If you have kidney disease, you may have been advised to limit potassium intake to avoid high potassium in your blood. When your doctor hands you a list of “high potassium foods,” your heart sinks - potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, oranges. But these are what you eat every day. So what can you eat then? This is where KNI's Low Potassium Food List can come in handy!
Good news – you still have MANY food options to enjoy! Let’s dive into all things potassium.
Is potassium bad for the kidneys?
Potassium is an electrolyte and mineral involved in electrical conductivity, nerve and muscle function, as well as blood pressure control in the body.
Kidneys play a crucial role in regulating potassium levels in the body. They are like filters in charge of removing excess potassium from the blood. Kidney disease leads to reduced kidney function, which reduces the removal of excess potassium. As a result, potassium can build up in the blood, leading to high potassium or hyperkalemia.
Excess potassium does not harm the kidneys, BUT it still is a serious and dangerous condition. It can cause serious complications such as irregular heart rhythms, muscle weakness, and even heart attack.
As such, some people with kidney disease are advised to limit potassium intake from foods. Learn more about high potassium foods to limit with kidney disease here!
However, when many of your favorite foods are off the list, you may feel restricted or deprived. We see you. And that is exactly why we have developed our Low Potassium Food List for Kidney Health.
Please note: potassium restriction is NOT for everybody. Many people with kidney disease may actually benefit from more potassium intake. Unsure if you should limit your potassium? Book a call with your KNI dietitian and clarify your nutrition strategies today!
Find freedom with low potassium foods for kidney patients
Instead of focusing on what to avoid, we always tell our patients to focus on foods you CAN enjoy! This means, build your meals with foods that are low in potassium. These include:
- Berries
- Apples, applesauce, or apple juice
- Pineapples
- Lettuce, kale, raw spinach and other salad greens
- cabbage
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Cauliflower
- Almond milk or rice milk
- Chickpeas – rinse under running water to remove sodium and excess potassium
And many more!! We have you covered with this handy, colorful guide to hang on your bridge or bring with you to the grocery store. Download KNI’s Low Potassium Food List PDF for Kidney Health below!
Grab our Low Potassium Food List!
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Low potassium meal examples
Low potassium foods are delicious and versatile, making it easier to stick to your kidney-friendly diet. Here are some of our favorite low potassium recipes for kidney patients, made with ingredients from KNI’s Low Potassium Food List:
- Lemony Kale and Chickpea Salad – easy to put together, with a small portion of avocado for creaminess and pumpkin seeds for crunch
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup – so good you won’t miss tomato soup
- Alkaline Green Power Smoothie - introducing the combination of kale, apples, and rice milk for a low potassium green smoothie
Incorporating YOUR favorite meals in your low potassium diet
Working with a dietitian will allow you to personalize your nutrition recommendations and meal plans according to your needs and preferences. One crucial skill we teach our patients is how to modify meals to meet their needs for health. For some people that may be learning how much potassium they can actually have.
Looking for your nutrition guidance tailored to your specific needs? Book a free discovery call with a KNI dietitian and begin your kidney health journey today!
Grab our Low Potassium Food List
Our Low Potassium Food List helps you make confident food choices for a low potassium diet. Start improving and preserving your kidneys today!
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Work With Us
Our proprietary Kidney Health Method is the framework that we use with our patients to see HUGE results! We can do the same for you. To start feeling better NOW, book an appointment with one of our renal dietitians!
I have CKD with diabetes, high potassium, gout, high cholesterol, and high tryglicerides. In other words, I’m a hot mess. I am looking for all the help I can get to get the potassium under control by diet.
Hope that the low potassium handout will work! I would definitely work with a renal dietitian to work out a plan for yourself. I work with clients virtually or you can search for a renal dietitian at renalnutrition.org. So much of what you described looks like some significant inflammatory response in your body! Nutrition and gut health can be huge at helping resolve these!
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Hi is baking soda good for ckd.
How often should you take and
the duration.
I am 67 years and my creatinine is
2 hbaic is5.4
Pls advice
Manik de silva
Hi Manik- Baking soda is used on occasion with CKD but you should definitely talk with your nephrologist about this as there are certain blood levels he would be monitoring!
I recently gave blood in late January and again in early April. My potassium was elevated at a 6.0 in January and the most recent blood test calculated it at 6.3. Whenever I do a search for lowering high potassium, I see a lot of articles that mention hyperkalemia, CKD, etc. How do I go about seeing what is causing my potassium to be elevated all of a sudden? My doctor didn’t seem to be too concerned about this elevation, but I am concerned that this might need more medical attention than my doctor has led me to believe. I experience short, sharp pains periodically in different areas of my chest cavity, but it goes away very quickly. What would you recommend as my next step?
Hi Victoria, I can’t offer medical advice outside of regular appointments due to liability reasons. It sounds like a second opinion may be a good idea though. Definitely important to explore all your concerns above. One question that I often use with my doctors if they brush off a concern is, “What are the possible reasons this is happening?” and then after I am given an answer “Is there anything else that could be going on?” If the doctor doesn’t know then I find a new doctor.
Now in 5th. Year kidney disease /no dialysis. Now listed as stage 5 – E.S.R.D.
I’m 50. Two days ago I i underwent a blood tests. My cholesterol level has come out 180 and tryglicerides have been reported at 226. Creatinine is ok but potassium is bit high i.e 5.3.
Kindly suggest me are these findings matter of worry for me.
Hi Maqsood. I am unable to give personal advise over the website due to liability. If you’d like to arrange a call you can go to: Contact Us
Looking for something to eat I ran across a Greek Omelette 3 eggs, tomato, goat cheese, spinach, white bread toast, grits. Are grits ok for us on renal diets?
Hi Brent, grits are a great choice for a renal diet. Old fashioned grits are low in potassium, phosphorus, and sodium. We do recommend checking the label for any added sodium and phosphate in the instant, individual packet, and flavored grits.