Low Potassium Foods List | 110 Foods in PDF

Low Potassium Foods List

Potassium is essential for everyone’s survival as it aids in keeping your muscles and heart in good working condition.

A healthy kidney contributes to regulating potassium levels in the blood by removing anything in excess from the body.

The presence of elevated potassium, on the other hand, indicates that your kidneys are not functioning correctly.

Too much potassium can be dangerous because it can cause an irregular heartbeat, and if the levels are high, it can result in a heart attack.

Because our bowels also remove potassium, the potassium level in your blood may also rise if you are constipated.

Therefore, if you have kidney disease, are a dialysis patient, or are at risk of developing these conditions, you should ensure that your potassium levels remain stable.

It would help if you also went for regular checkups.

What Is The Average Amount Of Potassium Should One Take In A Day?

A typical American diet contains approximately 3500 to 4500 mg of potassium per day, considered the standard quantity.

A potassium-limited diet contains about 2000 mg of potassium per day on average.

Your doctor or dietician will advise you on the particular level of restriction you require based on your individual health needs and circumstances.

A kidney dietician is a professional trained to assist you in making dietary alterations to avoid issues associated with kidney disease.

How Can You Keep Your Potassium Levels Under Control?

One way to help reduce the amount of potassium in your blood is to limit the amount you consume through your diet.

It is surprising but possible to learn that you do not need to consume the potassium found in many foods and beverages for a healthy body.

However, you will most likely need to reduce your portion sizes or the amount of potassium you consume, especially if you have renal problems.

If you go on a low potassium diet, you will need to work with a dietician to ensure good fitness and overall health.

Furthermore, a dietician will help you maintain a healthy diet balance without missing essential nutrients.

This article looks at the best low potassium foods to include in your grocery list and those you should avoid.

Low Potassium Food List

Low-Potassium Vegetables

• Celery
• Cauliflower
• Carrots (cooked)
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Alfalfa sprouts
• Lettuce
• Kale
• Green beans or wax beans
• Eggplant
• Cucumber
• Corn
• White mushrooms (raw)
• Radish
• Peppers
• Peas (green)
• Parsley
• Onion
• Zucchini
• Yellow squash
• Watercress
• Water chestnuts

Low-Potassium Fruits

• Grapes and grape juice
• Grapefruit
• Fruit cocktail
• Cranberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Apples
• Mandarin oranges
• Peaches
• Tangerine
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Plums
• Pineapple and pineapple juice
• Pears
• Watermelon

Other Low-Potassium Foods

• Rice
• Pies with no chocolate or high-potassium fruit
• Pasta
• Noodles
• Cookies without nuts or chocolate
• Cake (angel or yellow)
• Bread (not whole grain)
• Black Coffee in moderation
• Green Tea
• Unflavored water
• Herbal tea

High Potassium Foods to Avoid

Potassium is present in a wide variety of foods. Avoid or consume less than a half-cup of these high-potassium foods every day to maintain low levels.

High-Potassium Vegetables

• Hubbard squash
• Butternut squash
• Beets
• Avocado
• Artichoke
• Acorn squash
• Lentils
• Kohlrabi
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli (cooked)
• Baked beans, black beans, refried beans
• Vegetable juice
• Tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste
• Spinach (cooked)
• Rutabagas
• Potatoes (white and sweet)
• Parsnips
• Onions (fried)
• Okra

High Potassium Fruits

• Honeydew melon
• Dried fruit
• Cantaloupe
• Bananas
• Apricots
• Kiwi
• Prunes and prune juice
• Pomegranate and pomegranate juice
• Papaya
• Oranges and orange juice
• Nectarines
• Raisins
• Pumpkin
• Mango

Other High-Potassium Foods

• Bran products
• Milk
• Ice cream
• Granola
• French fries
• Creamed soups
• Coconut
• Chocolate
• Buttermilk
• Soy
• Nuts
• Molasses
• Miso
• Milkshakes
• Eggnogs
• Yogurt
• Tofu
• Seeds
• Salt substitutes
• Potato chips
• Peanut butter

How Can You Reduce The Amount Of Potassium In Your Foods?

You can lower the potassium levels in some foods by following the guidelines below.

• Growing potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, rutabagas, and other root crops necessitate potassium absorption. As a result, the potassium levels are still high when you harvest or purchase these food items. Leaching can help you to reduce this.

• Before boiling your foods such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, or squash, peel them first to minimize the amount of potassium.
• Soak in warm water for a minimum of two hours before using. Use ten times the amount of water for the same amount of vegetables. If you plan to soak for a more extended period, replace the water every four hours.
• Boil the vegetables/potatoes in a large amount of water until tender, then drain and discard the water from the saucepan. Once cooked, some potassium dissolves into the water, lowering the amount of potassium present in the final product. Repeat the procedure twice if the foods are extremely high in potassium levels.

• Cook veggies in water five times the amount they require to cook.

• Do not use a microwave, steamer, or pressure cooker

• When you steam, microwave, or use a pressure cooker for cooking your veggies, chances are the foods will retain all their nutrients, including potassium. On the other hand, boiling water will dissolve the potassium, thus reducing its content on the food.

• Do not stir-fry or roast the veggies unless they are pre-boiled

• You can also avoid taking in too much sodium in your diet by simply reading the labels on the food items. Canned fruits and veggies typically have low potassium levels, but they could be high in other ingredients that may not go well with your diets, such as sugar and sodium.

• Be mindful of the portions you serve on your plate.

Final Thoughts

Potassium is a mineral required by the body muscles to function correctly, such as the heart.

Typically, your kidneys are in charge of regulating the amount of potassium in your blood. When your kidneys are not functioning correctly, the concentration of potassium in your blood can increase.

High potassium levels can be problematic because they can interfere with your heartbeat.

To keep potassium levels in your blood under control, you must minimize the quantity you consume through your food.

When following a low potassium diet, you should only do so after a certified health practitioner recommends that you do so.

If you have any other dietary restrictions, talk to your dietitian about how you might reduce your potassium intake while still adhering to your other nutritional requirements.

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