The Real Special K

It’s getting colder and sometimes salads just don’t cut it! Some comfort food may be called for as it gets chillier and windier here in the southern hemisphere, especially if you’re a little low on a little macromineral called potassium…

As part of an assignment for the MND I’ve had to put myself through a low potassium diet for 7 days

to experience the diet that we as future dieticians will prescribe for patients with renal disease in order to lower their risk of hyperkalaemia (excess potassium in the blood stream) which can lead to fatal arrhythmias.

Potassium is generally a GOOD thing to have in your diet, although in the standard western diet (S.A.D) we have far too much sodium at the expense of potassium. Potassium is needed for a huge number of physiological mechanisms and to keep homeostasis (auto-regulation) of the body running smoothly.

Basically,

most fruit and vegies are high in potassium, whilst refined and junk foods are low.

This is an unfortunate fact for those whose kidneys can’t handle much potassium as it means they have to choose the fruit and vegetables they consume very carefully and they are only allowed small amounts. (Main point – look after your kidneys for life by not overdosing on animal protein and acid-forming foods like coffee and alcohol! No one likes renal failure, and the prescribed diet isn’t much fun I can assure you.)

After four days on this diet of drastically reduced fresh produce, and no green smoothies (as greens are super high in potassium) I was feeling flat, tired and moody! Not conducive to teaching yoga or getting around via bicycle.

My very energetic friend Ben, a health-conscious professional triathlete was staying the night at my place whilst I was reaching my low point on this diet. He was horrified that this was part of a university assessment piece and that I was “putting my body through this!”

Fruits and veggies, particularly leafy greens, are not only high in potassium but also magnesium, iron, calcium and many other helpful vitamins and minerals that are vital for muscle recovery after any kind of strenous physical activity.

I do a lot of cycling and yoga and a reasonable amount of running, and I was feeling the effects of a nutrient-poor diet not only on muscle recovery but on my energy levels and emotions in general.

Greens are also an important source of calcium and iron for vegetarians and vegans who obviously don’t get these things from meat and/or milk. In short, cutting them out of my diet had a drastic effect and I needed a potassium re -boost, fast!

I decided it was in my best interests to take a break from the experiment for at least 24 hours, and Ben fixed me up some basic brown rice with tahini and tamari. This tasted so good I decided to replicate it the next day and came up with a filling mexican-inspired dish I called Special K – the real special K not the nutrient-empty cereal and certainly not the abused horse tranquilliser! (For those not chemically-minded, K is the symbol for potassium in the periodic table of the elements.)

The Real Special K

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 1/2 avocados, ripe
• An inch of fresh ginger, chopped
• 1/2 sweet red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon of chopped red chili (more or less according to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cob corn, sliced fresh off the cob
• 1 tablespoon (or more!) tahini
• Herbamare salt or tamari to taste

Method

Boil the rice in water until soft. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, chili and spices, stirring and ensuring the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot – add more water as required. Towards the end toss in the mushrooms and cook until they are as soft and juicy as you like. Take off the heat, stir in the tahini, raw corn and mushed avocado. Season with a little sea salt or tamari and eat wrapped up in a doona (you that is, not the food!)

Mmmmmmmm this was so yummy!

The avocados and mushrooms are very high in potassium as well as many other goodies. This is comfort food that is good for you! So enjoy the seasonal transition and honour your natural tendency to eat meals that are a little heavier and warmer to keep your body warm. And drink lots of green smoothies, eat plenty of fruit and veg and ensure you keep eating lots of green leafy things so you don’t have to experience the lows of inadequate potassium like I did!