I recently learned that my potassium blood level was a little in the high range at 5.2. The doctor suggested that I should try to eat a low-potassium diet. I needed some information since the only food I knew was especially high in potassium was bananas. Potassium is an electrolyte and an essential mineral that contributes to the proper functioning of cells, tissues, and organs in the human body.
It is involved in various physiological processes, including nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and fluid balance. While potassium is abundant in many foods, a significant portion of the population may not meet the recommended daily intake, leading to potential health issues.
Average daily recommended amounts
- Birth to 6 months 400 mg
- Infants 7–12 months 860 mg
- Children 1–3 years 2,000 mg
- Children 4–8 years 2,300 mg
- Children 9–13 years (boys) 2,500 mg
- Children 9–13 years (girls) 2,300 mg
- Teens 14–18 years (boys) 3,000 mg
- Teens 14–18 years (girls) 2,300 mg
- Adults 19+ years (men) 3,400 mg
- Adults 19+ years (women) 2,600 mg
- Pregnant teens 2,600 mg
- Pregnant women 2,900 mg
- Breastfeeding teens 2,500 mg
- Breastfeeding women 2,800 mg
The recommended daily intake of potassium varies based on factors such as age, sex, and overall health. However, the general guideline for adults is around 2,500 to 3,000 milligrams per day. Adequate potassium intake is associated with several health benefits, including lower blood pressure, improved bone health, and reduced risk of stroke.
Potassium is found in a wide variety of foods, with some excellent sources being fruits (e.g., bananas, oranges, and melons), vegetables (e.g., leafy greens, potatoes, and tomatoes), dairy products, fish, and nuts. Incorporating a diverse range of potassium-rich foods into one’s diet is crucial for maintaining adequate potassium levels.
While potassium is essential, excessive intake, especially through supplements, can lead to hyperkalemia[1]. Symptoms of hyperkalemia include muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat, and in severe cases, cardiac arrest. It is crucial for individuals to obtain potassium from natural dietary sources rather than relying on supplements to avoid these complications.
On the other hand, insufficient potassium intake can result in hypokalemia[2], characterized by symptoms such as muscle cramps, weakness, and irregular heart rhythm. Prolonged low potassium levels may contribute to more severe health issues, including hypertension, kidney stones, and an increased risk of stroke.
Low potassium diets are sometimes recommended for individuals with specific medical conditions, such as chronic kidney disease, where impaired kidney function may lead to difficulty excreting excess potassium. However, implementing a low potassium diet should be done under the guidance of a healthcare professional to avoid nutrient deficiencies and adverse health effects. ACE inhibitors, such as benazepril (Lotensin), and angiotensin receptor blockers,
such as losartan (Cozaar), are used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney disease. They decrease the amount of potassium lost in the urine and can make potassium levels too high, especially in people who have kidney problems. Potassium-sparing diuretics, such as amiloride (Midamor) and spironolactone (Aldactone),
are used to treat high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. These medications decrease the amount of potassium lost in the urine and can make potassium levels too high, especially in people who have kidney problems.
Low Potassium foods include
- berries, such as strawberries and blueberries
- apples
- grapefruit
- pineapple
- cranberries and cranberry juice
- cauliflower
- broccoli
- eggplant
- green beans
- white rice
- white pasta
- white bread
- egg whites
- canned tuna in water
High Potassium foods include
- bananas
- avocados
- raisins
- prunes and prune juice
- oranges and orange Juice
- tomatoes, tomato juice, and tomato sauce
- lentils
- spinach
- Brussels sprouts
- split peas
- potatoes (regular and sweet)
- pumpkin
- dried apricots
- milk
- bran products
- low-sodium cheese
- nuts
- beef
- chicken
If you can, swap canned fruits and vegetables for their fresh or frozen counterparts. The potassium in canned goods leaches into the water or juice in the can. If you use this juice in your meal or drink it, it can cause a spike in your potassium levels. The juice usually has a high salt content, which will cause the body to hold onto water.
This can lead to complications with your kidneys. This is also true of meat juice, so be sure to avoid this, too. If you only have canned goods on hand, be sure to drain the juice and discard it. You should also rinse the canned food with water. This can reduce the amount of potassium you consume.
If you’re cooking a dish that calls for a high-potassium vegetable and you don’t wish to substitute, you can actually pull some of the potassium from the veggie. The National Kidney Foundation advises the following approach to leaching potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, winter squash, and rutabagas:
- Peel the vegetable and place it in cold water so that it won’t darken.
