A low-potassium diet entails avoiding foods high in potassium like fish, red meat, and potatoes, and favoring low-potassium foods like poultry and berries. Your healthcare provider will likely recommend this way of eating if you have hyperkalemia, which is too much potassium in your blood.
While potassium is a major dietary mineral essential for keeping your nervous and cardiovascular systems functioning, excessive levels can disrupt electrolytes, which may lead to muscular and nervous system damage. In fact, unmanaged, hyperkalemia can cause fatal cardiac arrest.
This article reviews foods you can eat and those you should avoid on a low-potassium diet, as well as other considerations to keep in mind if you need to follow one.
Low-Potassium Diet Basics
The basic guidelines of a low-potassium diet are simple: Eat foods that are low in potassium and steer clear of those that are good sources of the nutrient.
Whereas it's typically recommended that adults get between 3500 and 4500 milligrams (mg) of potassium each day, a low-potassium diet lowers that to 2,000 mg.
Doing this, however, means that you will need to limit some otherwise healthy foods. Potassium-rich foods, including many fruits and vegetables, are staples of a balanced diet and provide a great deal of nutrition. The following are some serving recommendations.
Recommended Low-Potassium Food Servings | |
---|---|
Food | Serving |
Apples | 1 small piece |
Blueberries | 1/2 cup |
Dried fruits | 1/2 cup |
Grapes | 1/2 cup |
Pear | 1 small piece |
Raspberries | 1/2 cup |
Strawberries | 1/2 cup |
Bagel | half |
Couscous | 1/2 cup |
Pasta | 1/2 cup |
Asparagus | 1/2 cup |
Carrots | 1 small piece |
Peas | 1/2 cup |
Apple sauce | 1/2 cup |
Peanut or other butter | 2 tablespoons |
You'll need to ensure that your low-potassium diet is full of low-potassium options that pack substantial nutrition; you may also be able to include small portions of high-potassium foods in your diet.
Working with a registered dietitian can help you create a low-potassium meal plan that is both effective and nourishing.
Who Should Follow a Low-Potassium Diet?
Certain health conditions and some medications can affect how well yourkidneys regulate potassiumin your body. A low-potassium diet, therefore, may be recommended if you have:
- Chronic kidney disease
- Kidney failure
- Type 1 diabetes
- Addison’s disease
It's also recommended if you take:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors
Depending on your situation, this may be to treat your high levels or get ahead of the potential risk.
Normal potassium levels are between 3.5 to 5.0 mmol/L. If your potassium levels are 6.0 mmol/L or higher, immediate intervention is necessary.
If your provider recommends that you eat this way, it's important that you follow the recommendation—even if you feel fine. It can take months for your potassium to get to a dangerous level. During that time, you may not have any symptoms.
1:50
An Overview of Hyperkalemia
What to Eat (and Avoid) on a Low-Potassium Diet
Most foods contain some potassium. If you’re on a potassium-restricted diet, you’ll need to avoid foods that are high in potassium (generally over 200 mg per serving). You’ll also need to avoid consuming large quantities of any food or drink that contains potassium—even low amounts—as this can also raise potassium levels.
Your healthcare provider and a dietitian can help determine how many servings of low-potassium foods (generally 150 mg or less per serving) you can have each day.
Low Potassium
Chicken or turkey (3 ounces)
Tuna, pork, shrimp (1 ounce)
Green beans
Peppers
Eggplant
Canned water chestnuts(drained and rinsed)
Onions
Parsley
Snow peas
Rhubarb
Radishes
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Corn
Kale
Scallions
Zucchini
Watercress
Carrots (cooked)
Apples, applesauce
Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries
Peaches
Grapefruit
Plums
Grapes
Pears
Mandarin oranges
Tangerines
Canned fruit co*cktail (drained and rinsed)
Watermelon
Pineapple
Hard cheese
Cottage cheese
Egg whites
Refined white flour bread, pasta, and cereals
White rice
Corn chips, crackers, popcorn
Apple, grape, pineapple juice
Rice milk
Non-dairy creamer
Powdered mixed drinks
Iced or hot tea (16 oz/day) and coffee (8 oz/day)
Yellow cake, angel food cake, cookies without nuts or chocolate, pies without high-potassium fruit or chocolate
High Potassium
Most fish
Shellfish (e.g., clams, scallops, lobster)
Red meat
Greens (except kale)
Artichokes
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams
Bok choy
Squash
Parsnips
Brussels sprouts
Mushrooms
Pumpkin
Okra
Beets
Papaya
Mango
Dried fruit
Dates
Nectarines
Avocado
Pomegranate
Bananas
Plantains
Kiwi
Oranges
Pears
Coconut
Cantaloupe
Honeydew melon
Tomato, tomato products
Apricots
All dairy products (except some cheese and sour cream); soy milk
Pinto, kidney, black, lima, soy, and navy beans
Tofu
Lentils
Bran
Granola
Oats and oatmeal
Whole-grain bread, baked goods, and cereal
Nuts and seeds (limited portions may be approved)
Nut butters
Molasses
Chocolate
Figs
Fruit and vegetable juice
Electrolyte-replacement/sports drinks
Fruits and vegetables: Fresh produce is generally rich in potassium. When eaten raw, many fruits and veggies are too high in potassium for a low-potassium diet. However, you may be able to have them if you limit portions and/or cook them to reduce the potassium content. Some canned fruits and vegetables can also work as long as you drain and rinse them.
