Foods Low in Potassium
Normally, the amount of potassium you have in your body is kept in check by you eating foods that contain potassium and by ridding your body of excess potassium through urination. However, there are people who have chronic kidney diseases whom cannot rid their bodies of enough potassium when they urinate because their kidneys are simply not functioning as they should. Eating foods with high sodium can off-set potassium in your body too – so don’t be afraid to eat foods with sodium if you need to lower your potassium levels.
High potassium or hyperkaemia occurring in people whose kidneys are not functioning as they should can result in serious health concerns such as an irregular heartbeat, severe muscle weakness or paralysis. The normal potassium level in the bloodstream is between 3.5 and 5.0 milliequivalents per liter or mEq/L. An adult should eat a diet that contains at least 4,600 milligrams of potassium daily. However, people with chronic kidney conditions and diseases should eat only between 1,500 and 2,700 mg of potassium a day.
Foods low in potassium include apples, grapes, blueberries, plums and peaches. Green and wax beans, zucchini, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers and cauliflower are also foods low in potassium. Potassium dissolves in water which means that you can lower your potassium intake by leaching your vegetables before cooking. This involves peeling off the skins of raw vegetables, cutting them into pieces, rinsing them in warm water and then soaking the vegetables overnight – either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When cooking vegetables, drain the water away before serving as this will greatly reduce the level of potassium in the vegetables.
Refined grains are low in potassium. White rice and white bread are examples of refined grains you should incorporate into your diet when trying to lower your potassium levels. Meats which are low in potassium include chicken breast and thigh, pork loin, ground round, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, ground turkey and venison. White fish and salmon are also low in potassium as are eggs, peanut butter (max 1 tbsp) and popcorn.
There are many available foods low in potassium and these foods are plentiful, easy to find and nutritious. Therefore it is quite easy for someone who has high potassium levels in their blood to eat low-potassium foods on a regular basis. Keeping potassium levels in the bloodstream at a healthy level will help to curb the chances of developing serious health problems.