What is potassium?
Potassium is a mineral found in most foods. The body needs potassium to work normally. It keeps the heart beating and helps the nerves and muscles work. But people need only a certain amount of potassium. Too much or too little potassium in the body can cause problems.
Having too much potassium in the blood is called “hyperkalemia.” This can cause heart rhythm problems and muscle weakness.
Who might need to be on a low-potassium diet?
People usually need to be on a low-potassium diet to treat or prevent hyperkalemia.
The most common causes of hyperkalemia are:
- Certain medicines – Some medicines, including certain ones for high blood pressure and heart problems, might raise the level of potassium in the body.
- Kidney disease – Normally, the kidneys filter the blood and remove excess salt and water through urination. They keep the level of potassium in the blood normal. When the kidneys don’t work well or stop working, they can’t get rid of the potassium in the urine. Then, too much potassium builds up in the blood.
What does eating a low-potassium diet involve?
Almost all foods have potassium. So the key is to:
- Choose foods with low levels of potassium
- Avoid or eat only small amounts of foods with high levels of potassium
Your doctor will probably recommend that you work with a dietitian (food expert) to help plan your meals. He or she will tell you how much potassium you should eat each day.
To figure out how much potassium you are eating, you will need to look at the food’s nutrition label. You will need to look at the:
- “Potassium” number. This tells you how much potassium is in 1 serving of the food. If you eat 1 serving, then you are eating this amount of potassium.
- “Serving size” This tells you how big a serving is. If you eat 2 servings, then you are eating 2 times the amount of potassium listed.
What are other ways to cut down on potassium?
Here are some other ways to cut down on potassium:
- Drain the liquid from canned fruits, vegetables, or meat before eating.
- If you eat foods that have a lot of potassium, eat only small portions.
- Reduce the amount of potassium in the vegetables you eat. You can do this for both frozen and raw vegetables. (If the vegetables are raw, peel and cut them up first.) To reduce the amount of potassium, soak the vegetables in warm unsalted water for at least 2 hours. Then drain the water and rinse the vegetables in warm water. If you cook the vegetables, cook them in unsalted water.
Some foods that are high in potassium
| Fruits | Vegetables | Proteins | Other |
| Avocado | Artichokes | Black beans | Chocolate |
| Bananas | Baked beans | Clams | Dairy products |
| Coconut | Beets | Ground beef | Granola |
| Cantaloupe and honeydew melons | Broccoli | Kidney beans | Milk |
| Dates | Brussels sprouts | Lobster | Peanut butter |
| Dried fruits | Cabbage (raw) | Navy beans | Soups that are salt-free or low-sodium |
| Figs | Carrots (raw) | Pinto beans | Soy milk |
| Kiwi | Chard | Salmon | Sports drinks |
| Mango | Olives | Sardines | Tomato sauce |
| Nectarines | Potatoes (white and sweet) | Scallops | Wheat bran and bran products |
| Oranges and orange juice | Pickles | Steak | Whole-grain bread |
| Prunes and prune juice | Pumpkin | Whitefish | Yogurt |
| Raisins | Rutabaga | ||
| Watermelon | Squash (acorn, butternut, hubbard) | ||
| Tomatoes and tomato juice |
Some foods that are low in potassium
| Fruits | Vegetables | Proteins |
| Apple juice | Alfalfa sprouts | Almonds |
| Apples and applesauce | Asparagus | Cashews |
| Blackberries | Cabbage (cooked) | Chicken |
| Blueberries | Carrots (cooked) | Eggs |
| Cherries | Cauliflower | Flax seed |
| Cranberries | Celery | Peanuts |
| Grapefruit | Corn | Pumpkin seeds |
| Grapes and grape juice | Cucumber | Shrimp |
| Peaches | Eggplant | Sunflower seeds |
| Pears | Green beans | Tuna |
| Pineapple | Green peas | Turkey |
| Plums | Green peppers | Walnuts |
| Raspberries | Kale | |
| Strawberries | Lettuce | |
| Okra | ||
| Onions | ||
| Radish | ||
| Rhubarb | ||
| Spinach | ||
| Water chestnuts | ||
| Wax beans | ||
| Yellow squash, Zucchini |