Dairy: Milk products need to be avoided, or at least limited, on a low-potassium diet. You may be able to have a small serving of milk or yogurt each day. Some types of cheese (including cottage cheese) are low enough in potassium that you may be able to include them in your diet.
If you add milk to your tea or coffee, switch to a non-dairy creamer or milk alternative such as rice milk. However, avoid soy milk.
Grains: Instead of whole grains and bran, look for rice cereals or bread made from refined flour. White rice and pasta noodles made from refined white flour are approved on a low-potassium diet. Soda crackers, unbuttered popcorn, and puffed rice are lower-potassium snack options.
Protein: Most animal and plant-based protein are high in potassium. However, you need to include some protein in your diet. Choose lower-potassium options or have smaller portions of high-potassium sources.
Egg whites are one lower-potassium option. You may be able to have small servings of nuts (one small handful) or peanut butter (a single tablespoon).
Avoid sausage, bacon, lunch meats, and any other processed meats with additives that may contain potassium. Whenever you cook meat of any kind, be sure to drain the juices and discard them instead of using them for sauces, basting, or gravy.
Sweets: Many desserts are made with ingredients that are high in potassium, such as nuts, syrups, and chocolate. Be careful when choosing cookies, cakes, and ice cream. Look for plain yellow cakes (such as angel food or sponge cake) with no icing, frosting, toppings, or fillings.
Clear gelatin, honey, and maple syrup are lower-potassium choices. If you’re baking, white sugar is a lower-potassium choice than brown sugar.
Beverages: Dehydration can disrupt the electrolyte balance in your body and lead to hyperkalemia. Water is the best choice for staying hydrated, but other approved beverages on a low-potassium diet include fresh lemonade and juice made from low-potassium fruit or frozen fruit concentrate.
One 8-ounce cup of iced or hot coffee a day is OK. Tea is also acceptable, as long as you stick to 16 ounces per day. It can be served hot or on ice either plain or sweetened with lemon and sugar or honey. Avoid high-potassium herbs such as alfalfa, dandelion, and nettle, which are often used in tea (and seasoning) blends.
Alcohol and Potassium Deficiency
You may want to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, and specifically avoid drinking heavily, if you're on a low-potassium diet. In fact, consuming large amounts of alcohol is a risk factor for hypokalemia, in which you have too little potassium in your body.
Cooking Tips
If you don't want to completely give up your favorite high-potassium produce, learn how to leach vegetables. While this cooking method can make some higher potassium foods safer to eat, talk to your healthcare provider before you add leached vegetables to your diet.
Even if you remove some of the potassium from a vegetable, you’ll still want to only have it on occasion.
How to Leach Vegetables
- Wash veggies in cold water.
- Peel and thinly slice them, then rinse under warm water.
- Add unsalted warm water to a pot or bowl. (You’ll need a ratio of about 10 parts water to one part vegetable.)
- Soak vegetables for at least two hours. You can soak for up to 12 hours; just change the water every four hours.
- Remove vegetables and rinse them in warm water.
- Boil in unsalted water using a ratio of about five parts water to one part vegetable.
- Drain the cooking water when finished, as that’s where the leached potassium has collected.
Duration
If your potassium levels are high due to a chronic health condition, you may need to make permanent changes to your diet to keep your levels managed.
Depending on the cause of hyperkalemia, your healthcare provider may allow you to add more potassium back into your diet. However, if your potassium levels get high again, you will likely need to resume a potassium-restricted diet until they are under control.
In some cases, following a potassium-restricted diet may not be enough. If your potassium levels don't respond to changes in your diet, you may need to take medication or have dialysis treatments.
Ripe, Baked, or Fried Plantains: What’s Healthiest?
Benefits of a Low-Potassium Diet
Some research has shown that certain negative effects of high potassium may respond to a low potassium diet.
For example, a 2017 study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that patients with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease were less likely to experience neuropathy on a potassium-restricted diet.
Neuropathy and Kidney Disease: Understanding the Connection
The benefits of a low-potassium diet for everyone at risk, however, are debated by some. Several research studies have looked at whether potassium-restricted diets are helpful for certain people, such as patients with kidney disease who are on dialysis. A 2016 study cited inconclusive evidence of a strict low-potassium diet’s effectiveness, in part because it’s unclear whether the body considers all dietary sources of potassium (plant and animal) equal.
The study's findings also suggest that potassium-restricted diets may do more harm than good for some patients. However, because there are no other evidence-based dietary treatments for hyperkalemia, most researchers believe healthcare providers should continue to prescribe low-potassium diets.
Considerations
While pretty straightforward, there are some things you need to be aware of when beginning a low-potassium diet.
