Regional Nutrition Northern Alberta and Food Service Renal Program

This resource was developed by Registered Dietitians Potassium in Your Diet

Potassium is found in many foods, especially Reducing potassium in foods and fruit, so it is easy to eat more than your body requires. While heating does not destroy potassium, cooking a food in large amounts of water allows potassium to S Too much or too little potassium can cause your move out of the food and into the water. To reduce heart to beat too fast, too slow or to stop all potassium in your foods: together. S Peel vegetables and cut into small pieces. Boil in a S Your kidneys remove extra potassium from your large pot of water. Do not reuse cooking liquid in body. If your kidneys are not working properly, soups or gravies. potassium can build up in your blood. S Drain liquid from canned vegetables and fruit.

S Protein-rich foods, dairy foods, breads and cereals Example: Potato Potassium (mg) and some other foods all contribute potassium to Baked, 1 medium 842 your food intake as well as vegetables and fruit. Commercial French fries, strips only (10) 367 Homemade French fries, 100 g, ½ cup (125 mL) 273 Peeled, cut-up, soaked for 8 hours Potassium levels: in 7 times the water, changing the Normal blood potassium levels for adults are 3.5 to water once 130 5.0 mmol/L. Critical levels for renal patients are 5.5 mmol/L or greater. Example: Tomato Potassium (mg) Paste, ¼ cup (50 mL) 614 Juice, canned ½ cup (125 mL) 265 Serving size Raw, ½ small 125 The amount of potassium in a serving depends on How much potassium can I the volume of the food in a ½ cup (125 mL) portion. The same food may be on different potassium lists have? depending on how it’s prepared. For example, ½ cup (125 mL) cooked celery contains more potassium The amount of potassium you can tolerate depends than ½ cup (125 mL) raw celery because it packs on your body size, the medications you are taking, tighter together once cooked. The next few pages list how well your kidneys function, the amount of urine foods as either low, medium or high in potassium you make and the quality of your dialysis. This daily based on preparation method or the amount stored in total of potassium must be used for all your food the foods while they grew. groups. If your blood potassium level is too low: If your blood potassium level is too high: S Add high potassium fruits and vegetables to your S Avoid high potassium vegetables and fruit. Choose diet. Aim for at least 3 to 4 servings of high 4 to 5 servings of low and medium potassium foods potassium food choices every day. Ask your per day. dietitian for further guidance. Other Foods: S A number of other foods can contribute potassium If your blood potassium is regularly within the to your diet, some of these are listed in the high normal range: potassium section. If your potassium levels are S You may be able to include more medium or high high you may need to limit these foods as well. potassium choices in your diet within moderation. Ask your dietitian for advice. Check with your dietitian for acceptable quantities.

Foods low in potassium…choose _____servings per day.

Serving sizes are ½ cup (125 mL) unless noted otherwise (less than 135 mg potassium per serving).

Vegetables Fruit S bamboo shoots, S mushrooms, raw, S applesauce S grape juice canned, drained canned, drained S apricots, canned, S lemon (1 medium) S beans, broad S onions, green (2 drained (3 halves) S lemonade S beans, green/yellow, medium ) S blueberries S lychee, raw (8) canned, drained S onions, white, raw S boysenberries S passion fruit (1) S cabbage red/green, S parsley, sprig S cherries, canned, S peach nectar raw S potato, 8 hr soaked drained S pears, canned, drained S carrots, frozen, boiled S radish (4 small ) S crabapple (2 halves) S chives S seaweed, kelp (100 g) S cranberry sauce, juice S pear nectar S greens, raw S soybean sprouts S figs, canned, drained S plums canned, drained S cucumber S squash, long (por qua), (3 medium) (2 medium) S dandelion greens cooked S figs (1 medium) S raspberries, raw, S egg plant S squash, spaghetti S fruit cocktail canned, canned, drained S fiddleheads, frozen S , raw drained S rhubarb, frozen, cooked S hominy S waterchestnuts canned, S grapes, red or green S strawberries S jicama drained (14) S leeks S winter melon S lettuce, all varieties S wax gourd (100 g) Foods medium in potassium…choose ______servings per day.

Serving sizes are ½ cup (125 mL) unless noted otherwise (between 135 and 215 mg potassium per serving).

