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My name is Christine Marquette and I'm a registered dietitian with the Austin Regional Clinic
and I am going to talk to you about how to treat low potassium levels. There are a lot
of different foods that you can eat that actually help you increase your potassium. Most people
think of bananas. That's the first thing that pops into everyone's mind because you've grown
up hearing it, "Oh, eat bananas if you need more potassium." Bananas do have a lot of
potassium but they're not actually one of the highest sources. There's a lot of different
fruits and vegetables that have potassium. Baked russet potatoes actually have a lot
more potassium in them than bananas do. Dried apricots or raw, fresh apricots actually also
have a lot more potassium. Cantaloupe, avocados. So there's a lot of different foods you can
include to get more potassium. Another good source is tomatoes and, in particular, tomato
sauce. Cooked tomato products actually have more available potassium in them than even
the fresh varieties. So, the best way to increase your potassium is not to focus on just one
food. It's better if you can actually include a variety of foods. That gives you a better
chance of making sure you get enough on a daily basis. So, for example, orange juice,
if you're not struggling with controlling blood sugars or trying to limit your sugar
intake, orange juice is a good way to start your day. It's a good high potassium juice
that you can include with your breakfast. At your breakfast you may want to include
a side of fruit, particularly a high potassium fruit like apricots, or even a little bit
of bananas or some melons on the side. And then at your lunch and dinner meals, try to
include some of those vegetables that are high in potassium like the potatoes or actually
even spinach has quite a bit of potassium in there. The peppers have quite a bit in
them, as well. Beans are very high in potassium. So, you've got a variety of different vegetables
and fruits you can include and that's the best way. Just make sure that you're getting
a lot of different types of fruits, a lot of different types of vegetables on a daily
basis and some of those choices at each one of your meals. That will give you the best
opportunity for increasing your potassium levels.