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5 Delicious Ways to Make Your Diet Lower in Potassium

Introduction

A lower potassium diet is common for people with kidney disease, including people with IgA Nephropathy. That does not mean your foods need to be flavorless. In this article, we will break down ways to make your diet delicious and lower in potassium. 

Table of Contents

Why a Low Potassium Diet

Our body uses potassium for nerve function, heartbeat regulation, and blood pressure control. When you have IgA Nephropathy, you may take certain medications (ACE and ARBs) that control your blood pressure and protect your kidneys; however, they reduce the potassium removal from the body (1). For this reason, your doctor may recommend following a lower-potassium eating plan. 

Not everyone needs a potassium restriction. It is important to know that if you have not ever had a high blood potassium or your doctor has not specifically told you to limit potassium you may not need to follow this strict recommendation. In fact, in 2020, the recommendations for everyone with kidney disease to limit potassium were changed (2). It is now recommended that people with kidney disease limit potassium only if their blood potassium is high. Before starting on a low potassium diet, confirm with your doctor or dietitian before restricting higher potassium foods.  There are food lists and articles that have extensive information about potassium content of specific foods (3). 

5 Delicious Ways to Make Your Diet Lower in Potassium

There are many ways to limit potassium in your diet.  You may have been told to avoid potatoes, tomatoes, avocados, oranges, bananas, and beans to follow a lower potassium diet (3). There are ways to either incorporate these foods in smaller portions or substitute them and retain the same flavors on your plate.

  1. Cauliflower can be substituted for potatoes in mashed forms or roasts. Cauliflower is significantly lower in potassium than potatoes. 
  2. Red bell peppers are a great substitute for tomatoes. They add a pop of color, just like tomatoes. They can also be roasted and added to sandwiches or made into sauce. 
  3. Blueberries, strawberries, grapes, apples, mandarin oranges, and pineapple are great substitutions for bananas or navel oranges. These fruits are easy to add to a quick breakfast or snack, and pineapple is a great substitute in smoothies. 
  4. Soak canned beans and lentils overnight instead of using dried or canned options immediately when cooking. The soaking process removes potassium from the beans, which is contained in the water. Draining the soaked beans and using them in your meals can lower the potassium by up to 80% (4). 
  5. Right size your portion of meat on your plate to a deck size of cards. Animal meat like fish, beef, chicken, pork, etc., are good sources of potassium. Most food lists and doctors focus on fruits and vegetables; however, meat can also be higher in potassium. By removing meat or limiting your meat to a size of a deck of cards, you are naturally lowering your potassium on your plate. 

Conclusion

Following a low-potassium diet can be overwhelming. Try these five delicious ways to make your diet lower in potassium.  If you are looking for someone to help you with your lower potassium diet, the IgAN Foundation has a list of providers who understand your needs. Consider becoming a member of the IgAN Foundation for more support.    

References:

  1. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (n.d.). Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved July 23, 2024, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/
  2. Esposito P, Dal Canton A, Dal CA, et al. Managing Hyperkalemia in Patients With Kidney Disease: A Focus on Patiromer. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. Published online September 21, 2020. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2020.07.018
  3. Cukebook. Low Potassium Diet. Cukebook. Retrieved July 23, 2024, from https://www.cukebook.org/guides/diet/low-potassium-diet/https://www.cukebook.org/guides/diet/low-potassium-diet/
  4. Gupta N, Haq M, Khan S, et al. Hyperkalemia. PubMed. Published October 15, 2018. Accessed July 23, 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30322788/
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