only: Chop, shoulder; baked, braised, or
broiled 1 chop + Roast, leg or shoulder, roasted 3 ounces + Pork: Chop,
baked or broiled, lean only 1 chop + Cutlet or steak, baked or broiled, lean
only 1 cutlet ++ Ground, cooked 3 ounces + Roast, roasted, lean only:
Loin 3 ounces + Shoulder 3 ounces + Turkey, light or dark meat, roasted,
without skin 3 ounces + Veal, lean only: Chop, braised 1 chop + Cutlet or
steak, pan broiled 1 cutlet ++ Roast, leg, roasted 3 ounces +

Fish and Seafood Carp, catfish, flounder, or mullet; baked or broiled 3
ounces ++ Haddock, mackerel, or porgy; baked or broiled 3 ounces +
Clams: Canned, drained 3 ounces + Steamed or boiled 3 ounces + Cod,
croaker, pompano, or trout; baked or broiled 3 ounces ++ Crabmeat,
steamed 3 ounces + Lobster, steamed or boiled 3 ounces + Mussels,
steamed, boiled, or poached 3 ounces + Ocean perch, perch, pike, sea bass,
or whiting; baked or broiled 3 ounces + Oysters: Canned, undrained 3
ounces + Steamed 3 ounces + Salmon: Baked or broiled 3 ounces +
Steamed, poached, or canned; drained 3 ounces + Scallops: Baked or
broiled 3 ounces + Boiled or steamed 3 ounces + Swordfish steak, baked
or broiled 3 ounces + Tuna, canned, drained 3 ounces +

Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils Beans, cooked: Bayo, black, brown, or red
kidney 1/2 cup ++ Calico, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), mung, or pinto 1/2
cup + Lima, soybeans, or white 1/2 cup ++ Lentils, cooked 1/2 cup ++
Peas, split, green or yellow, cooked 1/2 cup ++ Soy milk (not baby
formula) 1 cup +

MILK, CHEESE, AND YOGURT

Milk: Buttermilk 1 cup ++ Chocolate, made with whole or skim milk 1
cup ++ Skim 1 cup ++ Whole or lowfat 1 cup ++ Milk-based fruit drinks
1 cup +++ Yogurt: Flavored, made with lowfat milk 8 ounces ++ Frozen
8 ounces ++ Fruit, made with lowfat or nonfat milk 8 ounces ++ Plain:
Made with whole milk 8 ounces ++ Made with lowfat milk 8 ounces +++


(1) A selected serving size contains at least - 

+ 200-349 milligrams ++ 350-499 milligrams +++ 500 or more
milligrams

(2) Most 100-percent-bran cereals contain at least 350 milligrams of
potassium.

Another great resource...


Potassium Chronicles 

Potassium Chart 

Potassium is one of the most important elements in our diets.
The primitive, or "natural", diet contains approximately 2 mg. of
potassium for each calorie consumed. Persons who consume
4,000 mg. of potassium or more per day have a much lower
incidence of all degenerative diseases including insulin
resistance, obesity and adult onset diabetes. The modern food
consumer is lucky to get .5 mg. of potassium for each calorie
consumed. All of the dietary programs that lower cholesterol,
normalize weight or improve blood pressure contain high
amounts of potassium. You may choose the sources of
potassium that you like but make sure you get a minimum of 2
mg. per calorie and try to get even more. 

Whole foods such as vegetables, legumes and fruits all have high
amounts of potassium. Grains have very little potassium except
in the bran. Adding rice, corn or wheat bran to foods can
increase the potassium content. Lean meats trimmed of visible
fat and poultry without the skin have about 1:1 calories :
potassium. Wild game and most lean fish have 1:2
calories:potassium. 

Most of my clients find they need to use potassium broths or
drinks to get the suggested amount. They are not used to
consuming the quantity of food necessary to get 4,000-5,000mg.
of potassium a day. One potassium trick is to use tomato sauce,
jujuice, paste or salsa. Tomatoes are very high in potassium. They
can contribute significantly to your potassium intake. Tomato
based sauce can help balance the lack of potassium in pasta. 

All forms of beans are high potassium; kidney, lentil, garbanzo,
black or pinto being the highest. Using beans, in chili, soup or
salad, increases the potassium, protein and complex
carbohydrate content - and beans add color, flavor and texture.


