THE CARNIVORE DIET BENEFITS
The benefits of carnivore diet are impossible to ignore. From supporting a healthier inflammatory response to streamlining weight management, promoting mental clarity, and simplifying nutrition in general - there’s a lot to love about this radical dietary regimen.
But, its exclusionary nature can definitely raise red flags. One of the most commonly referenced carnivore diet side effects is how easy it is to develop nutrient deficiencies since you’re not eating anything except meat and other animal products anymore.
It’s true that fruits, vegetables, and grains can be problematic, which is why the carnivore diet eliminates them. However, there are certain nutrients that might be harder to get without these sources, like carnivore diet potassium.
That’s not to say you can’t get ample potassium while staying within the carnivore diet rules, though. We’ll talk about how much potassium on carnivore diet you should aim for along with how to get potassium on carnivore diet.
First, though, what is potassium and why is it so important?
What is Potassium?
This essential mineral and electrolyte regulates fluid balance, supports nerve transmission, and aids in muscle contraction. Most importantly, though, potassium helps your heart beat steadily.
It works alongside sodium to maintain healthy blood pressure and keep health concerns like hypertension and excess water retention at bay. All of this is to say you need plenty of potassium in your diet!
Unfortunately, though, potassium needs to be constantly replenished. It’s not like other minerals that can be built up and stored in the body for long periods of time.
The good news is potassium is abundant in fruits, vegetables, and dairy - wait, those aren’t approved carnivore diet foods, though. So where does that leave you as a carnivore dieter?
The Problem With the Carnivore Diet and Potassium
Bananas, potatoes, avocados, spinach, and legumes are all potassium-rich, but they’re off-limits on the carnivore diet. They also have anti-nutrients that can cause more harm than good.
To make matters worse, low-carb diets like carnivore are linked to heightened potassium loss. Insulin levels drop as carbohydrates are depleted, and the kidneys excrete more sodium in response. As we said earlier, potassium and sodium are closely linked, which means potassium is flushed out at a faster rate as well.
This is especially concerning when first starting carnivore as your body adapts to this new normal, and you may feel some semblance of carnivore diet sickness.
Although there are some animal-based foods that contain potassium, they’re in pretty low levels. We’ll talk more about how to get potassium on carnivore diet in just a moment - but let’s look at the warning signs of deficiency, first.
Warning Signs of Potassium Deficiency
Potassium deficiency is known scientifically as hypokalemia, and can lead to a range of mild to severe symptoms, depending on just how depleted your levels become. You’ll want to watch out for:
- Muscle weakness and cramps: The most common early sign. It typically appears in the legs and feet but can occur throughout the body.
- Fatigue and low energy: Potassium is essential for cellular energy production, so you may feel exhausted for no reason whatsoever.
- Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia): Low potassium can lead to heart palpitations or an increased risk of cardiac issues in severe cases where the deficiency is left unchecked.
- Constipation or digestive issues: Potassium helps regulate muscle contractions in the digestive system, so it’s not uncommon to feel some gut discomfort with deficiency.
- Brain fog and irritability: Electrolyte imbalances can impact focus, mood, and cognitive function. You may start struggling to concentrate, or you could get agitated easily.
In the long run you run the risk of kidney dysfunction, which is why getting enough carnivore diet potassium is not something you can overlook. Pay attention to the early warning signs like increased thirst, frequent urination, tingling, numbness, and lightheadedness.
These symptoms start popping up within the first few weeks of transitioning to a carnivore diet since the body is losing water weight and flushing out electrolytes with it. The good news is this is something you can avoid by understanding how much potassium on carnivore diet to get.
How Much Potassium on Carnivore Diet Should You Aim For?
The general recommended daily intake (RDI) for potassium is around 3,500-4,700 mg per day for most adults. This is a lot of potassium, and most people aren’t going to get nearly enough on a daily basis.
However, this range assumes you’re eating the standard American diet with a mix of plant and animal foods. Do you need more or less on carnivore diet?
It’s been said that you actually don’t need as much carnivore diet potassium because you’re not eating carbohydrates. Carbs can cause fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin, two things that impact electrolyte balance.
This is to say that insulin levels tend to stabilize without carbs and the kidneys adapt to retaining more electrolytes over time. Because of this many carnivore dieters say you can safely assume a range of 2,000-3,000 mg per day as the carnivore diet potassium sweet spot.
Of course, this is something that varies from one person to the next. Your activity level and unique metabolism dictate exactly how much potassium on carnivore diet you should aim for. Our advice is to always listen to your body rather than blindly aiming at some target.
If you feel any semblance of muscle cramps, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, or digestive issues, the first thing you should do is consider how much potassium you’re getting. Try increasing it by 200-300mg at a time until those symptoms subside.
