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Healthy eating when you have high potassium levels
This resource is for people with kidney disease who have high potassium levels.
Potassium is a mineral found in food. It is needed for your heart, nerves, and muscles to
work properly. Blood tests will check your levels. High levels can be very dangerous and
may stop your heart from beating.
Why is my potassium high?
When your kidneys are not working properly, potassium may build up in your blood. You
may not feel any symptoms with high levels. Research now shows that the potassium you
eat doesn’t change your blood levels by very much at all. We suggest you speak to your
doctor about other possible causes before changing your diet.
Most common causes of high potassium include:
Constipation
Opening your bowels at least once a day helps remove potassium from your
body. Eating a high fibre diet can reduce potassium.
High blood glucose levels
Talk to your doctor and dietitian about how diabetes medication and diet can
lower potassium.
Some medications, herbal, and vitamin supplements
Discuss with your doctor, pharmacist, or dietitian.
Missing dialysis or not enough dialysis time
Appropriate dialysis treatment helps remove potassium from your body.
High acid levels in blood
Too much acid in your blood can increase potassium. This can be improved
with medication or dialysis and eating a more plant-based diet.
Muscle breakdown and rapid weight loss
Potassium is stored in your muscles and can leak out into the blood if your
muscles are damaged.
Exercising before a blood test
Exercise can temporarily increase blood potassium - it’s best to schedule
your blood test before any exercise in the day.
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Developed: January 2023
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: January 2025
What about potassium in my diet?
If your doctor or dietitian can’t find any other causes for your high potassium level, you
may need to change the types and amounts of some foods you are eating. Your dietitian
can discuss strategies to suit your individual needs.
Tips to lower potassium intake:
Potassium chloride can be used If you have large portions
in place of salt in some of meat or large sized milk
packaged and ‘salt-reduced’ drinks, try reducing these.
foods – eat less processed This includes iced coffee
foods. and flavoured milk drinks.
Snack foods such as Drink mostly water
chocolate, chips, pies, sausage Reduce alcoholic drinks,
rolls are high in potassium and coffees, milkshakes, fruit
low in fibre. Swap for higher and vegetable juices.
fibre snacks.
You do not need to limit all foods containing potassium, especially healthy foods. Fruits,
vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, and seeds contain potassium. However, as not all
of the potassium is digested and absorbed by the body, these foods often don’t need to be
restricted unless consumed in excess. Whereas almost 100% of potassium from additives
and animal foods ends up in the blood. My
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What should I change in my diet to reduce potassium levels?
1. Aim for a healthy dietary pattern and portion sizes
• New research shows a balanced diet, from all food groups, helps potassium levels.
• Be mindful of portions – even if you eat healthily, too much of some foods can upset
potassium balance. Check below to make sure you are not eating too much.
• Plant-based eating lowers acid levels in the blood and helps keep your bowels
regular to remove potassium from your body.
Aim to cover a
quarter of your
plate with
Aim to cover half of
protein foods.
your plate with a
variety of colourful
vegetables and
choose two serves
of fruit every day. Aim to cover a
quarter of your
plate with
wholegrain
foods.
Image: Canada’s Food Guide (Government of Canada) copied from version available at: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Developed: January 2023
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: January 2025
Food group Recommended amounts each day
2 serves
Fruit (1 serve = 1 apple or orange, 1 small banana, 2 plums, 1 cup of diced/canned
fruit or berries/grapes, ½ cup juice, 30g dried fruit, 3 prunes)
• High fibre whole fruits help the body control potassium – include every day!
• Note that serves of juices, smoothies and dried fruit are smaller as they are
more concentrated in potassium
• Aim for a variety of colours and different types of fruit over the week
5 serves
(1 serve = ½ cup cooked potato/sweet potato/taro, ½ cup cooked green/orange
Vegetables vegetables, 1 cup green leafy/salad, 1 medium tomato)
• High fibre vegetables help the body control potassium – include every day!
