# Bananas and K **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030 "2006-06-01T16:20:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bauble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@bauble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bauble)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/1 "2006-06-01T16:20:44Z")
My doctor recently put me on some pills (diuretics) that have a side effect of lowering my potassium level. I wasn’t thrilled about it, but figured I’d just eat some bananas to make up the difference. Then, after eating a couple, I realized just how much I hate those yellow bastards (apologies to Mr. Miller). So my questions are: [ul] [li]What foods, besides bananas, are a good source of K (all I can think of is orange juice; I was wondering if there were more) ?[/li][li]Are foods cooked with bananas (breads, muffins, etc.) a good source for K (probably wishful thinking on my part)?[/li][li]Would I be further ahead to just get some potassium pills?[/li][/ul] Thanks ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/2 "2006-06-01T16:49:50Z")
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, lima beans, etc. [http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm](http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/3 "2006-06-01T16:58:03Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > [http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm](http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm) Looks like blackstrap molasses has the best bang for the buck in terms of low volume, low calorie, high potassium. 1 tablespoon gives 498 mg K and only 47 calories. Beet greens give more for fewer calories, but ya gotta eat a half-cup! Yech! ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/4 "2006-06-01T17:02:23Z")
> [@bauble](#): > > [ul] > [li]What foods, besides bananas, are a good source of K (all I can think of is orange juice; I was wondering if there were more) ?[/li][li]Are foods cooked with bananas (breads, muffins, etc.) a good source for K (probably wishful thinking on my part)?[/li][li]Would I be further ahead to just get some potassium pills?[/li][/ul] Regarding your second point, you can’t destroy the potassium by cooking, so as long as it wasn’t washed away (unlikely for breads and the like) the foods would retain the potassium that their ingredients had. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/5 "2006-06-01T17:25:57Z")
I don’t love 'em either, but have found them tolerable in a fruit smoothie. I bought a magic bullet or silver bullet or whatever that is that they hawk on TV, I add some protein, some water, a banana and blend (and some ice.) It isn’t bad. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/6 "2006-06-01T17:34:00Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I don’t love 'em either, but have found them tolerable in a fruit smoothie. I bought a magic bullet or silver bullet or whatever that is that they hawk on TV, I add some protein, some water, a banana and blend (and some ice.) It isn’t bad. Don’t forget to add the molasses to the smoothie, too! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/7 "2006-06-01T17:36:41Z")
salt substitute is potassium chloride, but probably overkill. I assume your doc is planning a follow up to check your serum K leveks. IIRC, you need to leave the skin on potatoes for to get the K. ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/8 "2006-06-01T17:39:28Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Potatoes, sweet potatoes, lima beans, etc. > > [http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm](http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixB.htm) The list stops short of kiwi fruit, which the [USDA lists as 284 mg.](http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl) I’ve always heard that they were at least as high as bananas (a google search shows varying opinions, from just shy of bananas to way [more than bananas](http://www.marimari.com/content/categories/editorial/archives/kia_ora/kiwi_fruits.html). ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/9 "2006-06-01T17:40:17Z")
levels, levels, levels ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/10 "2006-06-01T18:36:36Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Beet greens give more for fewer calories, but ya gotta eat a half-cup! Yech! You haven’t had _my_ beet greens. MmmmMMMMmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/11 "2006-06-01T18:56:03Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > salt substitute is potassium chloride, but probably overkill. I assume your doc is planning a follow up to check your serum K leveks. IIRC, you need to leave the skin on potatoes for to get the K. A big issue with that is if you replace your sodium chloride intake with potassium chloride when you’re on diuretics, you can end up with hyponatraemia, which isn’t good. My aunt had exactly this problem and ended up having a seizure, lapsing into a 7-day coma and almost dying. Her GP should have been checking her Na and K levels whilst she was on frusamide… but didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/12 "2006-06-01T18:58:07Z")
I was in a similar position about four years ago. I was taking diuretics which were lowering my potassium levels. When I got out of the hospital I started having really bad leg cramps; I never was sure if the cramps were due to my lying on a hospital bed for five days straight, or if it was due to low potassium levels. At any rate, I started trying to eat foods rich in potassium. Two things I tried to eat a lot of were peanuts and sunflower seeds. I know they both have significant amounts of potassium, but I have no idea offhand how they compare with bananas or potatoes or any other foods already mentioned. At one point I also started taking (over the counter) potassium supplements in pill form, which I guess is also something to consider. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/13 "2006-06-01T20:37:22Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Her GP should have been checking her Na and K levels whilst she was on frusamide… but didn’t. I believe you mean [furosemide](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682858.html) [/nitpick for the sake of those wishing to google]. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/14 "2006-06-01T20:46:16Z")
All this way and no one mentions milk? I’m prone to leg cramps (ow!) and my doc told me to go with bananas and milk. But there are other options: Apricots Avocados [Heck, here’s some info.](http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/foodnut/09355.html) ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/15 "2006-06-01T21:21:27Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > I believe you mean [furosemide](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682858.html) [/nitpick for the sake of those wishing to google]. Yeah, sorry… the old [BAN](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Approved_Name) is Frusemide (I switched in an A for the E by mistake), but under [INN](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Nonproprietary_Name) it’s known as furosemide. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/16 "2006-06-01T22:49:30Z")
Further more, why are there no potassium suppliments? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/17 "2006-06-01T22:55:52Z")
> [@Whammo](#): > > Further more, why are there no potassium suppliments? There are. I prescribe them all the time. Some folks don’t like to take them, and opt to eat lots of potassium rich food. ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/18 "2006-06-01T23:00:10Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > There are. I prescribe them all the time. Some folks don’t like to take them, and opt to eat lots of potassium rich food. are they prescription only or are there over the couter suppliments? ---
**Author:** ![Cabbage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@Cabbage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabbage)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2006, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/19 "2006-06-01T23:54:29Z")
> [@Whammo](#): > > are they prescription only or are there over the couter suppliments? Yeah, you can get them OTC; I used to take them (see my previous post). ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030/20 "2006-06-02T07:04:34Z")
potassiun supps can cause nausea, and too much potassium, esp rapidly, is fatal [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bananas-and-k/359030.md?page=2)