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    1. About Kidney Disease
      1. OVERVIEW
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      1. About Kidney Disease
        1. Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease
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          6. Talking With Your Dietitian
        3. Fluid Management on Dialysis
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      1. Home
      2. Thrive Central
      3. Diet & Nutrition
      4. Low Potassium Food and Diet Tips
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      Get Ideas for Shopping Low Potassium Foods

      Potassium_MainIcon

      Your body needs a healthy level of potassium to maintain a regular heartbeat and keep your muscles and nerves working well. Having kidney disease can make it harder to maintain a healthy potassium level range, which is 3.5-5.0 mEg/L if you’re living with CKD or 3.5-5.5 mEq/L if you have ESRD. It’s important to work with your dietitian to understand and manage your potassium intake. If your dietitian recommends a low potassium diet, incorporating low potassium foods in each food group will help you stay your healthiest. If your lab results indicate a low potassium level, your dietitian may recommend more high potassium foods.

      TALK TO YOUR DIETITIAN

      Review your potassium lab results and discuss whether you should follow a low potassium diet.

      Foods for a low potassium diet

      Here’s a list of low potassium foods to help you plan healthy meals and write up your grocery list. Potassium needs vary by person, so talk to your dietitian about your potassium level and appropriate foods to choose.
      Fruit_Icon

      FRUITS LOW IN POTASSIUM

      Serving size: 1 small piece or ½ cup

      Apples
      Blueberries
      Cherries

      Dried fruits: apples, blueberries, cherries, coconut, cranberries
      Grapes
      Lychee
      Pear
      Persimmon
      Pineapple
      Plum
      Raspberries
      Strawberries
      Tangerines
      Watermelon
      List of flexible-potassium foods

      BREADS, CEREALS & GRAINS LOW IN POTASSIUM

      Serving size: 1 slice, 1 piece or ½ cup


      Bagel (half)
      Bread loaf
      Cereal
      Corn tortilla
      Couscous

      English muffin (half)
      Old-fashioned or steel-cut oatmeal
      Pasta

      Pita (half)
      Quinoa
      Rice
      Rice cakes
      Slow-cook Cream of Wheat
      Slow-cook grits
      List of flexible-potassium foods

      VEGETABLES LOW IN POTASSIUM

      Serving size: ½ cup fresh or cooked or 1 cup of raw leafy

      Asparagus
      Bean sprouts
      Broccoli
      Cabbage
      Carrots
      Cauliflower
      Celery
      Cherry tomatoes
      Corn
      Cucumber
      Eggplant
      Green or wax beans
      Greens: collard, mustard, turnip
      Jicama
      Kale
      Leeks
      Lettuce
      Mushrooms
      Okra
      Onion

      Peas: green, sugar snap, snow
      Peppers: green, red, yellow, jalapeño
      Radish
      Spinach
      (raw)
      Squash: spaghetti, yellow
      Turnips
      Water chestnuts
      Fluds_icon

      FLUIDS LOW IN POTASSIUM

      Serving size: 4 ounces

      100% fruit juices: apple, cranberry, grape, pineapple
      Fresh-brewed coffee
      Fresh-brewed tea: black, herbal
      Fresh-squeezed lemonade
      Nectars: apricot, guava, mango, papaya, peach, pear
      Sodas: club, lemon-lime
      Water: sparkling, tap
      Protein_Icon

      PROTEINS LOW IN POTASSIUM

      Serving size for ESRD: ½ cup or 3-5 ounces, cooked
      Serving size for CKD: ¼ cup or 1-2 ounces, cooked

      Beans
      Beef
      Chicken
      Edamame
      Eggs (whole or egg whites)
      Fish
      Lamb
      Lentils
      Pork
      Tofu
      Turkey
      Veal
      Wild game
      DessertsSnacks_icon

      DESSERTS & SNACKS LOW IN POTASSIUM

      Serving size: 1 piece, 1/8 pie or 1/2 cup


      All-natural fruit leather
      Animal crackers
      Applesauce
      Frozen fruit bars
      Fruit cocktail
      Homemade desserts: fruit pie or cobbler
      Italian ice
      Nuts, seeds and natural nut butters (2 tablespoons)
      Rice Krispies Treats®
      Sherbet

      Unsalted snacks: crackers, pita chips, popcorn, pretzels, tortilla chips
      DOWNLOAD A PRINTABLE LIST OF LOW POTASSIUM FOODS

      SYMPTOMS OF LOW POTASSIUM

      Having either high or low potassium levels can cause:

      • Tingling and numbness in your fingers and toes
      • Muscle weakness, cramping, fatigue
      • Nausea and/or vomiting
      • Irregular heartbeat or palpitations

      Talk to your care team if you experience any of these symptoms.
      Explore kidney friendly recipes

      COOK YOUR OWN KIDNEY-FRIENDLY MEALS

      When you cook for yourself, you can take charge of your own phosphorus, sodium, and more. For more help crafting your own kidney-friendly diet, check out our recipes!
      EXPLORE RECIPES

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