Low potassium vegetables include cilantro, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, arugula, kale, Napa cabbage, leeks, spaghetti squash, sweet onions, eggplant, and more. For more low potassium vegetable ideas, see the complete ranking of over 200 vegetables low in potassium.
Dark leafy greens, such as spinach or kale, are packed with vitamins and minerals that promote healthy kidney function. These vegetables also contain antioxidants which can help make the kidneys' job of filtering out the blood easier.
The goal is to stay below 200 mg potassium for one salad. If you want a larger portion, select the lowest potassium greens, arugula and green or red leaf lettuce.
Some of the best sources of potassium are dark leafy greens such as spinach, which when cooked has an astounding 1,180 mg per cup, per USDA data. Swiss chard is a close second, with almost 1,000 mg per cooked cup, and even bok choy has around 445 mg per cup when cooked.
Starchy root vegetables are high in potassium, so should be limited to one portion per day or less. Other starchy foods based on wheat or rice are low in potassium and are good alternatives. Potato, sweet potato, yam and cassava need to be boiled in plenty of water to reduce their potassium content.
Some of the lowest potassium meats are clams, oysters, and tuna. Chicken and turkey aren't considered low potassium meats, but they are lower than other types of meats. Deli meats are not only high in potassium but can also be high in sodium and contain phosphorus additives.
Foods low in potassium include most refined fats and oils, grains like cornmeal, white rice, and pasta, cheeses like soft goat cheese, and blueberries, eggs, leeks, Napa cabbage, and chia seeds. Boiling vegetables in water and discarding the water can help reduce their potassium and electrolyte content.
Your safest bets include iceberg, arugula, Bibb, Boston, red leaf or green leaf lettuces. If you are not on a blood thinning medication, raw spinach, romaine and kale are good options as well. Keep your lettuce portion to about 1 cup or ½ cup if choosing kale or raw spinach.
Dark leafy greens such as salad greens, kale, and spinach are rich in vitamins A, C, E and K. Bok choy and mustard greens are also rich in many of the B-vitamins. They also contain iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
Bryophyllum pinnatum, commonly known as Pattharcaṭṭa, is used traditionally in ethnomedicinal practices for the treatment of kidney stone and urinary insufficiency.
Low-potassium veggie choices
Veggies that contain less than 200 mg per serving include: asparagus (6 spears) broccoli (half-cup) carrots (half-cup cooked)
Traditionally, white bread was recommended for people with kidney disease because it has less potassium and phosphorus.
Lower potassium choices: Tea, herbal tea, squash or cordial, water, fizzy drinks. Spirits are lower in potassium than other alcoholic drinks. High potassium foods to limit: Limit milk to ½ pint per day (300ml).
Water pills (diuretics) help rid your body of extra potassium. They work by making your kidney create more urine. Potassium is normally removed through urine. Potassium binders often come in the form of a powder.
Some medications lower potassium slowly, including: Water pills (diuretics), which rid the body of extra fluids and remove potassium through urine. Sodium bicarbonate, which temporarily shifts potassium into body cells. Albuterol, which raises blood insulin levels and shifts potassium into body cells.
Carrots contain a moderate amount of potassium and can healthfully be included in a kidney-friendly diet.
Dandelion tea, red clover, goldenrod, juniper, marshmallow root, burdock root, and nettles. These herbs may act as diuretics, which helps flush out the kidneys and remove excess waste. Turmeric. This herb is thought to reduce urea, prevent inflammation in the kidneys, and help expel waste.