Low Potassium Diet 
                                                                
                                                                
          Patients must contact their dietitians for any questions regarding the incorporation of 
                                                                
                         information obtained from this programme into their diets. 
                                                                
                                                                
       Potassium is a substance found in food that            ƒ  Usually only 1 portion high potassium 
       affects your heartbeat.  The unhealthy kidney             starch may be eaten daily but more of 
       cannot excrete an excess of potassium in the              the low potassium starches are allowed 
       urine so that it stays behind in the body.  Your          as prescribed by your dietitian. 
       blood levels of potassium will then rise and it        
       can be dangerous to your heart, even cause            Other food items high in potassium 
       death.  Potassium is found in many foods,             that has to be restricted as prescribed 
       especially fruit, vegetables, milk and certain        by your dietitian  
       starches. These foods need to be restricted in        ƒ  Raw vegetables 
       the diet to ensure that the potassium in the          ƒ  Dried fruit, fruit salad, fruit juice 
       blood does not increase to dangerous levels.  
       Consult your dietitian to find out how much           ƒ  Potato chips (deep fried and crisps), 
       potassium you are allowed in your diet.                   baked potato and sweet potato 
       How to Reduce Potassium Content of                    ƒ  Tomato puree / juice / sauce 
       Vegetables                                            ƒ  Legumes e.g. dried beans, peas, lentils, 
          ƒ  Peel vegetables and cut in smaller                  soya products 
             pieces.                                         ƒ  Nuts and peanuts  
          ƒ  Soak vegetables for about 2 hours in            ƒ  Brown sugar (not more than 2 
             warm water and then drain the                       teaspoons) and golden syrup (thinly 
             vegetables.                                         spread) 
          ƒ  Afterwards boil the vegetables in water         ƒ  Milk and dairy products e.g. fruit yoghurt 
             until cooked.                                       and chocolate (do not use more than the 
          ƒ  Drain before serving.                               daily allowance) 
       Tips on Fruit and Vegetable Intake                    ƒ  Wine, sherry, coffee 
          ƒ  Choose more fruit and vegetables from           ƒ  Salt replacements containing potassium 
             the low and moderate potassium lists               
             and less from the high potassium lists             
             (see tables on the following page for              
             amounts that are prescribed by your 
             dietitian). 
            
            
            
            
            
                                                                         
                                                                                              
                                                                 Fruit
            
                 Low Potassium                           Moderate Potassium                             High Potassium  
                   (allowed ….)                               (allowed …..)                               (allowed ….) 
           Apple           1 small            Apricot                 2 small                    Avocado            quarter 
           Cherry          2 heaped           Banana                  1 small                    Fig                2 large 
                           dessertspoons 
           Granadilla      1 medium           Gooseberry              10 berries                 Grapes             1 small bunch 
           Kumquat         6 medium           Grapefruit              half                       Kiwi fruit         1 fruit 
           Lemon           ½ medium           Guava                   1 small                    Melon, yellow      3 cm wedge 
           Litchi          6 portions         Mango                   quarter                    Orange             1 small 
           Pear            ½ small            Melon, green-white      3 cm wedge                 Peach              1 small 
           Pineapple       2 medium slices    Naartjie                1 medium to large                              
           Plum            1 medium           Pawpaw                  4 heaped tablespoons                           
           Strawberry      8 medium           Watermelon              ½ wedge                                        
              
                                                             Vegetables 
                 Low Potassium                      Moderate Potassium                             High Potassium  
                   (allowed ….)                          (allowed ….)                                (allowed ….) 
           Broccoli,       ½ cup               Asparagus, cooked,  ½ cup               Mixed vegetables,        ½ cup 
           cooked                              green                                   canned 
           Cabbage,        ½ cup               Beetroot, cooked       ½ medium         Mushroom, cooked,        ½ cup 
           cooked                                                                      whole 
           Celery, raw     1 stick             Brinjal, cooked with   ½ cup            Pumpkin, gem             ½ large 
                                               skin 
           Coleslaw        ½ cup               Brussels sprouts,      ½ cup            Pumpkin, butternut       ½ cup 
                                               cooked 
           Cucumber        5 medium slices     Carrots raw or         ½ cup            Tomato and onion         1 heaped large 
                                               cooked                                  stew                     spoon 
           Lettuce         ½ cup               Carrot salad           ½ cup                                      
           Mixed           ½ cup               Cauliflower, cooked    ½ cup                                      
           vegetables 
           Onion, raw      2 slices            French salad           ½ cup                                      
           Peas,           2 heaped            Green beans,           ½ cup                                      
           cooked          tablespoons         cooked 
           Pepper          4 medium slices     Pumpkin, patty         3 heaped                                   
                                               pans                   tablespoons 
           Pumpkin,        ½ cup               Pumpkin, hubbard       ½ cup                                      
           marrow 
           Radish, raw  2 large                Spinach, cooked        ½ cup                                      
                                               (Swiss chard) 
           Sweet corn,  ¼ cup                  Tomato, raw            1 small                                    
           canned 
              
              
                                                                                           
                                                                                            
            
            
                                                               Starches
            
                         Low Potassium (allowed ….)                                High Potassium (allowed ….) 
             Bread / rolls                     1 slice / 1 roll           Potato, cooked, or baked      1 medium 
             Maize meal, soft                  2 heaped large spoons      Potato, chips                 ½ cup 
             Maize meal, stiff / cooked oats   1 heaped large spoon       Samoosa, vegetable filling  2 small 
             Maltabella, cooked                5 heaped table spoons  Sweet potato, no skin             2 heaped tablespoons 
             Corn flakes / Rice crispies       1 cup                                                     
             Pasta                             1 heaped table spoon                                      
             Rice                              2 heaped table spoons                                     
             Popcorn, sugar coated             2 cups                                                    
             Whole wheat crackers              3 biscuits