Low-Potassium Foods to Eat and What to Avoid

Low-potassium foods are the key to healthy living when you have kidney problems. What is the low-potassium diet? Which foods have low enough potassium levels to safely eat once you require the low-potassium diet? Curiosity is the best remedy before changing your diet. 

Our list of low-potassium foods will help you keep things interesting and colorful on your plate. It’s essential to limit potassium but also get enough as the mineral has many important bodily functions. Discover our list of low-potassium foods and some that are higher. 

What Are Low-Potassium Foods?

Low-potassium foods are any food with fewer than 200 milligrams of the mineral per serving. Some vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and drinks are low-potassium. Here’s a quick look at three low-potassium foods from each major food group (2, 1, 8, 9):

• Fruits – Grapes, cherries, and raspberries
• Grains – Oatmeal, barley, and whole wheat pasta
• Lean Proteins – Turkey, kippered herring, and bacon
• Vegetables – Eggplant, cucumber, and mushrooms

Still, let’s discover why potassium is controlled in certain individuals, the list of foods to eat and avoid, and how to reduce potassium in some foods. 

The Lowdown on Low-Potassium Foods

Let’s reveal why potassium is a balancing act before showing you the low and high-potassium foods to eat and avoid. Also, you’ll find recommendations as general guidelines but should discuss your personal health with your healthcare provider. 

What Is Potassium?

The National Institute of Health suggests potassium is a mineral vital to various bodily functions, including muscle contractions, nerve transmission, and heart and kidney health (7). The recommended daily amount depends on your age, sex, and more. 

For example, adult women need at least 2,600 milligrams and men need 3,400 milligrams daily. Meanwhile, pregnant women need 2,900 milligrams. Your kidneys typically excrete the extra potassium your body doesn’t need if you’re healthy.   

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Why Do Some People Need a Low-Potassium Diet?

Some people can’t consume the recommended amount of potassium and should discuss the decrease with healthcare providers as low-potassium diets are highly personalized to your needs and health condition. High levels of potassium are dangerous, but so are low levels.

The Queen’s Medical Research Institute suggests high potassium levels, also known as hyperkalemia, could have serious and even life-threatening adverse effects (5). Hyperkalemia occurs when the kidney’s filtration systems malfunction, preventing the extra potassium from exiting in your urine. 

Risk factors for hyperkalemia include type 1 diabetes, congestive heart failure, adrenal diseases, liver disease, and kidney disorders among others (7, 5). 

You may be at risk of complications from consuming too much potassium if your body can’t excrete it as it should. On the other hand, you may also be at risk for low potassium, also known as hypokalemia, another dangerous electrolyte imbalance. 

Hypokalemia may put you at risk of muscle spasms, metabolic acidosis, kidney disease, weakness, paralysis, and respiratory problems (6). Hypokalemia does not commonly occur from eating too little potassium, but not getting enough potassium in the diet might increase the risk of high blood pressure, kidney stones, insulin resistance and lower bone mineral density. Eating the recommended potassium amounts suggested by a healthcare practitioner based on your individual situation could prevent both low and high potassium. 

Low-Potassium Food Recommendations

The recommended amount of potassium on a low-potassium diet is highly personalized, according to your age, sex, medical history, and kidney function. Aim to keep your total daily intake below the limit your healthcare provider suggests to you. 

Additionally, limit your potassium per serving by consuming foods with under 200 milligrams of the mineral. Therefore, some foods will contain too much potassium in larger portions. 

All food contains some potassium so limiting portions is essential. Furthermore, potassium could interact negatively with ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, potassium-sparing diuretics, and loop and thiazide diuretics (7). Please consult with your healthcare provider before reducing your potassium amount. 

What Foods Have No Potassium?

Almost no food has zero potassium (8). The USDA’s Food Data Central nutrient ranking tool shows that even dried chives, raw ginger, olives, raw cilantro, garlic, jalapenos, ketchup, peppers, tomatoes, pickles, and shiitake mushrooms have 2-50 milligrams per serving (2). 

