Low Potassium Diet Plan

A low-potassium diet plan can be considered a vegetarian diet since meat of all varieties is excluded. It is important to know which foods can be enjoyed in moderation, as well as which foods need to be strictly regulated. Knowing which foods to eat is not enough, however. Become aware of, and implement, techniques that lower potassium levels to live a healthy lifestyle.

Foods To Enjoy

Eat a variety of fruits. There are many you can incorporate into your low-potassium diet plan. Have a plum or apple as your dessert. Make a fresh fruit salad of berries, grapes and canned peaches. Enjoy a bowl of pineapple chunks or watermelon.

Consume an assortment of vegetables. Vegetables low in potassium can be enjoyed throughout the day. Steam some cabbage and squeeze a lemon on it before serving for some extra taste. Make a vegetable medley of green beans, carrots, cauliflower, onion and cubed eggplant sprinkled with garlic powder. Enjoy a salad of lettuce, radish, cucumber and sweet pepper topped with squeezed lemon for dressing. Cook some zucchini and mash together with some garlic, fresh parsley and nondairy creamer or rice milk.

Enjoy some snacks. Eat some unsalted popcorn or unsalted pretzels for a television snack, states davita.com. Enjoy a palmful of either jelly beans, a piece of hard candy or have a couple of red licorice sticks if you have a sweet tooth. Instead of eating dairy ice cream or yogurt, enjoy some fruit sorbet or sherbet.

Foods To Avoid Or Limit

Avoid, or limit, fruits high in potassium. Tropical fruits such as mangos, kiwi, papaya and bananas are notable for containing large amounts of potassium, states the USDA. Dried fruits need to be strictly monitored. Melons you need to limit include honeydew and cantaloupe. Also, avocados and oranges fall in this category.

Monitor your vegetables. Limit your consumption of squashes such as pumpkin and winter squash, states fatfreekitchen.com. If you eat potatoes, either white and sweet, consume them in mashed form after you have leached them. Be careful of dried beans and peas, states the USDA. Replace tomatoes and tomato sauce with mushrooms and onions.

Limit dairy foods. Dairy products need to be closely monitored in your low-potassium diet plan, states davita.com. Dairy foods are notable for containing large amounts of potassium. Instead of milk, use unenriched rice milk or nondairy creamer in cooking. Use plain yogurt in small amounts.

Leaching

If you eat vegetables high in potassium, leach them. Leaching removes potassium, states the USDA and davita.com. Peel your vegetables and place into a large pot of water. Rinse the vegetable thoroughly. Empty the water. Refill the pot with water and let the vegetables soak for four hours. After soaking, rinse the vegetables with clear water. Cook as desired.

Other Considerations

Monitor your portion size. Even if you eat a large portion of foods low in potassium, you still may be eating too much potassium, states davita.com. A serving size of fruits and vegetables is one-half cup raw, for instance.

Read food labels. If potassium chloride, or anything with potassium in it, is listed as an ingredient, either do not buy the food or rinse before eating it.

Use healthy cooking methods, such as steaming, boiling, and grilling.

Rinse canned foods to be certain you remove all potassium.