Potassium is a vital nutrient that facilitates proper functioning of cells, tissues and organs in your body. It acts as an electrolyte that conducts electricity in the body with minerals such as sodium. Potassium is crucial to smooth muscular contraction. Common diets provide 4,700 mg per day of potassium. People suffering from hyperkalemia, a condition caused by high levels of potassium reserves in the body, have to limit potassium intake to approximately 1,500 mg to 2,700 mg per day. It is vital for people with hyperkalemia to know what types of foods are low in potassium in order to maintain low potassium levels.
Fruit
You should not exceed the recommended potassium intake of 4,700 mg per day, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Some fruits contain less than 100 mg of potassium; blueberries contain 63 mg of potassium per half cup. Mandarin oranges contain 98 mg per half cup and grapes contain 93 mg per 10 small grapes. A single medium peach, a small apple, one cup of watermelon, a half cup of fresh strawberries and a half cup of canned pineapple contain less than 200 mg of potassium each. You can drain out the juice from canned fruits before eating to decrease potassium levels.
Vegetables
Select vegetables contain low levels of potassium. Vegetables that contain less than 100 mg of potassium include one serving of iceberg lettuce and cucumber. A serving of fresh green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, frozen corn, canned peas and cooked zucchini contain between 100 mg and 200 mg of potassium. If you soak vegetables in water for at least two hours before cooking, it reduces potassium levels, as the potassium gets absorbed in water.
Dairy Products
One ounce of American cheese or cheddar cheese contains low levels of potassium. A half of a cup of ricotta cheese contains 154 mg of potassium and a half of a cup of vanilla ice cream contains 131 mg of potassium. One egg contains just 54 mg of potassium, while providing complete proteins. Eggs are an excellent low-potassium alternative for higher-potassium breakfast items, if you are trying to keep your potassium intake to a minimum.
Carbohydrates
Breads and grains are generally low in potassium. A white English muffin makes a low-potassium breakfast and only contains 62 mg of potassium. You can use two slices of white bread for a sandwich for lunch and they contain just 44 mg of potassium. White rice can be a side for dinner and one cup, cooked, contains less than 100 mg of potassium. Oatmeal provides fiber and complex carbohydrates and can be used to make cookies for a low-potassium dessert. Two small, low-fat oatmeal cookies only contains 22 mg of potassium.
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