On a high potassium food plan the food is plain, no high calorie
sauces. It is cooked by steaming or broiling or microwave.
Boiling causes much of the potassium to be lost in the water. If
you are making soup or stew this problem is eliminated because
the water containing potassium is consumed. Good snacks are
whole grains with the bran and germ and/or fruits and
vegetables. While this may sound very restrictive, the good news
is - the bowel normalizes, energy increases and cravings
disappear. Weight becomes normal whether you were under
weight or over weight. This occurs without any sense of dieting. 

Fresh foods, prepared from scratch are best. If you must use
canned foods use low sodium or sodium free, water packed.
Frozen foods should be purchased with no salt. I understand
this way of shopping and food preparation is tough. Some
clients may not be great cooks. Some of you may not cook at all.
The honest truth is - if you rely on prepared foods or restaurant
cooking you will not be able to regain or maintain your health. 

Will changing your life style to eat high potassium be tough? At
first, YES. We are used to looking at foods differently. Some
people see everything as food. Others eat no fat or no dairy or
low cholesterol. Still others avoid any food that is not in a
container (can, box or tray). The idea that you can eat as much
as you like as long as the food is real and is balanced by
potassium to calories 2:1 is somewhat disconcerting at first. Very
soon after you begin this program you will see that it works. 

Breakfast: Anytime Smoothie or - a bran cereal without sugar,
use Sucanat for sweetening, and 1/4 cup 2% milk and one egg
and 1 cup orange juice or other fresh or canned unsweetened
juice, high potassium or fresh fruit or- cooked oatmeal and
raisins or blueberries or other fruit with low fat milk or soy milk
or no milk with added soy protein or added low fat cottage
cheese, Sucanat sweetener or maple syrup or honey. 

Lunch: Large salad with turkey or tuna 1-2 oz. and carrots,
cucumber, sprouts, kidney or garbanzo beans, sweet red
pepper, red cabbage, lettuce or mixed greens, onions and S&W
non fat dressing or equivalent or- 2 cups brown rice and 1-2 oz.
fish or poultry or lean red meat and 2 cups vegetable such as
asparagus or green beans and 2 fruits or 2 cups mixed fruit for
dessert. To add carbohydrates add 1-2 slices of whole grain low
fat bread or rice noodles to the salad or- soup or stew with lots
of veggies and a small amount of protein such as beans or
chicken or beef or tofu and whole grain bread and fruit for
desert. 

Dinner: Soup or stew or casserole with some protein from
poultry or fish or legumes or tofu and lots of vegetables, served
with whole grain low fat bread or- 1-2 oz. of protein as above
(more if beans are your source) and rice or pasta (use tomato
based sauce to replace the missing potassium in pasta) or a
large baked potato with the skin and 2-6 oz. protein and 2 cups
of vegetables or salad with lots of veggies in it and 2 more cups
or servings of fruit. 

Condiments: Salsa adds C, bioflavanoids and potassium. Low
salt, low sugar ketchup. Tomato sauces, low sodium. Reduced
sodium parmesan cheese. All spices and herbs. Wysong mixed
salt or VegeSalt. Low sodium soy sauces without preservatives.
Butter in small amounts. Low fat cream cheese in small
amounts. Regular sour cream in small amounts. Most non-fat
dressings but look for the most natural without artificial
flavorings and preservatives. Our favorite is S&W. Small
amounts of olive oil. Lots of garlic and onion. Yeast flakes to
flavor popcorn. 

Protein: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs or legumes/grains. 6-10 servings
per day based on body weight and physical activity level. See
your protein information sheet. Serving size meat, fish, poultry
is 1 oz. Serving egg is 1 egg. Serving legumes is 1/2 cup. Servings
grains is one cup. Approximate grams per serving 6-8. 

Breads/Grains: Servings per day 6-15. Size serving is bread 1
slice or 1/2 bagel or muffin. Grain is 1/2 cup. Pasta is 1/2 cup. All
grains should be eaten as whole grain with bran and germ.
Limited by potassium content. 

Vegetables: 4-6 servings each 1 cup. More is OK. No limit. 

Fruit: 4-8 servings each 1 cup or 1 fruit or 1/2 cup juice. If
tolerated by the bowel more is OK. If you are or have been
extremely hypoglycemic in the past make sure you add fruit
slowly and that all fruit consumed is without added sugar or
other sweetener. Also look for the highest potassium fruits at
first. 

