Most foods contain some potassium. Although this mineral is essential to many of the body's major functions, you may need to lower how much potassium you consume in your diet. For instance, people who have kidney disease need to limit foods that are higher in potassium and eat foods that are lower in potassium instead. Be careful even when eating low-potassium foods, as potassium levels in the body can build up quickly. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that healthy adults and adolescents consume 4,700 milligrams of potassium on average each day.
Fruits/Vegetables
Apples and grapes are lower in potassium than bananas and oranges. Whenever you are hungry for a fresh-fruit snack, blueberries, plums and peaches are other fruits lower in potassium. Keep away from eating mangos, cantaloupe, kiwi and papaya. Avoid eating fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add garlic, onions, mushrooms and bell peppers to your dishes instead. Green beans, wax beans and zucchini are low-potassium vegetable choices. Cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, cabbage and cucumbers are other low- to medium-potassium vegetables. These foods generally contain between 100 and 200 milligrams of potassium per serving. If you need to go lower, one serving of iceberg lettuce or cucumber slices contains less than 100 milligrams of potassium. When you need to lower high potassium levels in your body you can eat fruits and vegetables lower in potassium, however, you should limit consumption to no more than five servings each day. Another option is to eat canned fruits and vegetables instead of fresh produce. These are lower in potassium. Drain off the syrup, juice or water first.
Leached Vegetables
Potassium dissolves in water; therefore, you can lower the potassium content in vegetables that have high potassium content by a process called leaching. Peel the skins off raw vegetables and then slice or cut them into small pieces. Next rinse the vegetables in warm water and soak in water for several hours. This removes some of the potassium. Vegetables should soak in water at room temperature for at least four hours. You can also soak them in water overnight in the refrigerator. Cook vegetables as usual. Drain the cooking water before serving. Always leach potatoes before preparing mashed potatoes. When trying to reduce potassium in your diet, pay attention to the serving size as well. A large serving of a low-potassium food source can actually contain more potassium than a small serving of a high-potassium food.
Refined Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates low in potassium include processed foods like refined grains. If you are a diabetic, eating just one serving of refined grains can cause insulin levels in the blood to rise quickly. White rice and white breads and pasta foods are examples of refined carbohydrates as these are made mostly from refined white flour. Refined grains have less potassium than whole grains because the mineral is lost in the milling process. Although most whole grains are higher in potassium, cooked oatmeal is lower in potassium. One alternative for diabetics who need to keep potassium intake low is to eat high fiber fruits and vegetables in combination with refined grains. This can keep insulin from spiking. Apples, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, green beans and red cabbage are low-potassium foods that also provide a decent amount of fiber.
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