What Foods Are High in Potassium to Avoid if You Have Kidney Disease?

Patients with kidney disease may need to limit the amount of potassium in the diet, which means avoiding foods like avocados, potatoes and bananas, among others. Consult with a dietician.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when the kidneys are damaged and are unable to filter blood properly. 

What Are Symptoms of Kidney Disease?

Early kidney disease often has no symptoms. As kidney disease progresses, fluid retention and swelling (edema) usually in the legs, feet, or ankles, and sometimes in the hands or face may occur.

Symptoms of advanced kidney disease may include:

• Chest pain
• Dry skin
• Itching or numbness
• Feeling tired
• Headaches
• Increased or decreased urination
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Sleep problems
• Trouble concentrating
• Vomiting
• Weight loss

Patients with kidney disease can also develop other health problems, such as:

• Anemia
• Bone disease
• Malnutrition
• Heart disease and heart attack
• Stroke 
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Acute kidney injury

The most common causes of chronic kidney disease include: 

• Diabetes 
• High blood pressure (high blood pressure)
• Heart disease

Other causes of kidney disease include:

• Polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder that causes cysts to form in the kidneys
• Infection
• Drugs that are toxic to the kidneys
  • Pain medications
  • Antibiotics
  • Alcohol
  • Laxatives used for cleaning the bowel (usually before a colonoscopy) 
  • Contrast dye (used in some diagnostic tests such as MRIs)
  • Illegal street drugs
• Lupus (lupus nephritis is the name for kidney disease caused by lupus)
• Iga glomerulonephritis
• Autoimmune conditions, such as Anti-GBM (Goodpasture's) disease
• Heavy metal poisoning, such as lead poisoning 
• Rare genetic conditions, such as Alport syndrome 
• Hemolytic uremic syndrome in children
• Iga vasculitis
• Renal artery stenosis

A family history of kidney failure is a risk factor for developing kidney disease.

People who have risk factors for developing kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and a family history of kidney failure, should get their kidney function checked since early kidney disease often has no symptoms.

Tests used to diagnose kidney disease include:

• Blood test: glomerular filtration rate (GFR)
• Urine test to check for albumin, a protein that can pass into the urine when the kidneys are damaged

Treatment for chronic kidney disease involves measures to prevent further damage to the kidneys. 

• Control blood pressure
• Patients with diabetes should keep blood glucose in check 
• Monitor your kidney health and work with your medical team
• Take medicines as prescribed
• Get regular exercise
• Maintain a healthy weight/lose weight if overweight 
• Get adequate sleep
• Stop smoking
• Learn ways to manage stress and depression
• Work with a dietitian to develop a meal plan
  • One aspect of a diet for kidney disease is paying attention to the amount of potassium in foods 
  • Patients with kidney disease may need to limit the amount of potassium in the diet
  • Foods high in potassium to avoid include: 
    • Avocados
    • Bananas
    • Melons
    • Oranges and orange juice
    • Bananas
    • Prunes 
    • Raisins 
    • Artichokes
    • Winter squash
    • Plantains
    • Spinach
    • Potatoes
    • Tomatoes 
    • Bran products such as cereals
    • Granola 
    • Beans (baked, black, pinto, etc.)
    • Brown or wild rice
    • Dairy foods
    • Whole-wheat bread and pasta
    • Nuts

If kidney disease worsens, treatment options may include: 

• Dialysis
  • Hemodialysis 
  • Peritoneal dialysis
• Organ transplantation