Fruits with low potassium are wonderful as they are naturally occurring and contain much-needed nutrients. The best fruits with low potassium can be eaten without any sort of preparation and taken in small servings.
Since the advent of the food pyramid, it’s been known that potassium is an important nutrient. As long as you steer clear of salt, you’ll be eating a lot of foods with high potassium. But if you want to stay mindful about your intake, it may help to know which foods that contain low potassium. After all, there are plenty of fruits on this list that people don’t normally think about when they picture potassium-heavy fruits.
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Fruits And Vegetables Low In Potassium And Phosphorus
Individuals who have chronic kidney disease are at risk for excessive levels of phosphorus and potassium in the blood, which can result in complications such as loss of bone density and irregular heart function. To prevent this, these individuals need to follow a strict diet and eliminate foods high in potassium and phosphorus. Almost all fruits and vegetables are low in phosphorus, but they vary widely in their potassium content. Identifying the best low-potassium, low-phosphorus fruits and vegetables will keep your diet consistent.
Defining Limitations
Understanding which factors qualify a food as “low potassium” or “low phosphorus” is the first step toward identifying compliant choices. Foods low in potassium are those that have less than 150 milligrams of potassium per serving. Foods low in phosphorus are those that have less than 110 milligrams of phosphorus per serving. Most patients with CKD need to consume foods low in phosphorus and potassium. If your doctor says it is OK, however, you could eat foods that have moderate amounts of phosphorus and potassium. It is also important to pay attention to serving sizes, as excessive amounts of low-potassium or low-phosphorus foods can add up to higher levels than you intended to consume.
Appropriate Fruits
Apples contain only 14 milligrams of phosphorus and 134 milligrams of potassium in a sliced, 1-cup serving, making them ideal choices. A 1/2-cup serving of grapes contains less than 5 milligrams of phosphorus and 88 milligrams of potassium. One average-sized plum contains 11 milligrams of phosphorus and 104 milligrams of potassium, putting it safely below the threshold for both minerals. Other good fruits to eat that are low in potassium and phosphorus include 1/2-cup servings of peaches, pears, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
Appropriate Vegetables
One cup of raw chopped cabbage contains 23 milligrams of phosphorus and 151 milligrams of potassium, putting it right at the threshold of “low potassium.” A 1/2-cup serving of raw cucumber only contains 12 milligrams of phosphorus and 76 milligrams of potassium. Other good vegetable choices are 1/2-cup servings of alfalfa sprouts, cauliflower, lettuce, snow peas, and turnips.
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Other Considerations
The only common vegetables that are not low in phosphorus are dried beans and peas, which have moderate amounts of phosphorus. Nearly all types of beans have less than 160 milligrams of phosphorous per serving. Vegetables that have moderate-to-high amounts of potassium may also be options for CKD patients if you boil and drain the vegetables. Boiling is an effective way of removing 50 to 75 percent of the potassium and other mineral content from vegetables, according to a 2008 article published in the Journal of Food Science.
What Is Potassium And Why Is It Important To You?
Potassium is a mineral found in many of the foods you eat. It plays a role in keeping your heartbeat regular and your muscles working right. It is the job of healthy kidneys to keep the right amount of potassium in your body. However, when your kidneys are not healthy, you often need to limit certain foods that can increase the potassium in your blood to a dangerous level. You may feel some weakness, numbness, and tingling if your potassium is at a high level. If your potassium becomes too high, it can cause an irregular heartbeat or a heart attack.
How Can I Keep My Potassium Level From Getting Too High?
- You should limit foods that are high in potassium. Your renal dietitian will help you plan your diet so you are getting the right amount of potassium.
- Eat a variety of foods but in moderation.
- If you want to include some high potassium vegetables in your diet, leach them before using them. Leaching is a process by which some potassium can be pulled out of the vegetable. Instructions for leaching selected high potassium vegetables can be found at the end of this fact sheet. Check with your dietitian on the amount of leached high potassium vegetables that can be safely included in your diet.
- Do not drink or use the liquid from canned fruits and vegetables, or the juices from cooked meat.
What Foods Are Low In Potassium?
The following table list foods which are low in potassium. A portion is a ½ cup unless otherwise noted. Eating more than 1 portion can make a lower potassium food into a higher potassium food.