Vegetables Fruit S asparagus S hairy squash (moqua) S apple (medium) S peaches (1 medium) S beans, green, yellow S kale, frozen, raw S apple juice S pineapple, raw, canned, fresh, boiled S mustard greens, boiled S applepear (½ medium) drained S bean sprouts, mung S okra, raw S apricots, raw (2 small) S pineapple juice S beets, canned, drained S onions, white, boiled S apricot nectar S pear (1 small) S broccoli, frozen, raw S peas, green, canned, S blackberries S pummelo (3 medium S cabbage, boiled drained, frozen S casaba melon sections) S carrots, canned, S pea pods, boiled, raw, S cherries, raw (10) S raspberries, frozen drained frozen S gooseberries S rhubarb, raw S cauliflower, raw, boiled S peppers S kiwi (½ medium) S saskatoon berries S celery, raw S salisfy, boiled S kumquats (4 medium) S tangerine, mandarin, S chayote S snow peas, raw S mango (½ medium) clementine (1 small to S collard greens, frozen, S spinach, raw (1 cup or S peaches, canned, medium) boiled 250 mL) drained (2 halves) S watermelon (1 cup or S corn, canned, S squash, crookneck 250 mL) creamed, baby S squash, summer, boiled S corn-on-the-cob (3 inch S turnip, cooked cob) S tofu, raw, soft S garden cress, raw S tomato, raw, cooked Caution: S zucchini, raw Do not eat or drink Starfruit and starfruit juice are poisonous to dialysis patients!

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice interact with many medications. Foods high in potassium … choose ______servings per day. Serving sizes are ½ cup (125 mL) unless noted otherwise (more than 215 mg potassium per serving).

Vegetables Fruit S amaranth (yin choy) S parsnips, boiled S apricots, raw (3) S orange (1 medium), S artichokes, cooked S peas, black-eyed, S avocado (1/3) juice S bamboo, raw, boiled cooked S banana (1 small) S papaya (1/3) medium, S beets, fresh, boiled S potato, baked with skin S breadfruit (¼ small) juice S beet greens, boiled (1) S cantaloupe (¼) S passion fruit juice S bitter melon S potato, canned, S cherimoya S persimmon, Japanese S (Chinese drained, boiled, S coconut, juice (1 medium) celery) microwaved S currants, dried (1/3 cup S plantain, raw, cooked S broccoli, boiled S potato chips/fries (10) or 75 mL) S pomegranate (1 S broccoli, Chinese S pumpkin S dates (5 medium) medium) (Gailian) S , boiled S durian S prickly pear (1 medium) S brussel sprouts, raw, S salisfy, raw S figs (2 medium) S prunes (4) boiled, frozen S shanghai bok choy, S guava (1 medium), S prune juice S carrots, raw (1 boiled juice S raisins medium), juice S soybeans, cooked S honeydew (¼) S red plums (2 medium) S cassava S spinach, frozen, boiled S jackfruit, raw, canned S tangelo (1 medium) S celery, boiled S squash, winter, S nectarine (1 medium) S chard, Swiss, boiled S boiled or baked S choy sum S sui choy (Chinese Caution: Discuss use of these foods S corn-on-the-cob (6-inch cabbage) with your dietitian. cob) S sweet potato S fennel, raw, bulb S taro root Grain Products: S gai choy, boiled S tofu, raw, firm S bran cereal (1 cup or 250 mL) = 350 mg (Chinese mustard S tomato, canned, juice greens) S tomato, paste (1/4 cup Milk Products S S or 50 mL) milk (1 cup or 250 mL) = 380 mg S S lo bok, daikon S tomato, stewed buttermilk (1 cup or 250 mL)= 370 mg S (Chinese radish) S V8® juice goat’s milk (1 cup or 250 mL) = 500 mg S S lotus root, raw cooked, S waterchestnuts, raw condensed milk (1 cup or 250 mL) = 1135 mg seeds S wolfberry (gow gay) Meat and Alternatives S mushrooms, fresh, S yams, baked, boiled S beans such as kidney, white, soy, lima, navy, pinto, boiled S yard long bean (1 cup or 250 mL) = 1000 mg S pak choi, boiled S zucchini, boiled S chick peas (1 cup or 250 mL) = 480 mg S lentils (1 cup or 250 mL), cooked = 730 mg S nuts (½ cup or 125 mL) = 500 to 1033 mg Other Foods S chocolate chips (1 cup or 250 mL)= 1100 mg S molasses (½ cup or 125 mL) = 2400 mg S salt substitutes with potassium (1/8 tsp or 0.5 mL) = 528 mg

 2002 Capital Health Authority, Regional Nutrition and Food Service RNFS – 25 – 001 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Capital Health. Direct correspondence to the Education Resource Dietitian. This information is intended as a general resource only and is not meant to replace the medical counsel of your doctor or individual consultation with a registered dietitian.