30+ Healthy Low Potassium Farmer’s Market Food Finds for Kidney Diets
Whether you’re avoiding high-potassium foods or adding potassium-rich foods, the farmer’s market offers some good foods to eat for kidney health. Farmer’s market foods are also eco-friendly and typically less expensive.
While you’re at the farmer’s market (search Local Harvest to find one near you), remember the following information about potassium so you can make the best choices for your diet.
Low potassium selections
The low potassium fruits and vegetables in this list (below 200 mg/serving) are healthy choices, especially for people on hemodialysis who need to avoid high potassium levels. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) but not on dialysis may have normal or low potassium levels and don’t require potassium restriction if their lab values are normal on an unrestricted potassium diet.
Low potassium fruits:
Apples
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium with peel/3 per pound |
160 mg |
Apricots
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
2 medium with peel/12 per pound |
185 mg |
Blackberries
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
120 mg |
1 pint |
460 mg |
Blueberries
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
60 mg |
1 pint |
225 mg |
Cherries, sweet
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
160 mg |
1 pint |
630 mg |
Grapefruit
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 medium |
180 mg |
1 whole |
360 mg |
Grapes
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
20 average-size grapes |
190 mg |
Peach
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
170 mg |
Asian Pear
Portion |
Potassium amount |
1 medium |
150 mg |
Plum
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
105 mg |
Raspberries
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
95 mg |
1 pint |
365 mg |
Rhubarb
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
175 mg |
1 stalk |
150 mg |
Strawberries
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
6 medium, 1/2 cup |
110 mg |
1 pint |
445 mg |
Watermelon
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 cup |
180 mg |
1 slice (10" x 1") |
480 mg |
Low-potassium vegetables:
Asparagus
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
6 medium spears |
190 mg |
Broccoli
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup flower clusters |
115 mg |
1 bunch |
370 mg |
Cabbage
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup, raw |
85 mg |
1 head |
2,200 mg |
Carrots
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup, raw |
180 mg |
1 medium |
230 mg |
Cauliflower
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup, raw |
150 mg |
Celery
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 rib |
105 mg |
Corn
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 small ear |
195 mg |
1 medium ear |
245 mg |
Cucumbers
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
75 mg |
1 cucumber |
440 mg |
Eggplant
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
95 mg |
Green Beans
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
115 mg |
Mushrooms, white
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
150 mg |
Okra
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
150 mg |
Onion
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
160 mg |
Peas, green
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup, cooked |
175 mg |
Radish, red
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
10 mg |
Scallion, bulb and tops
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
40 mg |
Squash, crookneck
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
140 mg |
Squash, zucchini
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
150 mg |
Turnips
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
140 mg |
Turnip Greens
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup, cooked, drained |
150 mg |
High-potassium fruits and vegetables
The high potassium fruits and vegetables (over 200 mg/serving) in the list below may need to be limited if you are on a low-potassium diet. However, it’s possible to plan small amounts of some of these foods and still stay within your daily target for potassium. Portion size and frequency are important considerations.
If you’re on peritoneal dialysis (PD you may need to add high potassium foods to avoid potassium depletion. If you’re on home hemodialysis (HHD) or nocturnal dialysis you may find your kidney diet is more liberal in potassium since the treatment provides more dialysis than traditional in-center hemodialysis. People in early stages of CKD usually don’t require a potassium restriction unless blood levels are above normal.
High-potassium fruits:
Avocado
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 whole |
975 mg |
Cantaloupe
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 cup |
495 mg |
Honeydew
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 cup |
460 mg |
Nectarine
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
290 mg |
Orange
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
240 mg |
Pear
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
210 mg |
High-potassium vegetables:
Artichoke
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 whole, boiled |
425 mg |
Beets
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup, cooked |
260 mg |
Brussels Sprouts
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup fresh, boiled |
247 mg |
Lima Beans (butter beans)
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
450 mg |
Mushroom, portabella
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 whole |
300 mg |
Potato, russet
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 medium |
950 mg |
Potato, red skin
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1 small |
750 mg |
Pumpkin
Portion | Potassium amount |
---|---|
1/2 cup |
465 mg |
Some vegetables, like potatoes, can be double-boiled or soaked to reduce potassium. The above food lists don’t include high-potassium fruits like banana, kiwi or mango or high-potassium vegetables like bitter melon, bamboo shoots or taro, as these are imported from other countries. Ask your renal dietitian for additional information on potassium sources in the kidney diet.
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