Low-Potassium Diet: What to Know

Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on June 20, 2024
Written by Danny Bonvissuto, Lori M. King, PhD
6 min read

A low-potassium diet is one where you limit foods with high potassium levels throughout your day. Your doctor may suggest that you try a low-potassium diet if, for instance, you have a high level of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia) or if you have kidney disease. Restricting the amount of potassium you take in through your food can be a good way to help treat these conditions and prevent other health issues.

Potassium is a mineral you get from food that your body uses to:

  • Help balance the fluid levels in your cells
  • Keep your nerves and muscles healthy
  • Help control your blood pressure

Your kidneys are responsible for keeping a healthy amount of potassium in your body. If they're not working right, you may get too little or too much. If you have too little potassium in your blood, it can cause an irregular heartbeat. Your muscles may also feel weak. If you have too much potassium in your blood, it can cause muscle weakness, paralysis, heart palpitations, and a burning or prickling feeling in your arms, legs, hands, and feet.

When your kidneys are working well, they balance the potassium levels in your body. Any extra gets flushed into your pee so you can get rid of it when you pee. When you have high levels of potassium in your blood, your kidneys can’t do this as well. You can help your kidneys by cutting back on how much potassium you take in through the food you eat.

Your doctor may suggest you limit your potassium intake if you have the following medical conditions:

  • Kidney disease 
  • Adrenal insufficiency or Addison's disease
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Liver disease

Certain drugs can also make it hard for your body to get rid of extra potassium. These include:

  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) that are used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and kidney disease
  • Certain kinds of diuretics, such as amiloride, spironolactone, furosemide, and chlorothiazide, which are used to treat high blood pressure
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain
  • Digoxin, which is used to treat heart failure and heart rhythm abnormalities
  • Potassium penicillin, which is used to treat serious bacterial infections, such as pneumonia, other respiratory tract infections, and scarlet fever
  • Succinylcholine, which is a muscle relaxer you may get before surgery or if you have to be on a breathing machine 

Most foods have potassium. To keep your levels low, avoid or eat less than half a cup per day of these high-potassium foods:

High-potassium fruits:

  • Apricots
  • Bananas
  • Cantaloupe
  • Dried fruits
  • Honeydew melon
  • Kiwis
  • Mangoes
  • Nectarines
  • Oranges
  • Papayas
  • Pomegranates
  • Prunes
  • Pumpkin
  • Raisins

High-potassium vegetables:

  • Avocado
  • Artichoke
  • Beets
  • Baked beans, black beans, refried beans
  • Broccoli (cooked)
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Kohlrabi
  • Lentils
  • Okra
  • Parsnips
  • Potatoes (white and sweet)
  • Rutabagas
  • Spinach (cooked)
  • Squash, especially acorn, butternut, and Hubbard
  • Tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste
  • Vegetable juice

Other high-potassium foods:

  • Bran products
  • Chocolate
  • Coconut
  • Creamed soups
  • French fries
  • Granola
  • Ice cream
  • Miso
  • Molasses
  • Nuts
  • Peanut butter
  • Potato chips
  • Salt substitutes
  • Seeds
  • Tofu
  • Yogurt

High-potassium drinks:

  • Coffee (over 8 oz)
  • Orange juice
  • Pomegranate juice
  • Prune juice
  • Milk (buttermilk, chocolate, eggnog, evaporated, malted, soy, and milkshakes)

Supplements and herbs high in potassium

If you have any health conditions, especially kidney disease, you should be careful with supplements and herbs. Some herbs have potassium or are hard on your kidneys.

Herbal supplements that have potassium or can be hard on your kidneys include:

  • American ginseng
  • Bitter melon
  • Cat's claw
  • Chicory
  • Evening primrose
  • Feverfew
  • Kelp
  • Lemongrass
  • Licorice root
  • Mugwort
  • Sassafras

The recommended serving size for these low-potassium foods is 1/2 cup. Be mindful not to overdo it, as too much of a low-potassium food makes it a high-potassium food.