• Peel, chop, and boil in water to leach out some potassium
• Be sure to only have one serve of potato or other root vegetables
• Avoid juices, tomato paste and soups as they are concentrated in potassium
• Aim for a variety of colours and different types of vegetables over the week
Grain 3-6 serves
foods (1 serve = ½ cup cooked rice/pasta, 1 slice bread, 2/3 cup cereal)
• Choose multigrain, wholegrain, and high fibre varieties e.g. oats, Weet-Bix,
All Bran, barley, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, grainy bread
• A small portion with each meal helps your body process potassium
Speak to a dietitian about the right number of servings for you
(1 serve = 100g raw meat/chickenMy (the size of a deck of cards), 120g raw
Meat and
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fish/small tin, 2 eggs, 1 cup legumes/beans
alternatives 170g tofu, 30g nuts/seeds)Nutrition
e.g. lentils/chickpeas/bean mix,
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• Be sure to avoid large meat servings
• Eat less processed meats and red meats
• Mainly have chicken, fish, and eggs
• Eat more plant-based choices like tofu, legumes/beans, unsalted nuts, and
seeds to help the body control potassium
2 serves
Dairy (1 serve = 250mL milk, 200g yoghurt, 2 slices cheese)
• Avoid large servings of cow’s, soy, and coconut milk, including milk-based
coffees and iced coffees
• Consider changing to lower potassium plant-based milks e.g. oat, rice,
almond milk (check ingredients list for potassium additives and aim for
calcium fortified)
Daily amount depends on thirst, activity, and if you have a fluid restriction
• Be sure to drink enough water to help your bowels (be mindful if you have a
Drinks fluid restriction)
• Avoid large servings of milk, including milk-based coffees and flavoured milk
• If you enjoy coffee, keep your daily intake to 2-3 small cups, consider having
it black or with a plant-based milk, or swap to more tea
• Limit your intake of juices and smoothies
• Avoid coconut milk, coconut cream and coconut water
• Limit your intake of beer, wine, and ciders
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Developed: January 2023
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: January 2025
2. Avoid potassium additives
Processed and packaged foods contain hidden potassium additives that are easily
absorbed. Check the ingredients list for code numbers e.g. potassium sorbate 202,
potassium chloride 508, potassium phosphate 340.
To reduce additives, avoid processed foods and cook from fresh ingredients. Limit:
• Salt substitutes e.g. Diet Rite Lite Salt, Heart Salt – use herbs and spices instead
• Some ‘salt-reduced’ foods – potassium chloride can be used in place of salt in
some packaged foods so check the ingredients list
• Takeaway and ready meals, chicken nuggets, pies and sausage rolls, crumbed
frozen foods
• Deli meats, ham, bacon, corned beef, and sausages
• Meal bases and sauces
• Processed cheeses
• Some herbal and vitamin supplements
3. Cooking and food preparation methods
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• water My
Cooking vegetables and meat in Nutrition
can reduce potassium content. Try using
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water in the microwave or stove, pressure cooker, pot roast, and parboiling before
roasting.
• Peeling where possible e.g. potato, sweet potato.
• Cutting into smaller pieces, grating, or shredding - greater surface area allows more
potassium to leach out of the food during cooking.
4. Swap for lower potassium choices
• Eat less processed foods, takeaways, and snack foods and swap for fresh, high
fibre foods.
• Swap large portions of meat and milk products for smaller portions.
• Swap coffee, milkshakes, juices, and alcoholic drinks to mainly water or tea.
• Aim for 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables per day. Check you are not
having too much fruit. Be mindful of concentrated forms e.g. soups, juices, dried
fruit, and swap to fresh options.
• Have only one serve of potato or other root vegetables (boiled) - swap to more of
the other types of vegetables and salads instead.
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Developed: January 2023
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: January 2025
Higher potassium Lower potassium
Processed foods and takeaways - avoid
Meat and alternatives – small portion (size of deck of cards)
Snack foods – swap to healthy high fibre choices
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Drinks – be guided by your healthNutrition
care team if you have a fluid restriction
Vegetables - aim for 5 servings per day
4
1
Fruit – aim for 2 servings per day (fresh)
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Developed: January 2023
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: January 2025
What about exercise?
Regular exercise can assist with potassium levels – aim for 30 minutes most days of the
week. Exercise helps your bowels remove potassium from the body and assists your
muscles to use potassium.
Things I can do to reduce my potassium levels:
1.______________________________________________
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2.______________________________________________
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3.______________________________________________
4.______________________________________________
For further information contact your Dietitian or Nutritionist:
This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.
Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer Developed: January 2023
Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement Due for review: January 2025
