Caribbean: Potassium and the Kidney Diet

Making healthy food choices is important to us all, but it is even more important if you have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Good nutrition gives you energy to do your daily tasks, prevent infection, build muscle, help maintain a healthy weight— and it may keep your kidney disease from getting worse.

Your kidneys help keep the right balance of nutrients and minerals in your body. But if you have kidney disease, your kidneys may not do this job very well. There are five key nutrients you may need to control: Protein, Sodium, Fluid, Potassium, and Phosphorus. Additional handouts will give you more information about each of the key nutrients. Eating the right amount of each of these can help control the buildup of waste and fluid in your blood.

Let’s see how potassium fits into the kidney diet.

• Potassium helps control muscle and nerve function
• If blood potassium becomes too high or low, it can cause an irregular heartbeat or a heart attack

Eating too much potassium can be bad for your health if your kidney function is in decline. Limit potassium in your diet if your blood level is too high. A potassium restricted diet is about 2000 milligrams per day. Some CKD patients may experience low potassium levels due to medications, such as diuretics. In this case, your doctor may prescribe a liberal potassium diet. Ask your doctor about meeting with a registered dietitian with special training in kidney disease to help you manage your potassium intake.

*Salt substitute made with potassium chloride

• Serving size is important. A large amount of a low potassium food can turn into a high-potassium food.
• Choose lower potassium fruits and vegetables such as lime, lemon, pineapple, tangerine, watermelon, jicama, chayote, okra, nopales.
• Leach high potassium root vegetables such as taro, yucca, beans, and potatoes.

Slice vegetable 1/8 inch thick and soak for 2 hours in a large amount of water.

• Do not drink or use the liquid from canned fruits and vegetables, or the juices from cooked meat.
• Avoid foods with potassium additives such as potassium chloride.
• If you are on dialysis, be sure to get all the treatment or exchanges prescribed to you.

*Values approximate based on recipe*

Try this refreshing Caribbean chayote salad, great for patients with kidney disease, highlights the importance of potassium. Made with julienned chayote, cucumber, red cabbage, and white onion, and tossed in a simple olive oil vinaigrette, it’s a flavorful, low-calorie dish rich in essential nutrients.

This content is provided for informational use only and is not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for the medical advice of a healthcare professional.