High blood potassium, or hyperkalemia, can bring on potentially fatal heart problems if you don’t control it. If kidney problems, medication or other factors are pushing your blood mineral levels too high, your doctor may suggest cutting back on dietary potassium. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers food servings with 175 milligrams or less of potassium low in mineral content. Study food labels to identify lower-potassium items as you shop and plan menus that keep potassium within the intake boundary recommended by your doctor.
Protein Foods
Legumes that include dry beans, peas and lentils are among the foods with the most potassium. In 1 cup of cooked legumes, white beans have 1,189 milligrams of potassium, while split peas and kidney beans have about 710 milligrams. Avoid those foods and divide your protein sources between low-fat beef, chicken, fish, pork, nuts and seeds, all of which provide more moderate potassium content of about 150 to 300 milligrams.
Dairy Items
Watch your daily intake to decide which dairy foods to include in your reduced-potassium meals. You might avoid yogurt and milk shakes, with some varieties delivering over 500 milligrams of potassium, and drink milk sparingly, as its content ranges from 322 milligrams for whole milk to 425 for chocolate milk, all per suggested serving. Cheeses are acceptable low-potassium foods.
Fruits
Replace higher-potassium fruits such as bananas, cantaloupes and dried fruits with lower-potassium ones, such as apples. One banana, 10 dried apricots and 1 cup of cut cantaloupe have over 400 milligrams of potassium. Avoid baking with or snacking on dried fruits such as raisins and dates, which provide over 1,000 milligrams of potassium per 1 cup.
Vegetables
Many vegetables contain more moderate potassium ratios than leafy greens, potatoes, squash and tomatoes. One cup of cooked beet greens and one baked potato have more than 1,000 milligrams of potassium, while tomatoes, winter squash, artichokes and cooked spinach yield between 400 and 800 milligrams per cup. Interchange these high-potassium vegetables with items such as carrots, lettuce, cauliflower and summer squash.
Grain Foods
The grain food group offers a wide variety of low-potassium choices, with only a few to eat less often. Cereal brands that include added mineral-rich ingredients, such as nuts and fruit, have greater potassium values than your diet might be able to handle. Compare 1 cup of some raisin bran cereals, with 356 milligrams, to 1 cup of regular or instant oatmeal, with up to 164 milligrams. Bread, rice and pasta are safe low-potassium choices.
References
- MedlinePlus: Hyperkalemia
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Choosing Healthful Foods Using the Nutrition Facts on the Food Label; January 2011
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Recommended Daily Values for Nutrients
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Potassium
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