High potassium/Low potassium diets

You may be asked to increase or decrease the amount of potassium in your diet based on your blood potassium levels.

Some medical conditions and medications interfere with the body's ability to get eliminate potassium. Before changing your potassium intake, check with your doctor.

Here is the most comprehensive list of foods that contain potassium, and how much potassium is in each serving:

Fruits

  • Apricots - 3
  • Avocados - 1/4
  • Bananas - 1
  • Dates - 5
  • Figs - 3
  • Kiwi - 1
  • Nectarines - 1
  • Oranges - 1
  • Peaches, fresh - 1
  • Prunes - 5
  • Raisins - 1/4 cup

Juices

  • Orange juice - 1/2 cup
  • Prune juice - 1/2 cup
  • Tomato juice - 1/2 cup
  • V-8 juice - 1/2 cup

Vegetables

  • Artichokes - 1
  • Beans: kidney, lima, navy, pinto - 1/2 cup
  • Greens: beet, collard, mustard, turnip - 1/2 cup
  • Nuts, all kinds - 1/2 cup
  • Parsnips - 1/2 cup
  • Potatoes - 1/2 cup or small
  • Spinach - 1/2 cup
  • Split peas, black-eyed peas, lentils - 1/2 cup
  • Tomatoes - 1
  • Tomato sauce - 1/4 cup
  • Winter squash - 1/2 cup
  • Yams, sweet potatoes - 1/2 cup

Foods medium in potassium 150-250 mg of potassium/stated serving

Fruits

  • Apple - 1
  • Cantaloupe melon- 1/2 cup
  • Cherries - 8-10
  • Fruit cocktail - 1/2 cup
  • Honeydew melon - 1/2 cup
  • Mango - 1/2 medium
  • Papaya - 1/2 cup
  • Peaches, canned - 1/2 cup
  • Pears - 1
  • Plums - 2

Juices

  • Apricot nectar - 1/2 cup
  • Grape - 1/2 cup
  • Grapefruit - 1/2 cup
  • Pineapple - 1/2 cup

Vegetables

  • Broccoli - 1/2 cup
  • Brussels sprouts - 1/2 cup
  • Beets - 1/2 cup
  • Carrots - 1/2 cup
  • Celery - 1/2 cup
  • Eggplant - 1/2 cup
  • Green pepper - 1/2 cup
  • Mixed vegetables - 1/2 cup
  • Mushrooms - 1/2 cup
  • Peanut butter - 2 tablespoons

Foods low in potassium 5-150 mg of potassium per stated serving

Fruits

  • Applesauce - 1/2 cup
  • Blackberries - 1/2 cup
  • Blueberries - 1 cup
  • Grapes - 1/2 cup
  • Grapefruit - 1/2 cup
  • Pears, canned - 1/2 cup
  • Pineapple - 1/2 cup
  • Plums, canned - 1/2 cup
  • Raspberries - 1/2 cup
  • Rhubarb, cooked - 1/2 cup
  • Strawberries - 1/2 cup
  • Tangerines - 1
  • Watermelon - 1/2 cup

Juices

  • Apple - 1/2 cup
  • Cranberry - 1 cup
  • Grape - 1 cup
  • Hi-C and other fruit drinks - 1 cup
  • Kool-Aid - 1 cup
  • Lemonade and limeade - 1 cup
  • Peach nectar - 1/2 cup
  • Tang - 1 cup

Vegetables

  • Asparagus - 4 spears
  • Beans, green and waxed - 1/2 cup
  • Bean sprouts - 1/2 cup
  • Cabbage - 1/2 cup
  • Cauliflower - 1/2 cup
  • Corn - 1/2 cup
  • Cucumber - 1/2 cup
  • Lettuce - 1 cup
  • Okra - 3 pods
  • Onions - 1/2 cup
  • Peas - 1/2 cup
  • Radishes - 5
  • Rutabagas - 1/2 cup
  • Summer squash - 1/2 cup
  • Turnips - 1/2 cup
  • Water chestnuts - 4

Potassium in Food

The potassium listed for the food below is an average and differ based upon the brand. Always check the nutrition label first when choosing the item lowest in potassium.

