You have been asked to follow a low potassium diet by your doctor. This booklet includes basic information regarding a low potassium diet. For more detailed information, please ask your doctor to refer you to the dietitian.
What is potassium?
Potassium is a mineral that is essential for life. It is found in our blood and food. It is important for the normal function of all nerves and muscles, including the heart. Potassium is present in most food and drinks; it has no taste or smell..
Why is the amount of potassium in my blood high ?
The kidneys normally help to control the level of potassium in our blood. When the kidneys are not working properly, the level of potassium in the blood may become too high. This can be dangerous as it can affect the way the heart beats.
Other causes of abnormal potassium levels
Other factors may also cause an abnormal potassium level. These can include recent blood transfusions, some medications, constipation and poorly controlled diabetes.
If you are experiencing constipation or struggling to control your diabetes, seek further medical advice
Back to topOther dietary requirements
You have been asked to follow a low potassium diet. However if you have diabetes, coeliac disease, are following a weight reducing diet or have other dietary needs it is important that these diets continue.
Foods to avoid which are high in potassium
Potatoes
- Fried, oven, microwave or frozen chips, instant mashed potato, jacket potatoes, potato waffles and potato croquettes
Vegetables
- Baked beans, butter beans, chick peas, lentils, red kidney beans, haricot beans, mung beans, spinach, mushrooms, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, Brussel sprouts and parsnips
Fruit
- Apricots, bananas, damsons, rhubarb, grapes, cantaloupe melon, dried fruit (e.g. raisins and sultanas), blackberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, avocado, cherries and star fruit
Miscellaneous
- Spaghetti in tomato sauce, Tomato sauce – limit to one teaspoon only,
Curry powder and Lo-Salt
Drinks
- Coffee, cocoa, fruit juice, blackcurrant squash, Horlicks, Ovaltine, Bournvita, stout, red wine, cider, barley wine, liqueurs, red wine, sweet white wine and sweet sherry. Limit your milk intake to ½ pint per day
Snacks
- Potato crisps, nuts, chocolate, liquorice, fudge, marzipan, peanut butter, cakes and biscuits containing chocolate, coconut, coffee and dried fruit
Starchy foods
- Cereals containing dried fruit and nuts, All Bran, muesli, Fruit and Fibre, Sultana Bran, Bran Flakes, Nutrigrain, Weetos, Ready Brek, oatcakes and rye crispbread
Additional information on lowering your potassium
- Only have two small servings of vegetables each day i.e. two tablespoons equals one serving
- A small portion of salad may be used in place of one serving of vegetables. This may contain lettuce, cucumber, spring onion, pepper, radish and one small tomato (pickled onion and beetroot may be added in small amounts)
- Always boil your vegetables well, in plenty of water and
- discard the cooking water. Do not drink it or use it for making gravy, soups or stocks
- Avoid using a pressure cooker or microwave when cooking
- vegetables
- After boiling, potatoes can be chipped or roasted but not
- more than twice per week
- Limit your fruit to two portions per day. One portion of fruit is an apple or pear or a small bowl of tinned fruit e.g. two peach halves
- Rice, pasta and bread are low in potassium. They are suitable
- alternatives to potatoes. Yam, sweet potato or plantain can be eaten instead of potatoes if boiled well and are of a similar portion size
- Please continue with your current portion sizes of meat, fish, Quorn, tofu, cheese, eggs and yoghurt. If you are vegetarian, you may continue to eat pulses and lentils
Information contained within these pages is correct at the time of entry. Manufacturers are continually changing the ingredients of their products and altering portion sizes. These changes may affect the potassium content of these foods.
Back to top