Safety
If you are following a low-potassium diet, you may choose to take supplements to bridge the gap in terms of the nutrition your diet provides and what your body needs. Taking supplements that contain potassium can thwart your eating efforts, read labels carefully. In fact, it is best to run any supplements you are considering by your healthcare provider first.
Flexibility
It's possible to dine out on a low-potassium diet, but you may need to exercise extra caution when evaluating your options.
Choose low-potassium foods and keep an eye on portions, which are often oversized at restaurants.
Dietary Restrictions
You may have other dietary needs and preferences to consider along with your low-potassium diet. For example, you may need to avoid gluten due to celiac disease, or you may prefer to follow a plant-based diet.
Additional dietary restrictions only enhance the challenge of getting proper nutrition while on a low-sodium diet. Thus, it's best to get professional help to figure out how to meet all your dietary needs.
Additionally, if you have another health condition that can be affected by your diet, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) or diabetes, your healthcare provider may have you make other changes to what you eat and drink.
How Does Potassium Affect High Blood Pressure?
If you’re overweight or have other risk factors (such as a family history of heart disease) your healthcare provider may suggest you limit your fat intake. High-fat, high-cholesterol foods not only put stress on your kidneys, but they can also contribute to obesity and conditions such as atherosclerosis.
Side Effects
The most common side effect of a low-potassium diet is constipation. If you’re not able to increase your intake of fiber-rich foods to help things along, your healthcare provider may suggest a fiber supplement.
You should also be aware of the signs of an acute spike in your potassium levels, which can be dangerous. More subtle symptoms of hyperkalemia include general fatigue and nausea, but acute hyperkalemia can cause trouble breathing, a racing heart, and chest pain. If you have these symptoms, seek immediate emergency medical care.
Your potassium levels are related to your body’s sodium levels. If your potassium levels are high because your kidney function is poor, your healthcare provider might tell you to watch your salt intake to make sure you don’t put too much stress on your kidneys.
Summary
Potassium is an essential mineral the body needs to function properly, but sometimes too much builds up in the blood. Usually, this happens because of a medical condition. Too much potassium could potentially be fatal.
To regulate your levels, avoid high-potassium foods and keep serving sides to recommended amounts. Depending on the cause of hyperkalemia (high potassium), dietary changes may need to be permanent.
Hyperkalemia Doctor Discussion Guide
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much potassium is in an egg?
One large egg contains about 63 mg of potassium. Eggs are considered a low-potassium food but check with your doctor or dietitian to find out how often you should eat them.
What meats and fish are best for a low-potassium diet?
Beef and most types of fish are usually higher in potassium than chicken, turkey, and tuna. For example, a 3-ounce ground turkey patty has 288 mg of potassium; a 3-ounce serving of canned tuna has 283 mg; a 3-ounce serving of salmon has 387 mg; and a 3-ounce steak has about 360 mg. Your doctor or dietitian can help you decide which to eat and how to watch your portions.
What are the benefits of potassium?
At normal levels, potassium helps keep your cells functioning normally. It helps your body process carbohydrates and build proteins. It also plays a role in regulating your heartbeat and keeping your muscles and nerves functioning.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Health. Potassium.
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Palmer BF. Regulation of Potassium Homeostasis.Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2015;10(6):1050-1060. doi:10.2215/CJN.08580813
Leon SJ, Tangri N. Balancing Hyperkalemia Risks with Clinical Benefits of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone Inhibitors/Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists Blockade: It's Apples and Oranges.Kidney360. 2022;3(8):1442-1444. Published 2022 May 18. doi:10.34067/KID.0000952022
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Arnold R, Pianta TJ, puss*ll BA, et al. Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Effect of Dietary Potassium Restriction on Nerve Function in CKD.Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2017;12(10):1569-1577. doi:10.2215/CJN.00670117
St-Jules DE, Goldfarb DS, Sevick MA. Nutrient Non-equivalence: Does Restricting High-Potassium Plant Foods Help to Prevent Hyperkalemia in Hemodialysis Patients?J Ren Nutr. 2016;26(5):282-287. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2016.02.005
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Additional Reading
Arnold R, Pianta TJ, puss*ll BA, et al. Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Effect of Dietary Potassium Restriction on Nerve Function in CKD.Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2017;12(10):1569-1577. doi:10.2215/cjn.00670117
A to Z Health Guide. Potassium and Your CKD Diet. National Kidney Foundation. Published November 2, 2018.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements - Potassium. Nih.gov. Published 2017.
Raebel MA. Hyperkalemia Associated with Use of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers.Cardiovascular Therapeutics. 2011;30(3):e156-e166. doi:10.1111/j.1755-5922.2010.00258.x
St-Jules DE, Goldfarb DS, Sevick MA. Nutrient Non-equivalence: Does Restricting High-Potassium Plant Foods Help to Prevent Hyperkalemia in Hemodialysis Patients?Journal of Renal Nutrition. 2016;26(5):282-287. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2016.02.005
By Shereen Lehman, MS
Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker.
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