| Low-Potassium Foods | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fruits | Vegetables | Other Foods |
| Apple (1 medium) | Alfalfa sprouts | Rice |
| Apple Juice | Asparagus (6 spears raw) | Noodles |
| Applesauce | Beans, green or wax Broccoli (raw or cooked from frozen) | Pasta |
| Apricots, canned in juice | Cabbage, green and red Carrots, cooked | Bread and bread products (Not Whole Grains) |
| Blackberries | Cauliflower | Cake: angel, yellow |
| Blueberries | Celery (1 stalk) | Coffee: limit to 8 ounces |
| Cherries | Corn, fresh (½ ear) frozen (½ cup) | Pies without chocolate or high potassium fruit |
| Cranberries | Cucumber | Cookies without nuts or chocolate |
| Fruit Cocktail | Eggplant | Tea: limit to 16 ounces |
| Grapes | Kale | |
| Grape Juice | Lettuce | |
| Grapefruit (½ whole) | Mixed Vegetables | |
| Mandarin Oranges | White Mushrooms, raw (½ cup) | |
| Peaches, fresh (1 small) canned (½ cup) | Onions | |
| Pears, fresh (1 small) canned (½ cup) | Parsley | |
| Pineapple | Peas, green | |
| Pineapple Juice | Peppers | |
| Plums (1 whole) | Radish | |
| Raspberries | Rhubarb | |
| Strawberries | Water Chestnuts, canned | |
| Tangerine (1 whole) | Watercress | |
| Watermelon (limit to 1 cup) | Yellow Squash | |
| Zucchini Squash |
How Do I Get Some Of The Potassium Out Of My Favorite High-Potassium Vegetables?
The process of leaching will help pull potassium out of some high-potassium vegetables. It is important to remember that leaching will not pull all of the potassium out of the vegetable. You must still limit the amount of leached high-potassium vegetables you eat. Ask your dietitian about the amount of leached vegetables that you can safely have in your diet.
How to leach vegetables.
For Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Beets, Winter Squash, and Rutabagas:
- Peel and place the vegetable in cold water so they won’t darken.
- Slice vegetable 1/8 inch thick.
- Rinse in warm water for a few seconds.
- Soak for a minimum of two hours in warm water. Use ten times the amount of water to the number of vegetables. If soaking longer, change the water every four hours.
- Rinse under warm water again for a few seconds.
- Cook vegetables with five times the amount of water to the number of vegetables.
- Remember that almost all foods have some potassium. The size of the serving is very important. A large amount of low potassium food can turn into high-potassium food.
- If you are on dialysis, be sure to get all the treatments or exchanges prescribed to you.
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Top 10 Foods Lowest In Potassium For People With Kidney Disease
The kidneys regulate potassium (and all electrolyte) levels in your body. For those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), you may have to limit their consumption of potassium and other electrolytes.
The list below serves as a suggestion for low potassium foods for your diet and is for informational purposes only. Please work with your primary care provider to establish a proper diet.
Generally, people with CKD should watch their protein intake, as well as intake of other electrolytes. Since other electrolytes should also be watched, the amounts of sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium are also listed below each food in this list.
Foods low in potassium include most refined fats and oils, grains like cornmeal, white rice, and pasta, and cheeses like soft goat cheese, blueberries, eggs, leeks, Napa cabbage, and chia seeds. Boiling vegetables in water and discarding the water can help reduce their potassium and electrolyte content. Further, you can also leech more minerals out by soaking vegetables in water before consumption.
List of Low Potassium Foods
#1: Refined Oils (Flaxseed Oil)
| Potassium per Tblsp | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 0mg (0% DV) | 0mg (0% DV) | 0mg (0% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Rice Bran Oil.
1 tbsp of cold pressed flaxseed oil contains 0mg of sodium, 0mg phosphorus, 0mg magnesium, and 0mg calcium.
#2: Soft Goat Cheese
| Potassium per Oz | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 7mg (0% DV) | 26mg (1% DV) | 20mg (0% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Soft Goat Cheese.
1 oz of soft goat cheese contains 130mg of sodium, 73mg of phosphorus, 5mg of magnesium, and 40mg of calcium.
#3: Cornmeal (Grits)
| Potassium per Cup Cooked | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 51mg (1% DV) | 22mg (0% DV) | 68mg (1% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Yellow Cornmeal (Grits)
1 cup of cornmeal contains 5mg of sodium, 33mg phosphorus, 12mg magnesium, and 2mg calcium.*Amount of Potassium and other minerals will depend on the water used for cooking.
#4: White Rice
| Potassium per Cup Cooked | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 55mg (1% DV) | 35mg (1% DV) | 54mg (1% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Cooked White Rice.
1 cup of rice contains 2mg of sodium, 68mg phosphorus, 19mg magnesium, and 16mg calcium. *Amount of Potassium and other minerals will depend on the water used for cooking.
#5: Eggs
| Potassium in 1 Large Egg | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 63mg (1% DV) | 126mg (3% DV) | 163mg (3% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Hard Boiled Eggs.
1 large egg contains 62mg of sodium, 86mg phosphorus, 5mg magnesium, and 25mg calcium.
#6: Napa Cabbage (Boiled And Drained)
| Potassium per Cup Cooked | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 95mg (2% DV) | 87mg (2% DV) | 1450mg (31% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Napa Cabbage.
1 cup of boiled and drained Napa cabbage contains 12mg of sodium, 21mg of phosphorus, 9mg of magnesium, and 32mg of calcium.
Boiling and draining the water of vegetables will help reduce the potassium and mineral content.
Few vegetables are low in potassium, but you can see the ranking of all vegetables low in potassium.
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#7: Leeks (Boiled And Drained)
| Potassium per Leek | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 108mg (2% DV) | 87mg (2% DV) | 561mg (12% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Leeks.