How to Get Potassium on Carnivore Diet
All that being said, what can you eat on the carnivore diet to reach your daily potassium goals? It’s fairly slim pickings without plant-based foods on the menu, but the Animal Kingdom does offer plenty of carnivore diet potassium sources.
From the best meats for carnivore diet potassium to the best high protein snacks like our carnivore chips, here is how to get potassium on carnivore diet.
Beef and Pork
They certainly aren’t the most potassium-dense foods, but beef and pork do provide a helping of potassium. A 3.5-ounce (100g) serving of beef contains around 270-350 mg of potassium, and if you’re eating a few servings a day, you’ll get close to 1,000 mg just through beef alone.
Ground beef, steaks, and pork chops all provide enough potassium if you’re eating at least a pound of meat every day. The fattier cuts like ribeye and pork belly can help balance out your diet with key minerals as well.
Fatty Fish (Salmon, Mackerel, Sardines)
This is perhaps the best source of carnivore diet potassium. A 3.5-ounce (100g) serving of salmon packs 400-500 mg of potassium, and mackerel and sardines offer similar amounts.
Not only do these fish help replenish potassium, but they’re also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain and heart health. We encourage you to find room on the menu for these fatty fish at least 2-3 times a week.
Eggs and Dairy (If Tolerated)
Can you eat eggs on carnivore diet? Yes, you sure can! Can you drink milk on carnivore diet? Also a resounding yes. Both of these are technically animal-based, so if you don’t experience any digestive problems from eating them, they’re fair game.
They also happen to be decent sources of carnivore diet potassium. A large contains around 65 mg of potassium, so eating a few per day can help. Raw milk, cheese, and yogurt are even better sources, though.
For instance, a cup of full-fat Greek yogurt provides 200-300 mg of potassium. Don’t force dairy down your throat if you deal with any digestive discomfort from it, though. Stick with other sources. Dairy is definitely not for everyone!
Organ Meats (Liver, Kidney, Heart)
Speaking of foods that aren’t for everyone, organ meats are right up there with fatty fish as the best source of potassium on the carnivore diet. We highly recommend you find a way to feature them in your meal plan, even if you have to plug your nose while you chew. Here’s why:
- Beef heart: ~300 mg per 3.5 oz
- Beef liver: ~270 mg per 3.5 oz
- Beef kidney: ~400 mg per 3.5 oz
These cuts are also loaded with B vitamins, iron, and coenzyme Q10, all of which support energy and metabolism. We’re strong advocates for eating organ meats if you’re on carnivore diet.
Bone Broth for Electrolytes
Bone broth is a great way to hydrate while replenishing key minerals, including potassium. It’s impossible to provide an exact range on potassium content since it depends on how the bone broth is made, but slow-cooked broth with marrow bones and connective tissue provides a lot.
You can add a of salt or use potassium-rich ingredients like oxtail and knuckle bones to drive potassium levels even higher. Try drinking a cup or two of bone broth daily.
Salt Substitutes and Potassium Supplements
There are a few ways you can season your meals to increase potassium as well, including potassium chloride-based salt replacements like Lite Salt or NoSalt. These are an effortless way to get more potassium.
At the end of the day, though, you might need to look into a multi-vitamin or potassium-specific supplement. We talk more about this in our guide on carnivore electrolytes. We recommend trying to get your potassium levels up through diet first, and use supplements as a last resort.
The Concept of a Carnivore Adjacent Diet
Before wrapping up our guide on how to get potassium on carnivore diet we want to mention the concept of a modified carnivore diet, or the carnivore adjacent diet.
If you’re stressing about nutrient deficiencies you can consider including small amounts of plant-based foods. This could include avocados or coconut water. While you may not get the full carnivore experience, it’s better than the standard American diet!
Parting Thoughts on Our Carnivore Diet Potassium Guide
That does it for our carnivore diet potassium guide. We hope you feel clear on how much potassium on carnivore diet is necessary and how to get potassium on carnivore diet.
Although your options are more limited than the diet you used to follow, you can count on beef, pork, fatty fish, eggs, dairy, organ meats, and bone broth to help you reach your daily carnivore diet potassium goals. If needed, supplements are always an option as well.
Our free carnivore diet meal plan for beginners can help you round out your nutritional regimen, keeping things fresh and flavorful while avoiding nutrient deficiencies. But aside from helpful resources like this one, we’re also proud to present the best snacks for carnivore diet.
Our meat chips are a match made in heaven since they contain just two ingredients: meat and salt. That means they’re clean, simple, and perfectly in line with the principles of carnivore. Yet, they taste amazing and melt in your mouth, almost like a meat pastry! Explore varieties below:
Fuel your carnivore lifestyle with the highest-quality snacks the world has to offer at Carnivore Snax today. Ditch the fillers and stock up on real, whole-animal snacks today!
