Foods Low In Potassium & Salt

An imbalance of sodium or potassium can cause trouble with your cardio, muscular and nervous systems, according to information published by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. Although this imbalance is as likely from too little of either mineral, the average American diet gives much more opportunity to take in too much.

Vegetables

Red leaf lettuce contains just 20 mg of potassium and 2.8 mg of sodium per 10-g serving. Carrots deliver 30 and 7 mg, respectively, for the same size serving. Other low-sodium, low-potassium veggies include celery, romaine lettuce, red and green peppers, leeks and alfalfa sprouts. Note that many dark green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli and kale, contain high levels of potassium. They are, however, as low in sodium as most other veggies.

Fruits

Fruits in general are either very low in sodium or entirely sodium free, writes Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett in "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy." The potassium levels in fruits are comparable to those in low-potassium vegetables. Ten grams of cherries contains less than 30 mg; the same amount of blackberries, less than 17. Other low-sodium, low-potassium fruits include apples, apricots, berries, cranberries, grapes, peaches and watermelon.

White Flour Products

Although nutritionists and other fitness professionals recommend whole grains above white flour, the processing that produces white flour strips out much of the minerals you'll find in whole grains. Ten grams of white bread contains only 12 mg of potassium and 2.7 mg of sodium, compared with the 30 and 45mg in whole-wheat bread. Note that many white-flour products have sodium and potassium added during preparation, so check the nutrition facts label before buying.