- Slice the vegetable into 1/8-inch-thick parts.
- Rinse it in warm water for a few seconds.
- Soak the pieces for a minimum of two hours in warm water. Use 10 times the amount of water to the amount of vegetable. If you soak the vegetable for longer, be sure to change the water every four hours.
- Rinse the vegetable under warm water again for a few seconds.
- Cook the vegetable with five times the amount of water to the amount of vegetable.
| FOOD | STANDARD PORTION | CALORIES | POTASSIUM (mg) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables | |||||
| Beet greens, cooked | 1 cup | 39 | 1309 | ||
| Fufu, cooked | 1 cup | 398 | 1080 | ||
| Lima beans, cooked | 1 cup | 209 | 969 | ||
| Swiss chard, cooked | 1 cup | 35 | 961 | ||
| Potato, baked, with skin | 1 medium | 161 | 926 | ||
| Yam, cooked | 1 cup | 158 | 911 | ||
| Acorn squash, cooked | 1 cup | 115 | 896 | ||
| Amaranth leaves, cooked | 1 cup | 28 | 846 | ||
| Spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 41 | 839 | ||
| Breadfruit, cooked | 1 cup | 170 | 808 | ||
| Bamboo shoots, raw | 1 cup | 41 | 805 | ||
| Water chestnuts | 1 cup | 120 | 724 | ||
| Carrot juice, 100% | 1 cup | 94 | 689 | ||
| Taro leaves, cooked | 1 cup | 35 | 667 | ||
| Plantains, cooked | 1 cup | 215 | 663 | ||
| Taro root (dasheen or yautia), cooked | 1 cup | 187 | 639 | ||
| Adzuki beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 147 | 612 | ||
| Cress, raw | 2 cups | 32 | 606 | ||
| Butternut squash, cooked | 1 cup | 82 | 582 | ||
| Parsnips, cooked | 1 cup | 110 | 572 | ||
| Sweet potato, cooked | 1 cup | 190 | 572 | ||
| Luffa gourd, cooked | 1 cup | 100 | 571 | ||
| Chrysanthemum leaves, cooked | 1 cup | 20 | 569 | ||
| Purslane, cooked | 1 cup | 21 | 561 | ||
| Kohlrabi, cooked | 1 cup | 48 | 561 | ||
| Broccoli rabe (rapini), cooked | 1 cup | 40 | 550 | ||
| Drumstick pods (moringa), cooked | 1 cup | 42 | 539 | ||
| Mushrooms, portabella, cooked | 1 cup | 35 | 529 | ||
| Stewed tomatoes, canned | 1 cup | 66 | 528 | ||
| Tomato juice, 100% | 1 cup | 41 | 527 | ||
| Vegetable juice, 100% | 1 cup | 48 | 518 | ||
| Mustard spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 29 | 513 | ||
| Pumpkin, canned | 1 cup | 83 | 505 | ||
| White beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 125 | 502 | ||
| Winter squash, cooked | 1 cup | 76 | 494 | ||
| Artichoke, cooked | 1 cup | 89 | 480 | ||
| Celeriac, raw | 1 cup | 66 | 468 | ||
| Dandelion greens, cooked | 1 cup | 35 | 455 | ||
| Cassava (yucca), cooked | 1 cup | 267 | 451 | ||
| Burdock root, cooked | 1 cup | 110 | 450 | ||
| Bok choy, cooked | 1 cup | 24 | 445 | ||
| Soybeans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 148 | 443 | ||
| Lotus root, cooked | 1 cup | 108 | 440 | ||
| Poi (taro root) | 1 cup | 269 | 439 | ||
| Pink beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 126 | 430 | ||
| Small white beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 127 | 415 | ||
| Carrots, raw | 1 cup | 52 | 410 | ||
| Black turtle beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 120 | 401 | ||
| Snow peas, cooked | 1 cup | 67 | 384 | ||
| Corn, cooked | 1 cup | 134 | 384 | ||
| Salsify, cooked | 1 cup | 92 | 382 | ||
| Pinto beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 123 | 373 | ||
| Escarole, cooked | 1 cup | 22 | 368 | ||
| Rutabaga, cooked | 1 cup | 51 | 367 | ||
| Lentils, cooked | 1/2 cup | 115 | 366 | ||
| Avocado | 1/2 cup | 120 | 364 | ||
| Fennel bulb, raw | 1 cup | 27 | 360 | ||
| Onions, cooked | 1 cup | 92 | 359 | ||
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 113 | 359 | ||
| Split peas, cooked | 1/2 cup | 116 | 355 | ||
| Navy beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 128 | 354 | ||
