By Fiona Bellefeuille, Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator
Photo by Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash
You may have noticed that potassium is now listed on the nutrition label of many food items. This is due to new legislation from the government that has updated nutrition labels in Canada (more information here). It is very helpful for those with kidney disease as this information can help you to choose low potassium foods.
Potassium is in almost all foods that we eat, some foods have lots of potassium, others only a little potassium. If your blood potassium level is high, it is important to limit your intake of potassium rich foods.
For the general population, it is recommended to consume 3,400 mg of potassium daily. If your blood potassium levels are high, you will be encouraged to limit your potassium intake to 2,000 mg a day.
Managing your potassium intake is important with kidney disease because too much or too little potassium is not good for your heart.
What to look for on the label
Remember, the more that you eat of a food the more potassium you will consume. For example, for this item above, if you consume 2 cups you will be having 900 mg of potassium or 26% of your daily value.
These recommendations are for those with kidney disease and elevated blood potassium levels. Every nutrition plan should be individualized for personal needs. Check with your kidney team to find out what your daily allowance for potassium should be. It is possible for those with kidney disease to include some higher potassium foods in their nutrition plan. Working with a Registered Dietitian who supports those with kidney disease, can help you to manage your potassium levels.