this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2025
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What's the definition of "good source" employed here?
I'm basing it on spinach which stinging nettles is only 25% worse than on potassium levels. I think a baked potato might be twice as good though, but I think I'd rather try and eat 1.25 kg of stinging needles in a day than 625 gr of baked potato.
I don't think most people even consume 1.25kg of food in total per day. It seems implausible that one would have to supplement with a substantial quantity of 0 calorie greens just to get enough of a common and essential mineral. Which makes me think that the K content is average at best and rather less than common food stuffs.
Common.... as in grocery store or as in laying around outside for free?
Grocery store.
Assume that all the foodstuffs that people normally eat have the same potassium content as these nettles. Then you'd need to consume 1.25kg of your normal food per day to get enough potassium. Someone who consumes less than 1.25kg of those normal food stuffs would not get enough potassium. If normal food stuffs have a significantly lower potassium content, then you'd expect widespread potassium deficiency.
Maybe, but it doesn't seem to be a serious public health issue. So common food can't have significantly lower potassium content than those nettles. What with averages being averages, some foods will have more than others.