Total plan must have a minimum of 2mg. potassium per calorie
consumed. No matter what your caloric intake is you should not
get less than 3,500mg per day. 

If you need to check values use the Pennington, Bowes and
Church, Food Values of Portions Commonly Used. 

Whether your goal is energy, weight loss, improved mental or
physical performance or general good health the potassium
plan will work. 

POTASSIUM CHART 

My daily goal for potassium is my ideal body weight X 20 X 2
=________________mg. 

FOOD GROUP 500 MG OR MORE 300-499MG 100-299MG DAIRY 
1 CUP - Skim Milk 355 
Whole milk 351 
Buttermilk 343 Cottage cheese 
1/2 cup 109 MEAT 

   FISH 
   POULTRY 

Sardines 668 
4 OZ. Flounder 664 
Salmon 504 Chicken 466 
Cod 460 
Beef liver 431 
Turkey 416 
Round steak 398 
Haddock 396 
Pork lean 377 
Lamb lean 365 
Perch 324 
Tuna 300 - VEGETABLES, 
LEGUMES & 
NUTS 
1/2 C. unless noted Potato w/skin 1 782 Squash 473 
1 Tomato 444 
Beans 374 
1 Sweet potato 342 
Almonds 444 


Spinach 292 
1 Carrot 246 
Broccoli 207 
Beets 177 
Asparagus 165 
Cashews 226 
Peas 157 
Mustard Greens 154 
Mushrooms 145 
Celery 1 stalk 136 
Walnuts 270 
Radishes, 5 lrg 131 
Cauliflower 290 
Peanut butter 1 T. 100 FRUITS Avocado 1/2 680 
Raisins, 1/2 c. 553 Orange juice, 1 c. 496 
Banana, 1 med. 440 
Apricots, dried 1/4 c. 318 
Peach, 1 med. 308 
3 Apricots, fresh, 301 Orange, 1 med. 269 
1 Pear 219 
Apple, 1 med. 167 
Grapefruit 1/2 132 
Cherries 10 129 
Strawberries 1/2 c. 122 
Pineapple 1/2 c. 113 
Plum 112 
Tangerine 108 GRAINS - - Brown rice 1 c. 137 OTHER FOODS 
Blackstrap molasses 1 T. 585mg. 
Low Sodium V8 6 oz. 560mg 
Knudsen's Very Veggie 8oz. 980mg. - Nutritional Yeast 1 T. 152 
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF POTASSIUM AND PROTEIN GET FOOD
VALUES OF PORTIONS COMMONLY USED PENNINGTON AND
BOWES AVAILABLE AT MOST BOOK STORES 


EASY RECIPES TO INCREASE POTASSIUM: 


YEAST DRINK 
1 cup fresh orange juice or Very Veggie or apple juice or V8 
2-6 heaped tbls. nutritional yeast flakes (start with smaller
amount) 
Potassium 800-1,800mg. Protein 8-24 grams 

ANYTIME SMOOTHIE 
1 banana or other fruit 
1 cup fresh orange juice or other whole juice 
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries or other berry 
One serving favorite brand protein powder 
Potassium 1300=1500mg. Protein 15-25 grams. 

MOLASSES HOT COCKTAIL 
6-8 oz hot water 
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses, unsulphured 
Optional--1 tablespoon natural apple cider vinegar 
Potassium 585-625mg. 

POTATO PEELING BROTH 
8-10 cups water 
2 bunches parsley 
SSkins of 6 medium potatoes cut 1/4 inch thick 
6 carrots 8 stalks celery 
Simmer 30+ minutes reducing to 6 cups Strain - Throw out
veggies 
One cup of broth without the vegetables contains 1200-1400 mg
potassium. 

BANANA SMOOTHIE 
1 c skim milk 1 banana 
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses, unsulphered 
Potassium 1300mg Protein 9 grams Drink hot or cold. 

Be creative and let me know if you have found an easy way to
boost potassium to share with others. Most of my clients will tell
you that trying to eat enough potassium is extremely hard. The
goal is to get a minimum of 2 mg. of potassium for each calorie
consumed. More is OK but less is not. If you eat allot of sodium
many of the expected benefits of potassium will be lost.