Primary Care

Purpose

A low potassium diet helps prevent high blood levels of potassium. When blood potassium levels become too high, muscle weakness, and an irregular heart beat can occur. Limiting potassium in your diet will help keep your blood potassium levels normal.

Facts About Potassium

Potassium is found in most foods. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat and milk are especially high in potassium. You will need to avoid or limit your intake of these foods. If your blood potassium level becomes too high, you will need to be very careful with your diet.

How to Follow a Low Potassium Diet

• Avoid salt substitute because it has potassium.

• Use only herbs and spices or seasoning mixes that do not contain potassium

• Limit fruits and vegetables to 4 servings (1/2 cup each) a day

• Limit milk to 1/2 cup a day. This includes all types of milk, buttermilk, yogurt and ice cream.

Limit These High Potassium Fruits
to One Serving a Day

Completely Avoid These
Very High Potassium Fruits

Banana
Mandarin Oranges
Blackberries
Orange Juice
Boysenberries
Orange
Cherries
Peach
Pear
Figs
Plums
Prunes
Prune Juice
Raisins
Prunes, dried
Grapefruit
Raspberries
Kiwi fruit
Strawberries
Mulberries
Watermelon

1/2 medium
3/4 cup
3/4 cup
1/2 cup
1 cup
1 medium
12 each
1 medium
1 medium
2 each
2 medium
3 each
1 cup
2 tbsp.
3 each
1/2
1 cup
1 medium
1 1/4 cup
1 cup
1 1/4 cup

Apricots
Avocado
Cantaloupe
Honeydew Melon
Nectarines
Plantain
Tangelos

Limit These High Potassium Vegetables
to One Serving (1/2 cup) A Day

Completely Avoid These
Very High Potassium Vegetables

Asparagus
Beets
Brussels sprouts
Collard greens
Corn
Cowpeas
Dandelion greens
Kale
Mixed vegetables
Mushrooms
Parsnips
* Potato (leached)
Pumpkin
Spinach
Tomato juice
Tomatoes, canned
Turnips
Zucchini

Artichokes
Butter beans
Dried peas, beans, lentils
Potatoes—baked, commercial French fries and chips
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Tomato paste / puree
Winter squash
Yams

Completely Avoid These Very High Potassium Foods