| Great northern beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 105 | 346 | ||
| Cowpeas, dried and cooked | 1/2 cup | 80 | 345 | ||
| Cranberry (roman) beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 121 | 343 | ||
| Edamame, cooked | 1/2 cup | 94 | 338 | ||
| French beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 114 | 328 | ||
| Hyacinth beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 114 | 327 | ||
| Pigeon peas, cooked | 1/2 cup | 102 | 323 | ||
| Cauliflower, raw | 1 cup | 27 | 320 | ||
| Red bell pepper, raw | 1 cup | 39 | 314 | ||
| Black beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 114 | 306 | ||
| Nettles, cooked | 1 cup | 37 | 297 | ||
| Summer squash, cooked | 1 cup | 18 | 296 | ||
| Turnip greens, cooked | 1 cup | 29 | 292 | ||
| Nopales, cooked | 1 cup | 22 | 291 | ||
| Yellow beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 128 | 288 | ||
| Fava beans, cooked | 1/2 cup | 94 | 228 | ||
| Collard greens, cooked | 1 cup | 63 | 222 | ||
| Fruit | |||||
| Durian | 1 cup | 357 | 1059 | ||
| Sapote or Sapodilla | 1 cup | 217 | 794 | ||
| Jackfruit | 1 cup | 157 | 739 | ||
| Prune juice, 100% | 1 cup | 182 | 707 | ||
| Guava | 1 cup | 112 | 688 | ||
| Passion-fruit juice, 100% | 1 cup | 126 | 687 | ||
| Soursop | 1 cup | 148 | 626 | ||
| Kiwifruit | 1 cup | 110 | 562 | ||
| Pomegranate juice, 100% | 1 cup | 134 | 533 | ||
| Orange juice, 100% | 1 cup | 112 | 496 | ||
| Melon, cantaloupe | 1 cup | 60 | 473 | ||
| Cherimoya | 1 cup | 120 | 459 | ||
| Banana | 1 medium | 112 | 451 | ||
| Tangerine juice, 100% | 1 cup | 106 | 440 | ||
| Grapefruit | 1 fruit | 130 | 415 | ||
| Pummelo or pomelo | 1 cup | 72 | 410 | ||
| Apricots | 1 cup | 74 | 401 | ||
| Peaches, dried | 1/4 cup | 96 | 399 | ||
| Loquats | 1 cup | 70 | 396 | ||
| Melon, honeydew | 1 cup | 61 | 388 | ||
| Apricots, dried | 1/4 cup | 78 | 378 | ||
| Grapefruit juice, 100% | 1 cup | 95 | 362 | ||
| Lychee | 1 cup | 125 | 325 | ||
| Pineapple juice, 100% | 1 cup | 132 | 325 | ||
| Mandarin orange | 1 cup | 103 | 324 | ||
| Tangerine (tangelo) | 1 cup | 103 | 324 | ||
| Prunes or dried plum | 1/4 cup | 105 | 319 | ||
| Melon, casaba | 1 cup | 48 | 309 | ||
| Raisins | 1/4 cup | 123 | 307 | ||
| Cherries | 1 cup | 87 | 306 | ||
| Gooseberries | 1 cup | 66 | 297 | ||
| Peach | 1 cup | 60 | 293 | ||
| Dairy and Fortified Soy Alternatives | |||||
| Yogurt, plain, nonfat | 8 ounces | 137 | 625 | ||
| Yogurt, plain, low fat | 8 ounces | 154 | 573 | ||
| Kefir, plain, low fat | 1 cup | 104 | 399 | ||
| Milk, fat free (skim) | 1 cup | 83 | 382 | ||
| Buttermilk, low fat | 1 cup | 98 | 370 | ||
| Milk, low fat (1 %) | 1 cup | 102 | 366 | ||
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, nonfat | 8 ounces | 134 | 320 | ||
| Yogurt, Greek, plain, low fat | 8 ounces | 166 | 320 | ||
| Soy beverage (soy milk), unsweetened | 1 cup | 80 | 292 | ||
| Protein Foods | |||||
| Clams | 3 ounces | 126 | 534 | ||
| Skipjack tuna | 3 ounces | 112 | 444 | ||
| Shad | 3 ounces | 214 | 418 | ||
| Mullet | 3 ounces | 128 | 389 | ||
| Pollock | 3 ounces | 100 | 388 | ||
| Rainbow trout, freshwater | 3 ounces | 142 | 383 | ||
| Whiting | 3 ounces | 99 | 368 | ||
| Herring | 3 ounces | 172 | 356 | ||
| Goat | 3 ounces | 122 | 344 | ||
| Tempeh | 1/2 cup | 160 | 342 | ||
| Atlantic mackerel | 3 ounces | 223 | 341 | ||
| Sardines, canned | 3 ounces | 177 | 338 | ||
| Tilapia | 3 ounces | 108 | 323 | ||
| Cod | 3 ounces | 71 | 316 | ||
| Smelt | 3 ounces | 105 | 316 | ||
| Catfish | 3 ounces | 122 | 311 | ||
| Bison | 3 ounces | 122 | 307 | ||
| Pork | 3 ounces | 171 | 303 | ||
| Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate | 1/2 cup | 181 | 299 | ||
