Potassium is a mineral that your body uses for digestive, heart and muscle function. However, people who have chronic kidney disease may need to adhere to a low-potassium diet to avoid stressing their kidneys too much. While most foods contain some potassium, consuming lower potassium options can help you limit your potassium intake.
Many protein sources are high in potassium, including beef, turkey, salmon, nuts and seeds, dried peas, black beans, refried beans, baked beans, pinto beans, lentils, soy milk and milk. Eggs are lower in potassium, as long as you consume them in moderation. Limit your intake of processed meat and red meat, and instead consume small portions of lean meat, cold water fish or beans to meet your protein needs.
Potatoes, tomatoes, winter squashes, artichokes, beets, bamboo shoots, kohlrabi, broccoli, greens, carrots, Chinese cabbage, spinach, mushrooms, rutabagas, Brussels sprouts and parsnips are high in potassium. Choose summer squash, cucumber, onions, peas, radishes, okra, peppers, water chestnuts, lettuce, eggplant, kale, corn, cabbage, asparagus, celery, cauliflower or green beans instead. If you are worried about getting too much potassium from vegetables, you can also leach some of the potassium out of them by soaking them for at least two hours in a ratio of 10 times the amount of water to vegetables and then cooking them in a ratio of five times the amount of water to vegetables.
Low-potassium fruits include watermelon, apples, tangerines, canned apricots, mandarin oranges, berries, plums, grapes, cherries, grapefruit, pineapples, plums, canned pears and canned peaches. Use these fruits to develop your low-potassium menu. Avoid high-potassium fruits like bananas, fresh or dried apricots, avocado, kiwi, honeydew, cantaloupe, figs, dates, mango, nectarines, pomegranates, oranges, papayas, raisins, fresh pears and prunes.
Eat a variety of foods, including those of different colors, to make sure you get enough of the essential nutrients. Check with your doctor to determine an acceptable amount of potassium for you to consume, and keep in mind that even low potassium foods can add up to too much potassium if you eat too much of them. It can be helpful to speak with a registered dietitian when first starting to plan a low-potassium menu. In general, aim to consume one serving of protein along with a serving of low-potassium grain and one or two servings of low-potassium fruits and vegetables at each meal.
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