Alcoholic

  • Beer, regular, 12 fl oz - 96
  • Beer, light, 12 fl oz - 74
  • Daiquiri, from recipe, 2 fl oz - 13
  • Gin, 1.5 fl oz - 1
  • Pina colada, from recipe, 4.5 fl oz - 100
  • Rum, 1.5 fl oz - 1
  • Vodka, 1.5 fl oz - 1
  • Whiskey, 1.5 fl oz - 1
  • Wine, table, red, 3.5 fl oz - 115
  • Wine, table, white, 3.5 fl oz - 82
  • Wine, dessert, dry, 3.5 fl oz - 95
  • Wine, dessert, sweet, 3.5 fl oz - 95

BREAD PRODUCTS, mg of potassium per stated serving

Bagels

  • Cinnamon raisin, 4" - 132
  • Cinnamon raisin, 3.5" - 105
  • Egg bagel, 4" - 61
  • Egg bagel, 3.5" - 48
  • Plain bagel, 4" - 90
  • Onion, poppy seed, sesame seed bagel, 4" - 90
  • Onion, poppy seed, sesame seed bagel, 3.5" - 72

Bread, 1 slice

  • Croissant, plain - 67
  • French bread, 1 slice - 173
  • Kaiser roll, 1 - 62
  • Mixed grain bread, 1 slice - 53
  • Oatmeal bread, 1 slice - 38
  • Pita (pocket) bread, white, 4" - 34
  • Pita (pocket) bread, white, 6.5" - 72
  • Pumpernickel bread, 1 slice - 66
  • Raisin Bread, 1 slice - 59
  • Rye bread, 1 slice - 53
  • Rye bread, reduced calorie, rye, 1 slice - 23
  • Sourdough bread, 1 slice - 28
  • Wheat bread, 1 slice - 50
  • Reduced calorie, wheat, 1 slice - 28
  • Whole wheat, 1 slice - 71
  • White bread, 1 slice - 25
  • Reduced calorie, white, 1 slice - 17

English Muffins

  • Plain, 1 muffin - 75
  • Sourdough, 1 muffin - 74

CONDIMENTS AND SAUCES, mg of potassium per stated serving

  • Capers, 1 Tablespoon - 255
  • Cranberry sauce, whole or jellied, 1/4 cup - 10
  • Cranberry/orange relish, 1/4 cup - 22
  • Fruit butter, 1 Tablespoon - 10
  • Horseradish - 1 teaspoon - 50
  • Jam or jelly, 1 Tablespoon - 6
  • Ketchup, 1 Tablespoon - 178
  • Mayonnaise, 1 Tablespoon - 80
  • Mayonnaise, light, 1 Tablespoon - 120
  • Mayonnaise, fat free, 1 Tablespoon - 120
  • Mayonnaise-type salad dressing, 1 Tablespoon - 100
  • Mayonnaise-type salad dressing, light, 1 Tablespoon - 130
  • Mustard, yellow, 1 teaspoon - 56
  • Mustard, dijon, 1 teaspoon - 120
  • Olives, black, 0.5 oz - 115
  • Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons - 150
  • Pickle relish, sweet, 1 Tablespoon - 125
  • Pickle relish, hamburger, 1 Tablespoon - 180
  • Pickle relish, dill, 1 Tablespoon - 240
  • Pickles, bread and butter, 1 oz - 106
  • Pickles, dill, 1 oz - 359
  • Pickles, sweet, 1 oz - 263

Gravy

  • Beef gravy, canned, 1/4 cup - 47
  • Chicken gravy, canned, 1/4 cup - 65
  • Mushroom gravy, canned, 1/4 cup - 63
  • Turkey gravy, canned, 1/4 cup - 65

