Low Potassium Guide

 

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Potassium is a mineral found in the blood. Your levels of potassium are currently too high, which can affect the muscles and the heart. Potassium is found in all foods, so one of the ways to help reduce your levels is to cut down on those foods which are high in potassium.

The below list is a short-term guide to reducing your potassium levels. If you are given this list by a specialist nurse/doctor, then please ask to be referred to a dietitian.

The dietitian can give you further advice on the need to continue this diet long term and details of other foods that are high in potassium. The dietitian will also help you to individualise this to your usual diet, and can answer any questions you may have about potassium.

 

 

Foods to Avoid

Foods Allowed

Drinks
  • Coffee
  • Pure Fruit Juices e.g. orange, apple, tomato
  • Malted drinks e.g. Horlicks / Ovaltine
  • Hot chocolate
  • Water
  • Tea
  • Squashes
  • Fizzy drinks
  • Milk (up to 1/2 pint per day)
  • Camp Coffee

Fruit
  • Bananas
  • Apricots
  • Rhubarb
  • Dried Fruit

5 portions of fruit & vegetable max

  • Apples, pears, peaches, nectarine, small orange, mandarins,
  • Handful of grapes, cherries, raspberries, strawberries
  • Melon - 1 slice

Vegetables
  • Spinach
  • Mushrooms
  • Parsnips Tinned tomatoes
  • Jacket potato
  • Chips
  • Boiled or mashed potatoes
  • Boiled vegetables e.g. Carrots, broccoli, courgette, swede, turnip.
  • Cucumber, lettuce, peppers
  • 1 fresh tomato per day

Others
  • Vegetable based soups e.g. tomato, mushroom
  • Low salt substitutes e.g. LoSalt, Ruthmol, Solo, Saxa Balance
  • Chicken, beef or oxtail soups

Snacks
  • Potato crisps
  • Chocolate
  • Fruit Cake
  • Nuts
  • Maize/wheat/corn based crisps (1 pack per day) e.g. Skips, tortilla, Wheat Crunchies, Wotsits.
  • Plain biscuits e.g. shortbread, digestives, rich tea, hobnobs
  • Plain cake e.g. plain sponge, plain scones.