Loading up on pasta and rice may not be something many diet books recommend, but both are pretty low on potassium. They contain between 30 and 50 mg per half-cup. However, you should watch what you put on them. Just half a cup of tomato sauce or tomato puree can contain as much as 550 mg of potassium.
If you need to follow a low potassium diet, finding a low potassium pasta may be easier than you think. Wheat pasta, shirataki pasta (pasta zero) and udon noodles are all great options to include.
Pastas can have different nutritional content
If you have kidney disease, it's important to check the food label to make sure the pasta suits your nutritional needs. Certain pastas can have different nutritional content. For example, some pastas can have varying amounts of salt or sodium.
128 g of Pasta, cooked, plain, fresh-refrigerated contains 7.68 mcg vitamin A, 0.0 mg vitamin C as well as 1.46 mg of iron, 7.68 mg of calcium, 31 mg of potassium.
Carbohydrate (Starchy food)
Most breads and cereals are good choices as they are low in potassium.
Most meats add some potassium to your meals. Chicken breast has the most per 3-ounce serving with 332 milligrams, but beef and turkey breast contain 315 and 212 milligrams, respectively.
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.
For Chinese food
Choose lower-potassium vegetables such as snow peas, string beans, water chestnuts, bean sprouts and bok choy.
While not considered a high potassium food, the potassium in cheese should absolutely be made aware. On average, one ounce of cheese will provide about 35 milligrams of potassium. The cheese with the most potassium is processed cheese (like the cheese-in-a-can products).
Milk, yogurt, and cheese can be part of a healthy kidney diet. Shop for natural cheeses, avoiding items labeled “cheese food” or “cheese product.” Greek yogurt and cottage cheese can be easy and tasty snacks, and, in most cases, milk servings should be 1 cup per day.
Loading up on pasta and rice may not be something many diet books recommend, but both are pretty low on potassium. They contain between 30 and 50 mg per half-cup.
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.
While whole-grain foods and nuts have lots of nutrients and fiber, they are also high-potassium foods. In order to lower your potassium intake, skip whole-wheat bread and pasta, whole-grain rice and bran cereal.
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.
Potassium and exercise
When you exercise, your muscles lose potassium. This creates a substantial rise in blood potassium levels. For most people, the kidneys filter out the extra potassium fairly quickly, and potassium levels return to normal within a few minutes of rest.
Boiling potatoes and vegetables will reduce their potassium content as some of the potassium leaks into the cooking water. Potatoes that have been par-boiled (partly cooked by boiling) can then be fried, roasted or added to casseroles if desired. Try not to use cooking water to make gravy, stocks or soups.
The most common cause of genuinely high potassium (hyperkalemia) is related to your kidneys, such as: Acute kidney failure. Chronic kidney disease.
One large egg contains about 63 mg of potassium. 1 Eggs are considered a low-potassium food, but check with your doctor or dietitian to find out how often you should eat them.
Many vitamins and minerals are water-soluble and can be significantly reduced during cooking. A boiled or stewed chicken does indeed lose more of its B vitamins than a roasted bird, and the same holds true for minerals such as selenium, phosphorus and potassium.
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.