| Haddock | 3 ounces | 77 | 298 | ||
| Beef | 3 ounces | 173 | 288 | ||
| Pistachio nuts | 1 ounce | 162 | 286 | ||
| Deer | 3 ounces | 134 | 285 | ||
| Lamb | 3 ounces | 158 | 285 | ||
| Salmon (various) | 3 ounces | ~115-175 | ~280-535 | ||
| Game meats (various) | 3 ounces | ~115-180 | ~285-345 | ||
| Other Sources | |||||
| Coconut water, unsweetened | 1 cup | 43 | 396 | ||
In conclusion, maintaining an appropriate balance of potassium is essential for optimal health. Consuming a diverse and well-balanced diet rich in potassium-containing foods is crucial for meeting recommended daily intake levels. While low potassium diets may be prescribed for certain medical conditions,
it is crucial to carefully monitor and adjust dietary choices to prevent potential health complications associated with both excessive and deficient potassium levels. Overall, promoting awareness of the importance of potassium and adopting healthy dietary habits can contribute to disease prevention and improved well-being.
Footnotes
- Hyperkalemia is a medical condition characterized by elevated levels of potassium in the bloodstream, typically exceeding the normal range of 3.5 to 5.0 milliequivalents per liter. Potassium, a crucial electrolyte, plays a pivotal role in maintaining normal cellular function, particularly in neuromuscular and cardiac tissues. Causes of hyperkalemia include impaired renal function, certain medications, and metabolic disorders. The condition may manifest with symptoms ranging from mild muscle weakness to severe cardiac arrhythmias, posing a significant risk of life-threatening consequences. Management of hyperkalemia involves identifying and addressing the underlying cause, restricting dietary potassium intake, and employing interventions such as diuretics or medications that enhance potassium excretion. Emergency measures, including the administration of intravenous medications like calcium gluconate to stabilize cardiac membranes, may be necessary in severe cases. Regular monitoring and appropriate medical intervention are essential to prevent complications associated with elevated potassium levels. [Back]
- Hypokalemia refers to a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of potassium in the blood, typically below the normal range of 3.5 to 5.0 milliequivalents per liter. Potassium is a critical electrolyte involved in various physiological processes, including nerve and muscle function. Causes of hypokalemia may include inadequate dietary intake, excessive loss through urine or gastrointestinal tract, and certain medications. Symptoms range from mild muscle weakness and cramps to severe manifestations such as cardiac arrhythmias. Management involves identifying and addressing the underlying cause, dietary potassium supplementation, and, in some cases, prescription of potassium-sparing diuretics. Regular monitoring of potassium levels is crucial to prevent complications and ensure appropriate treatment adjustments. [Back]
Further Reading
Sources
- “Hyperkalemia (High Potassium)” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15184-hyperkalemia-high-blood-potassium
- “Kidney Disease and Potassium: How to Create a Kidney-Friendly Diet” https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-health/kidney-disease-and-potassium
- “Six Steps to Controlling High Potassium” (February 25, 2016) https://www.kidney.org/content/six-steps-control-high-potassium
- “Potassium” https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-Consumer/
- “Potassium” https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/about-potassium
- “Food Sources of Potassium” https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/food-sources-potassium
