Foods Low in Potassium

You often hear about the heart-helping benefits of potassium. But some people need to limit their intake of the mineral, and this is especially the case if you have a heart or kidney condition. While the daily value for potassium is 4,700 milligrams, a diet restricted in potassium will usually contain about 2,000 milligrams per day, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Here are foods that are low in potassium.

Apple

Who doesn't love biting into an apple? A medium Golden Delicious apple contains just 169 milligrams of potassium, per the USDA National Nutrient Database, or 4% of the daily value. Apples are delicious on their own, and you can also use them to make apple muffins, roasted apples or apple coleslaw.

Onion

This tangy veggie is a great addition to sandwiches, salads and more. In 2 tablespoons of chopped onions, you get only 30 milligrams of potassium, per the USDA National Nutrient Database. That's less than 1 percent of the daily value. Add onions to a healthy summer pasta salad, hummus pizza or a healthy squash and kale casserole.

Rice

When it comes to grains, rice is a good one to choose for a low-potassium diet. In a cup of cooked rice, you get just 48 milligrams of potassium, or 1% of the daily value, per the USDA National Nutrient Database. Have rice in healthy grilled chicken-and-rice foil packs, a vegetarian rice bowl or coconut rice.

Cucumber

When you're looking for low-potassium veggies to eat, here's another one to consider. A cup of cucumber slices contains just 76 milligrams of potassium, or about 2% of the daily value, per the USDA National Nutrient Database. The veggie tastes great in a cucumber salad, in chilled cucumber soup or paired with a yogurt veggie dip.

Watermelon

This fruit is a winner in the low-potassium category. A cup of diced melon has just 170 milligrams of potassium, or about 4% of the daily value, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Enjoy the fruit on its own or in watermelon gazpacho, chicken watermelon tacos or watermelon slushies.

Bread

On a low-potassium diet, you'll want to choose white bread over whole-grain bread. A slice of white bread has just 35 milligrams of potassium, less than 1% of the daily value, per the USDA National Nutrient Database. Eat bread on its own, or use it as a base for French toast.

Looking for additional low-potassium foods? Here's a list from the National Kidney Foundation.

• Alfalfa sprouts
• Angel cake
• Apple juice
• Applesauce
• Apricots, canned in juice
• Asparagus (6 spears)
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Celery (1 stalk)
• Cherries
• Coffee (8 ounces)
• Corn, fresh (½ ear)
• Corn, frozen (½ cup)
• Cranberries
• Eggplant
• Grapes
• Grape juice
• Green beans
• Green peas
• Lettuce
• Mandarin oranges
• Noodles
• Parsley
• Peaches, canned (½ cup)
• Peaches, fresh (1 small)
• Peppers
• Pineapple
• Pineapple juice
• Plums (1 whole)
• Radish
• Raspberries
• Rhubarb
• Strawberries
• Tangerine (1 whole)
• Tea (16 ounces)
• Water chestnuts
• Watercress
• Wax beans
• White mushrooms, raw (½ cup)
• Yellow cake
• Yellow squash
• Zucchini squash

Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. She's a regular contributor to many publications, including EverydayHealth.com, ReadersDigest.com, NBCNews.com, and more. She also pens a recipe-focused blog, Amy's Eat List, where she shares easy, healthy recipes. Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.