Potassium and your kidney diet
                   BASIC
                   What is potassium?                                                             Preparation method can change 
                   •	   Potassium	is	a	mineral	found	in	your	                                     potassium content of foods.
                        body.		It	helps	your	nerves,	muscles	                                     •	    Example:	½	cup	cooked	spinach	
                        and	heart	work	properly.                                                        is	high	in	potassium.		½	cup	raw	
                                                                                                        spinach	is	medium	in	potassium.		
                   Why do I need to limit potassium in                                                  This	is	because	½	cup	cooked	
                   my diet?                                                                             spinach	contains	more	spinach	than	
                   •	   Healthy	kidneys	remove	potassium	                                               ½	cup	of	raw	spinach.
                        from	your	body.                                                           •	    Microwave-cooked	food	tends	to	be	
                                                                                                        higher	in	potassium.
                   •	   Potassium	can	build	up	in	your	
                        body	if	your	kidneys	are	not	working	
                        properly.		If	this	happens	you	may	                                       Ask your dietitian about foods you 
                        feel	tingling	in	your	toes	and	fingers.		                                 enjoy that are not on this list.
                        You	may	also	have	weak	muscles,	
                        irregular	heartbeats	and	your	heart	
                        may	even	stop.
                   •	   The	potassium	level	in	your	blood	                                          To	lower	potassium,	
                        will	be	checked	regularly.			Your	renal	                                    drain	canned	vegetables	
                        dietitian	will	review	this	with	you.		                                      and	fruits	and	throw	
                                                                                                    away	the	liquid.
                   How can I control my potassium?
                   •	   Most	foods	contain	some	potassium	
                        but	certain	foods,	especially	some	
                        fruits	and	vegetables	contain	a	lot	of	                                     When	buying	
                        potassium.                                                                  canned	vegetables	
                   •	   Limiting	these	foods	will	help	control	                                     be	sure	to	choose	
                        the	amount	of	potassium	in	your	                                            “no	salt	added”.
                        blood.
                   BC Provincial Renal Agency • Phone: 604-875-7340 • Email: bcpra@bcpra.ca • Web: BCRenalAgency.ca                                                                                                      February 2016
                   Created by the Renal Registered Dietitians Group                             
                   Lower Potassium Vegetables
                                                 One portion is 1/2 cup unless otherwise stated.
                                                             Choose                          portions a day
                     •	    alfalfa	sprouts                                                         •	   green	beans,	cooked/canned/raw
                     •	    arugula                                                                 •	   jicama
                     •	    asparagus,	raw/cooked                                                   •	   kale,	raw/cooked	from	fresh
                     •	    bamboo	shoots,	canned                                                   •	   leeks,	raw/cooked
                     •	    bean	sprouts                                                            •	   lettuce
                     •	    broccoli,	raw/frozen                                                    •	   white	mushrooms,	raw/canned
                     •	    cabbage,	raw/cooked                                                     •	   mushrooms,	shitake,	cooked
                     •	    carrots,	cooked	                                                        •	   mustard	greens
                     •	    cauliflower                                                             •	   nopales,	cooked
                     •	    celeriac,	cooked                                                        •	   okra,	cooked	
                     •	    celery,	raw                                                             •	   onion,	raw/cooked
                     •	    celtuce                                                                 •	   parsley
                     •	    chayote                                                                 •	   peas,	green,	canned/frozen
                     •	    cherry	tomato                                                           •	   peppers,	raw/cooked
                     •	    chicory	greens                                                          •	   radicchio
                     •	    choy	sum	(yao	choy)                                                     •	   radish
                     •	    cilantro                                                                •	   seaweed
                     •	    corn,	yellow,	cooked                                                    •	   shallots,	raw/cooked
                     •	    cucumber                                                                •	   snow	peas,	raw/cooked
                     •	    daikon	(oriental	radish)                                                •	   spinach,	raw
                     •	    dandelion	greens                                                        •	   squash,	summer,	cooked	(e.g.	