Read more: 6 Low Carb Thanksgiving Sides That Even Carb-Lovers Will Enjoy

Best Low-Potassium Foods to Eat

Finally, let’s see which vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, proteins, and snacks have lower potassium when you follow the recommended portion of ½ cup unless stated otherwise. Additionally, some low-potassium foods are only low in specified versions, such as cooked. If it doesn’t specify, you can prepare it any way you choose.

Low-Potassium Vegetables

Low-potassium vegetables have less than 200 milligrams of the mineral per ½ cup serving (unless stated otherwise) (2, 1). Also, please note whether vegetables are cooked, fresh, or dried. 

• Alfalfa sprouts
• Arugula
• Asparagus, raw, canned, or cooked (6 spears)
• Bamboo shoots, canned
• Broccoli, raw or cooked from frozen
• Cabbage, cooked or raw
• Cauliflower
• Chicory greens
• Collard greens, cooked or raw
• Cucumber
• Eggplant, boiled or raw
• Enoki mushrooms (5 large)
• Garlic, fresh (1 clove)
• Ginger, fresh (1 tsp.)
• Green beans, raw or cooked
• Green cauliflower, raw
• Green olives (5 large)
• Green onions (1 medium)
• Green peas, raw
• Green peppers, cooked and sauteed
• Hot green chili peppers (1 pepper)
• Hungarian pepper ( 1 pepper)
• Kale, cooked or raw
• Leeks, raw (½ cup) or boiled and drained (1 leek)
• Maitake mushrooms
• Mung bean sprouts, canned
• Mushrooms, canned and drained
• Mustard greens
• Okra, cooked
• Radish sprouts
• Red or green lettuce (1 cup shredded)
• Shallots, raw (1 tbsp.)
• Shiitake mushrooms, dried or raw (1 medium); cooked (1 cup)
• Snow peas, cooked
• Spaghetti squash, fresh or cooked
• Summer squash, cooked
• Sweet white corn, raw (½  ear)
• Swiss chard, raw (1 cup)
• Wakame (2 tbsp.)
• White sweet onions
• Watercress (1 cup chopped)
• Zucchini squash

Low-Potassium Fruits

Our low-potassium fruits work the same as the vegetables, aiming for under 200 milligrams per ½ cup serving unless shown otherwise (2, 1):

• Apples
• Apricots, canned in juice and drained
• Blackberries
• Blueberries, dried, wild, or frozen
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Grapefruit (½ the fruit)
• Grapes
• Limes (1 medium)
• Loganberries, frozen
• Mandarin oranges
• Mulberries
• Navel oranges
• Peaches, 1 small fresh or ½ cup canned
• Pears, 1 small fresh or ½ cup canned
• Pineapple
• Plums (1 small)
• Quinces (1 fruit)
• Raspberries, frozen or fresh
• Starfruit
• Strawberries
• Sweetened dried cranberries (¼ cup)
• Tangerine (1 whole)
• Watermelon

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Which Meats Are Low in Potassium?

The same goes for your low-potassium protein sources, which are limited to under 200 milligrams per serving indicated below (2):

• Atlantic perch, cooked (1 fillet)
• Blue crab cakes (1 piece)
• Braised beef shortribs (3 oz.)
• Chicken wings (1 piece)
• Crayfish, cooked (3 oz.)
• Fish roe (1 tbsp.)
• Ground turkey, 93% lean (2 oz.)
• Kippered herring (1 fillet)
• Lamb ribs, roasted (2 oz.)
• Lobster, cooked (3 oz.)
• Orange roughy, cooked (3 oz.)
• Raw Pacific oysters (1 medium)
• Squid (1 oz.)
• Tofu (½ cup
• Turkey, roasted (3 oz.)
• Wild Eastern oysters, cooked (3 oz)

What Breakfast Foods Are Low in Potassium?

Breakfast foods include grains, cereals, and more. Each low-potassium choice has under 200 milligrams per ½ cup serving unless stated otherwise (2):

• Buckwheat groats, cooked (1 cup)
• Oat bran, cooked
• Oatmeal, cooked
• Almond or cashew butter without added salt (1 tbsp)
• Grits
• Egg (1 whole)
• Plain greek yogurt, full fat (100 grams)

What Is a Good Low-Potassium Dinner?