Pasta Sauce

  • Marinara, ready to eat, 1 cup - 940
  • Spaghetti sauce, mix, 1 cup - 940

Salad Dressings, 2 Tablespoons

  • Blue cheese - 12
  • French - 20
  • French, low fat - 34
  • Italian - 14
  • Italian, low fat - 26
  • Roquefort - 12
  • Russian - 48
  • Thousand Island - 34
  • Thousand Island, low fat - 62
  • Vinegar and oil - 2

Salad Toppings

  • Croutons, seasoned, 1 cup - 144

Sauces

  • Barbecue, grilling, 2 Tablespoons - 21
  • Cheese, ready to serve, 1/4 cup - 19
  • Hot sauce, 1 teaspoon - 7
  • Salsa, 2 tablespoons - 96
  • Teriyaki - 2 tablespoons - 82
  • White sauce, homemade 1 cup - 390

DAIRY PRODUCTS, mg of potassium per stated serving

  • Butter, 1 Tablespoon - 3
  • Butter, unsalted, 1 Tablespoon - 3
  • Margarine, 1 Tablespoon - 6
  • Margarine, vegetable oil spread, 1 Tablespoon - 4
  • Margarine, regular, tub 1 Tablespoon - 5

Cheese, 1 oz

  • American processed, sliced - 48
  • Blue - 73
  • Camembert - 71
  • Cheddar - 28
  • Cheddar, low-fat - 19
  • Colby - 28
  • Colby, low-fat - 19
  • Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup - 88
  • Cottage cheese, low fat, 1/2 cup- 109
  • Cottage cheese, fat free, 1/2 cup - 23
  • Cottage cheese, with fruit, 1/2 cup - 23
  • Feta - 18
  • Mozzarella - 22
  • Mozzarella, part skim - 27
  • Muenster - 38
  • Neufchatel - 32
  • Parmesan, grated, 1 Tablespoon - 6
  • Provolone - 39
  • Ricotta, 1/2 cup - 129
  • Ricotta, part skim, 1/2 cup - 154
  • Swiss - 22
  • Swiss processed, sliced - 61

Cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons

  • Cream cheese - 34
  • Cream cheese, fat free - 50

Eggs, in mg

  • Egg, whole, medium, 1 - 59
  • Egg, whole, large, 1 - 67
  • Egg, whole, extra large, 1 - 78
  • Egg, white, large, 1 - 54
  • Egg, yolk, large, 1 - 18
  • Egg substitute, 1/4 cup (1 egg) - 207

Milk Products, 1 cup

  • Milk, whole - 349
  • Milk, 2% - 366
  • Milk, 1% - 366
  • Milk, non-fat - 382
  • Buttermilk - 370
  • Chocolate milk, ready to drink - 418
  • Chocolate milk, ready to drink, low fat - 425
  • Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened, 1/2 cup - 568
  • Milk, canned, evaporated, 1/2 cup - 425
  • Cream, half & half, 1 Tablespoon - 20
  • Cream substitute, liquid, 1 Tablespoon - 29
  • Whipping cream, heavy, 1 Tablespoon - 11
  • Whipping cream, light, 1 Tablespoon - 15
  • Whipped cream, pressurized, 2 Tablespoons - 8

Sour Cream, 2 Tablespoons

  • Sour cream, regular - 34
  • Sour cream, reduced fat - 38

Yogurt, 8 oz

  • Yogurt, whole milk, plain - 352
  • Yogurt, low fat - 531
  • Yogurt, skim milk - 579
  • Yogurt, low fat, fruit flavored – 352

FISH AND SHELLFISH mg of potassium/serving

  • Catfish - 289
  • Cod - 439
  • Flounder - 437
  • Haddock - 339
  • Halibut - 490
  • Herring, pickled - 59
  • Perch, Atlantic - 298