Leicestershire Nutrition and Dietetic Service Think about ...

1 Think about potassium step 1 Potassium is a naturally occurring mineral found in most foods. Your kidneys control the amount present in your blood, but because these are not functioning properly it is necessary to reduce the amount of potassium in your diet. Abnormal levels in your blood are not good for your heart. This information sheet is to help you control the amount of potassium in your diet. Use the table below to guide you with your food choices. Lower in Potassium Higher in Potassium Suitable portion sizes shown High in Potassium Try to avoid Starchy Try to include something starchy at each meal Bread Chapatti Noodles Pasta Rice Cereal eg. Weetabix, puffed rice, cornflakes etc Potatoes, cassava, yam (boiled) - 150g (6oz) Once boiled can be mashed, roasted, chipped or saut ed Do NOT steam, microwave or use a pressure cooker.

2 Throw cooking water away Chips (unless pre-boiled) Roast Potato Croquette potato Jacket potatoes Potato waffles Cereal with dried fruit, chocolate or nuts fruit and fibre, muesli, coco pops Meat and Poultry 4oz for a main meal 2oz for snack meal Fish 6oz for a main meal 3oz for a snack meal Beans / pulses / dahl Can be taken instead of meat / fish as a meal up to 3tbsp Not to be taken as an accompaniment to a meal Dairy Products Eggs ( /week) Cheese ( /week) Yogurt up to 2 pots / week Milk up to 1/3 pint/ 200ml /day Soup All soups packet, tinned and homemade Snacks Snacks may be high in fat and sugar or salt Corn, Maize & wheat snacks Tortillas or Quavers Bread sticks Popcorn, Plain biscuits, shortbread, Madeira, sponge cake Potato crisps Nuts -all Gathia & Sev Bombay mix, Chocolate.

3 Biscuits or cake made with dried fruit or nuts Sweets Sugar free sweets for those with diabetes Boiled sweet Jelly sweets Mints Chocolate Toffee Fudge Asian sweets Burfi Leicestershire Nutrition and Dietetic Service Lower in Potassium Higher in Potassium Suitable portion sizes shown High in Potassium Avoid Condiments/ Seasoning Fresh Herbs Pepper Vinegar Salad cream Mayonnaise Mustard Pinch of Dried Herbs 1tbsp mint/apple sauce 1 tsp Sweet pickle/ cranberry sauce Salt Substitutes eg Ruthmol, LoSalt or Selora Tomato sauce Brown Sauce Drinks Sugar free drinks for those with diabetes Diluting squash/ cordial Fizzy drinks Spirits Tea Coffee 1 cup /day 1 glass of wine/ stout/ beer/day if taken and allowed by medical team All fruit juices High Juice drinks Blackcurrant juices Chocolate/ Cocoa Malted milks Lower in Potassium High in Potassium Avoid Vegetables Up to 2 portions / day from lower in potassium list Vegetables should be boiled and the water thrown away DO NOT steam, use a microwave or pressure cooker Asparagus 4 spears, Aubergine, Beansprouts, Broccoli, Carrots, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Courgette, Green beans, Green or red pepper, Leeks, Mangetout, Marrow, Mixed vegetables (frozen), Mushrooms (canned)

4 , Onion, Peas, Runner beans, Spring greens, Swede, Sweetcorn (baby), Turnip Artichoke, Baked beans, Beetroot (raw/boiled), Broad beans, Brussel sprouts, Butternut squash, Celeriac, Chard, Karela, Mushrooms, Okra, Parsnips, Red kidney beans, Spinach, Sweetcorn, Taro tuber, Vegetable juices, Water chestnuts, Okra, Karela Tomatoes Tomatoes are quite high in potassium a couple of slices in a sandwich or salad is fine. However dishes made with tomatoes should be served with rice, pasta or bread instead of potatoe (no potatoes should be taken on that day). Fruit Up to 2 portions / day from lower in potassium list Apples (1), Bilberries/ Blueberries (20), Blackberries (15), Cherries (12) Clementines (2), Cranberries (20), Fig (1 fresh), Gooseberries (12), Grapes (15) Grapefruit (half), Kiwi (1), Melon (water and galia 1 small slice (100g), Nectarines (1 small), Oranges (1 small) , Peaches (1), Pears (1 small) Pineapple (2 small slices), Plums (1), Raspberries (15), Strawberries (8), Tangerines/satsumas (1) Tinned fruit (1 small tin- Juice drained).)

5 Apricot, Avocado, Bananas, Blackcurrants, Damsons, Dried fruit ALL ( sultanas, prunes, raisins), Elderberries, Guava, Loganberries, Mangoes, Melon Canteloupe/Honeydew Papaya, Pomegranate, Redcurrants, Rhubarb, Sharon fruit Developed and produced by Leicestershire Nutrition and Dietetic services Reviewed June 2015 Crown Copyright University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust Access our website on