You can put together a complete meal for dinner by choosing a low potassium vegetable, a small serving of protein (according to your individual restrictions), and one of the following grain products, which have under 200 mg of potassium per cup and are also relatively low in phosphorus and sodium. 

• Buckwheat groats, cooked and roasted (1 cup)
• Couscous, cooked (1 cup)
• Millet, cooked (1 cup_
• Pasta, unenriched and cooked (1 cup)
• Pearled barley, cooked (1 cup)
• Wild rice, cooked (1 cup)
• White rice or rice noodles, cooked (1 cup_

Low-Potassium Drinks

Finally, discover some low-potassium drinks with fewer than 200 milligrams of potassium per suggested serving (2, 1, 8). 

• Apple juice, canned or bottled (4 oz.)
• Coffee (8 oz.)
• Almond milk (½ cup)
• Grape juice (½  cup)
• Pineapple juice (4 oz.)
• Tea (8 oz.)

High-Potassium Foods to Avoid

Some foods are relatively high in potassium, of which we share a few below (2, 8, 9). Meanwhile, some are high in phosphorus, which often also needs to be limited for individuals with kidney disease (3). In some cases, you can enjoy these foods in small serving sizes. Talk to your healthcare provider for individualized advice.

• Fruit – Dates, bananas, avocados, mango, papaya, figs, fresh apricots, dried fruits, honeydew melon, nectarine, kiwi, pomegranate, and cantaloupe
• Vegetables – Parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, acorn squash, beets, carrots, hubbard squash, and tomatoes
• Protein – Beef, chicken, and various seafood fillets over three ounces
• Dairy – Cheese and all milk products
• Grains – Most whole grains are high in potassium and/or phosphorus
• Beans and Lentils – All beans and lentils contain high potassium and/or phosphorus levels
• Nuts and Seeds – Most nuts and seeds over an ounce 
• Other – Molasses, chocolate, salt substitutes

Read more: Your Guide to High Fat Keto Foods: The Best Choices for a Low Carb Diet

Tips to Reduce Potassium

Read labels before buying any product in-store. Ensure your potassium intake will remain within 200 milligrams per serving or your individual maximum daily. Some quick tips can help you reduce potassium and other minerals you need to balance. 

• Eat less phosphorus if you’ve been advised to limit that as well (3). Check labels for PHOs, which are often phosphorus minerals. 
• Prepare food as shown in the charts because the cooking or processing methods and volumes are important (2).
• Use specific food types as some contain more potassium than others. For example, half a cup of navel oranges is allowed but half a cup of  Valencia oranges has more potassium (2). 

Leaching Food to Reduce Potassium

The National Kidney Foundation recommends the leaching method to reduce potassium (8):

1. Peel and place your vegetables in cold water,
2. Slice the vegetables to a ⅛ inch thick,
3. Rinse the veggies in warm water for a few seconds,
4. Soak the veggies in 10 times the water for at least 2 hours,
5. Rinse under warm water again for a few seconds, 
6. Cook as per the recommendations of each vegetable.

For more low-potassium reading:

• Low-Carb Sweet Potato Recipes
• Low-Carb Wraps
• Low-Potassium Diet Menu

FAQs

• Is Oatmeal High in Potassium?

Cooked oatmeal has less than 200 milligrams of potassium per cup serving (2). However, it also has nearly 200 milligrams of phosphorus. Phosphorus is another mineral that often needs to be avoided or limited if you have kidney disease (3). Talk to your healthcare provider for individualized recommendations.

• Are Eggs High-Potassium?

No, one large, hard-boiled egg has 63 milligrams of potassium (4). Eating two hard-boiled eggs would still be less than 200 milligrams of potassium. However, it does have 86 milligrams of phosphorus, so you’ll need to take that into account if you’re limiting phosphorus as well (3).

• Is Coffee High in Potassium?

Coffee isn’t high in potassium if you limit the amount you drink daily. The National Kidney Foundation recommends sticking to 8 fl. oz. of coffee daily (8). The potassium levels may rise if you drink more coffee in a day. 

The Bottom Line

With nearly 200 low-potassium foods, you can enjoy every moment of your healthier life. Kidney problems aren’t your enemy once you learn how to eat right, and having so many foods to choose from makes it a lot easier. Pick some foods and try them now.