Low-potassium fruits:

  • Apples and applesauce
  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Cranberries
  • Fruit cocktail
  • Grapes
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Pineapple
  • Plums
  • Raspberries
  • Strawberries
  • Tangerine
  • Watermelon

Low-potassium vegetables:

  • Alfalfa sprouts
  • Asparagus (6 raw spears)
  • Broccoli (raw or cooked from frozen)
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots (cooked)
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery (1 stalk)
  • Corn (half an ear if it's on the cob)
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Green beans or wax beans
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • White mushrooms (raw)
  • Onion
  • Parsley
  • Peas (green)
  • Peppers
  • Radish
  • Water chestnuts
  • Watercress
  • Yellow squash and zucchini

Other low-potassium foods:

  • Bread (not whole grain)
  • Cake (angel or yellow)
  • Cookies (no nuts or chocolate)
  • Noodles
  • Pasta
  • Pies (unless it's made with chocolate or high-potassium fruits)
  • Rice

Low-potassium drinks:

  • Certain fruit juices, such as apple, grape, and pineapple
  • Coffee (less than 8 oz)
  • Tea (less than 16 oz)

What does a low-potassium diet look like?

On a low-potassium diet, you’ll try to eat no more than 2,000 to 3,000 milligrams of potassium each day. (People without health issues usually aim to eat about 4,700 milligrams.) The exact amount of potassium you’ll aim for depends on your height and weight.

Depending on your needs, a low-potassium diet plan might look like this:

  • Fruit: 1-3 servings of low-potassium fruits, such as apples or grapes
  • Vegetables: 2-3 servings of low-potassium vegetables, such as carrots or corn
  • Dairy/calcium-rich foods: 1-2 servings of low-potassium choices, such as cottage cheese
  • Meat/plant-based meat:  3-7 servings of low-potassium choices, such as turkey or shrimp
  • Grains: 4-7 servings of low-potassium grains, such as rice or noodles

Most ways that you use to cook food can lower its potassium levels. For instance:

  • Cooking in water, pressure cooking, and cooking in the microwave reduces potassium levels in cereals, fruits, meats, legumes, and leafy and cruciferous (broccoli and cauliflower) vegetables.
  • Soaking reduces potassium levels in white and sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and leafy and cruciferous vegetables.
  • Steam cooking and dry heating can also reduce potassium, although not as well as soaking or cooking in water.

Like any change you make to your eating habits, a low-potassium diet will take some getting used to. These tips can help.

Make a list. It may take you a while to learn which foods are high in potassium and which aren’t. Ask your doctor for a list. That can help when you grocery shop or eat out.

Watch your serving sizes. A low-potassium food can quickly become high-potassium if you eat a lot of it. Keep an eye on your portions. Some serving sizes may be smaller than you think. For instance, a serving of chicken is about the size of your palm. 

Read food labels. Check the Nutrition Facts on the package to see how much potassium a food contains. Try to choose items that contain no more than 100 milligrams of potassium per serving.

Plan ahead. If you know you’ll be eating dinner out and want to enjoy some foods that may be high-potassium, try to stick to low-potassium foods throughout the day leading up to your meal out.

Rethink your cooking methods. Boiling helps draw the potassium out of some vegetables. You can also try blanching. You boil for 1 minute, then drain and rinse. You can then use them in a stir-fry, soup, or casserole.

Avoid certain liquids. The juices in canned fruits and vegetables, as well as cooked meats, contain high amounts of potassium. Avoid drinking them or using them in recipes as much as you can.

Skip the “fake” salt. On a low-potassium diet, you’ll need to skip low-sodium salt or other “fake” salts. Flavor your food with herbs and spices instead.

Get some support. If you need help with meal plans or figuring out food swaps, talk to a dietitian or nutritionist. Your doctor can refer you to one.

Too much potassium in your blood doesn’t always cause symptoms, but it can damage your heart. For some people, it can even be life-threatening. A low-potassium diet can play a key role in treating hyperkalemia and preventing these serious problems. Follow your doctor’s advice about what and how much to eat, and make sure to get blood tests as they’re scheduled. Your doctor will want to keep a close eye on your potassium levels.

A low-potassium diet is one where you restrict the amount of potassium you eat in a day. Your doctor may suggest that you try a low-potassium diet if, for instance, you have a high level of potassium in your blood (hyperkalemia) or if you have kidney disease. There are a lot of different low-potassium foods you can enjoy on the diet. You can also lower the potassium levels of certain foods by soaking or cooking them in water.

Can I eat eggs on a low-potassium diet?

Yes, eggs are considered a low-potassium food. One large egg contains about 63 milligrams of potassium. The National Kidney Foundation states that eggs are a good source of protein with low sodium and potassium. If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor about how many eggs you can eat because eggs are also a good source of phosphorous, which you may also need to limit.

Can drinking a lot of water lower potassium?

While it's true that drinking a lot of water can lower your blood potassium levels, it isn't a safe way to do so. This is because drinking a lot of water doesn't only lower your potassium levels. It affects all your nutrient levels. To stay healthy, eat a low-potassium diet and drink 8-12 oz of water a day.