                     •	    eggplant,	cooked                                                             spaghetti,	pattypan,	crookneck)
                     •	    endive                                                                  •	   tomatillo
                     •	    fennel	bulb                                                             •	   turnip,	raw/cooked
                     •	    gai	choy	(mustard	greens)                                               •	   turnip	greens,	cooked
                     •	    gai	lan	(chinese	broccoli)                                              •	   water	chestnuts,	canned
                     •	    garlic,	raw/cooked                                                      •	   watercress
                     •	    grape	leaf,	canned                                                      •	   yardlong	beans,	cooked
                                                                                                   •	   zucchini,	raw
                   BC Provincial Renal Agency • Phone: 604-875-7340 • Email: bcpra@bcpra.ca • Web: BCRenalAgency.ca                                                                                                      February 2016
                   Created by the Renal Registered Dietitians Group                             
                   high Potassium Vegetables
                                                 One portion is 1/2 cup unless otherwise stated.
                                                             Choose                          portions a day
                     •	    artichoke	                                                              •	   mushrooms,	white,	cooked/	dried
                     •	    asparagus,	canned                                                       •	   mushroom,	shitake
                     •	    beet	greens                                                             •	   mushroom,	portabello
                     •	    bamboo	shoots,	raw/cooked                                               •	   parsnips,	cooked
                     •	    bitter	melon	pods,	cooked	                                              •	   peas,	green	(cooked	from	fresh)
                     •	    bok	choy,	cooked                                                        •	   peppers,	sun	dried
                     •	    broccoli,	cooked	from	fresh                                             •	   potatoes
                     •	    brussel	sprouts                                                         •	   pumpkin
                     •	    burdock	root,	cooked                                                    •	   rutabaga
                     •	    carrot,	raw                                                             •	   spinach,	cooked
                     •	    cassava                                                                 •	   squash,	winter,	cooked	
                     •	    celeriac,	raw                                                                (e.g.butternut,	acorn,	hubbard)
                     •	    chard,	swiss                                                            •	   sweet	potato
                     •	    coconut,	unsweetened                                                    •	   taro
                     •	    corn,	white                                                             •	   tomato	(raw,	sauce,	juice,	crushed,	
                     •	    daikon	radish,	cooked                                                        paste)
                     •	    dock	(sorrel)                                                           •	   yam
                     •	    garden	cress,	cooked                                                    •	   water	chestnuts,	fresh
                     •	    kale,	frozen,	cooked                                                    •	   zucchini,	cooked		
                     •	    kohlrabi
                     •	    lotus	root
                                  Double	boil	potatoes	to	lower	potassium	
                                  content	by	about	half.	Ask	your	dietitian	for	
                                  instructions	if	you	want	to	include	potatoes	in	
                                  your	diet.
                   BC Provincial Renal Agency • Phone: 604-875-7340 • Email: bcpra@bcpra.ca • Web: BCRenalAgency.ca                                                                                                      February 2016
                   Created by the Renal Registered Dietitians Group                             
                   Lower Potassium FRUITS
                                                 One portion is 1/2 cup unless otherwise stated.
                                                             Choose                          portions a day
                     •	    apple                                •	    prickly	pear                JUICES
                     •	    applesauce                           •	    prune,	                     •	   apple	juice
                     •	    Asian	pear                                 canned	(5)                  •	   grapefruit	juice*
                     •	    blackberries                         •	    quince	                     •	   lemonade
                     •	    blueberries                          •	    rambutan,	                  •	   pineapple	juice
                     •	    boysenberries                              canned                      •	   cranberry	juice
                     •	    casaba	melon                         •	    raspberries
                     •	    cherries	(10)                        •	    rhubarb                     *Grapefruit and grapefruit juice 
                     •	    crabapple                            •	    strawberries                affects the way some medications 
                     •	    cranberries                          •	    tangerine                   work.  Ask your doctor or 
                     •	    currants,	fresh                      •	    watermelon                  pharmacist if these are safe for you 
                     •	    figs,	fresh                                                            to eat.   
                     •	    gooseberries
                     •	    grapefruit,	½	medium*
                     •	    grapes,	16
                     •	    kumquat,	5
                     •	    lemon/lime
                     •	    loganberries
                     •	    longans,	15
                     •	    lychee
                     •	    mandarin	orange
                     •	    mango
                     •	    nectarine
                     •	    orange,	½	small
                     •	    papaya
                     •	    peach
                     •	    pear                                                                      Do not eat Starfruit (also known 
                     •	    pineapple                                                                     as carambola).  It is toxic to 
                     •	    plum                                                                          people with kidney disease.
                   BC Provincial Renal Agency • Phone: 604-875-7340 • Email: bcpra@bcpra.ca • Web: BCRenalAgency.ca                                                                                                      February 2016
                   Created by the Renal Registered Dietitians Group