Dietetics - Short-term Potassium lowering advice for Inpatients

Name: 

Dietitian: 

Telephone: 0161 206 1994

Email: renaldietitians@nca.nhs.uk

Why have I been given this information?

You have been given this information leaflet because the level of potassium in your blood has been high recently.

This information is to help you reduce the level of potassium in your blood while you are in hospital.

What is potassium?

Potassium is a mineral found in many foods and drinks. Your kidneys control the amount of potassium in your blood.

When your kidneys are not working properly or if you are taking certain medications the potassium level in the blood can rise.

High levels of potassium in the blood can be dangerous as it can have an effect on your heart.

How long should I follow this advice?

You should not follow this advice for more than 3 days without speaking to a Dietitian, it is only meant as short-term advice.

There may be a temporary cause of the high potassium or you may need different dietary advice for a long-term low potassium diet at home.

Your nurse or doctor should refer you for advice from a dietitian when they give you this information.

Avoid potassium containing food additives

Many processed foods contain potassium additives which manufacturers add to improve the texture, lifespan or reduce the salt content of foods.

These additives are absorbed very efficiently by your body and can significantly raise your potassium levels, more so than naturally occurring potassium in other foods. Avoiding additives can therefore, help control your potassium levels.

Look for ‘potassium chloride’, ‘potassium lactate’, ‘potassium phosphate’ or ‘potassium citrate’ in the ingredients label of processed foods such as low salt products, processed cheese, crisps and savoury snacks, soft drinks and soups.

Help with choosing your hospital meals:

Choose the RENAL options from menu, coded with ‘R’
Ask the housekeeper on your ward to view the menu.

Breakfast

Foods to choose:

• Weetabix*
• Cornflakes*
• Rice Krispies*
• Toast

*Please consider the amount of milk on cereal – see milk allowance

Foods to Avoid:

• Ready Brek
• Bran Flakes

Lunch and Dinner

Foods to Choose:

• Boiled or mashed potatoes MAX once a day
• Vegetables OR salad
• Pasta dishes
• Rice dishes
• Sandwiches

Foods to Avoid:

• Jacket potatoes
• Chips
• Roast potatoes

Desserts

Foods to Choose:

• Plain cakes – sponge, Madeira, Swiss roll
• Cheese and crackers
• Jelly
• Fuit pot – without the juice
• MAX once a day – Ice cream OR milk pudding OR yoghurt

Foods to Avoid:

• Puddings or desserts with dried fruit, chocolate or nuts

Snacks

Foods to Choose:

• Plain biscuits

Foods to Avoid:

• Biscuit or cakes with chocolate, dried fruit, nuts or coffee

Drinks

Drinks to Choose:

• Water
• Squash or cordial
• Tea
• Coffee MAX once a day
• Milk – MAX ½ pint (300mls) per day – allowance to be included in milk on cereal and drinks

Drinks to Avoid:

• Fruit juice – orange juice
• Additional milk (other than that in cereals and tea/coffee)
• Hot chocolate
• Milky coffee
• Ovaltine
• Horlicks

Food and snacks brought in from home/visitors/bought from shop

Some of these foods may be high in salt, sugar or phosphate and you should speak to a dietitian for more advice.

Snacks - Food to Choose:

• Plain cakes, biscuits and crackers
• Corn or wheat based snacks
• Popcorn
• Boiled and jelly sweets
• Mints
• Marshmallows

Snacks - Foods to Avoid:

• All cakes, biscuits or cereal bars containing dried fruit, nuts or chocolates
• Chocolate bars
• Potato crisps
• Toffee, fudge and liquorice
• Nuts and seeds
• Any additional vegetables or salad

Drinks - to Choose:

• Fizzy, flavoured and soda water
• Fizzy drinks
• Herbal and fruit tea

Drinks - to Avoid:

• Fruit juice, orange juice
• Milkshakes
• Smoothies

Fruit to Choose

Limit additional fruit to MAX 1-2 per day

• 1 medium apple
• 1 tangerine or satsuma
• 2 small plums
• 1 medium pear
• 1 handful of grapes
• 1 handful of berries

Fruit to Avoid:

• Bananas
• Dried fruit – figs, apricots, raisins, prunes
• Kiwi
• Blackcurrants
• Avocado