An average leek (boiled and drained) contains 12mg sodium, 21mg phosphorus, 17mg magnesium, and 37mg calcium.
Boiling and draining the water of vegetables will help reduce the potassium and mineral content.
Few vegetables are low in potassium, but you can see the ranking of all vegetables low in potassium.
#8: Whole Wheat Pasta
| Potassium per Cup | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 112mg (2% DV) | 96mg (2% DV) | 129mg (3% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Whole Wheat Pasta.
1 cup of whole wheat pasta contains 5mg of sodium, 149mg phosphorus, 63mg magnesium, and 15mg calcium.*Amount of Potassium and other minerals will depend on the water used for cooking.
#9: Blueberries
| Potassium per Cup | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 114mg (2% DV) | 77mg (2% DV) | 270mg (6% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Blueberries.
1 cup of raw blueberries contains 2mg of sodium, 18mg phosphorus, 9mg magnesium, and 9mg calcium.
Few fruits are low in potassium, but you can see the complete ranking of fruits low in potassium.
#10: Chia Seeds
| Potassium per oz(~2 Tblsp) | Potassium per 100g | Potassium per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 116mg (2% DV) | 407mg (9% DV) | 167mg (4% DV) |
Nutrition Facts for Chia Seeds.
1 oz (~2 tablespoons) of chia seeds contains 5mg of sodium, 244mg of phosphorus, 95mg of magnesium, and 179mg of calcium.
Nuts and seeds are high in most minerals, but you can still see the ranking of nuts and seeds low in potassium.
| Food Group | Food With High Potassium | Food With Low Potassium |
|---|---|---|
| Fruits | ApricotsAvocadoBananaCantaloupeDatesDried fruitsFigsGrapefruit juiceHoneydewKiwiMangoNectarineOrange or orange juiceOrange juicePapayaPomegranate or pomegranate juicePrunesPrune juiceRaisins | Apple, apple juice, apple sauceApricotsBlackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberriesCherriesFruit cocktailGrapes, grape juiceGrapefruitMandarin orangesPeachesPearsPineapple, pineapple juicePlumsTangerineWatermelon |
| Vegetables | Acorn squashArtichokeBamboo shoots based beansButternut squashBeets, fresh then boiled black beans Brussels sproutsChinese cabbage carrots, raw dried beans, and peas green, except kaleHubbard squashKohlrabiLentilsLegumesMushrooms, cannedParsnipsPotatoes, white and sweetPumpkinRefried beansRutabagasSpinach, cooked tomatoes, tomato products vegetable juice | Alfalfa sproutsAsparagusBeans, wax or greenCabbage, green and redCarrots, cookedCauliflowerCeleryCornCucumberEggplantKaleLeached potatoes *LettuceMixed vegetablesMushrooms, freshOkraOnionsParsleyPeas, greenPeppersRadishRhubarbWater chestnuts, cannedWatercress |
| Protein Foods | Beans, dried or cannedNutsTofu | BeefPoultryEggFishPorkPeanut butter |
| Dairy Foods | Dairy items are high in potassium. Keep your portion sizes to 1 serving: ButtermilkChocolate milkEggnogEvaporated milk melted milkMilkshakesSoy milk yogurt | CheeseIce creamSkim milk2% milk whole milk |
| Other Foods | Bran/bran productsChocolateGranolaMilk, all typesMolassesNutritional supplementsNuts and seedsPeanut butterSalt substitutesSalt-free brothYogurt | Bread and bread products (not whole grains)Cake—angel food cake, yellow cakeCoffeeCookies (without nuts or chocolate)NoodlesPastaPies (without chocolate or high-potassium food)RiceTea |
| Other | Snuff or chewing tobacco |
Low-Potassium Diet: What To Know
Every time you eat a banana or a baked potato with the skin on (not just the tasty buttered insides), you’re getting potassium. This essential mineral keeps your muscles healthy and your heartbeat and blood pressure steady.
If you have a heart or kidney condition, though, your doctor may recommend a low-potassium diet. Your kidneys are responsible for keeping a healthy amount of potassium in your body. If they’re not working right, you may get too much or too little.
If you have too little potassium in your blood, it can cause an irregular heartbeat. Your muscles may also feel weak.
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High-Potassium Foods
Most foods have potassium. To keep your levels low, avoid or eat less than a half-cup a day of these high-potassium foods:
High-potassium fruits:
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Cantaloupe
- Dried fruit
- Honeydew melon
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Nectarines
- Oranges and orange juice
- Papaya
- Pomegranate and pomegranate juice
- Prunes and prune juice
- Pumpkin
- Raisins
High-potassium vegetables:
- Acorn squash, butternut squash, Hubbard squash
- Avocado
- Artichoke
- Beets
- Baked beans, black beans, refried beans
- Broccoli (cooked)
- Brussels sprouts
- Kohlrabi
- Lentils
- Okra
- Onions (fried)
- Parsnips
- Potatoes (white and sweet)
- Rutabagas
- Spinach (cooked)
- Tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste
- Vegetable juice