Can I Eat Potatoes?

"I haven't eaten potatoes in months!"😩

It makes me sad every time I hear a client tell me they have been avoiding certain foods, like potatoes, orange juice or tomatoes because they are afraid of eating too much potassium.

You can imagine the look on their faces when I tell them how to enjoy all the foods they love AND still protect their kidneys. 😁

I don't want to minimize the importance of following a low potassium diet if your doctor has told you do so! It's very important to keep your blood level of potassium in a normal range. Your heart depends on it! 🧡🧡

But before you give your bag of potatoes🥔🍠 away or think you can never have spaghetti and meatballs🍝 again, ask your doctor if you need to be on a low potassium diet. Some people with CKD struggle with high blood levels of potassium, others do not. Depending on a person's stage or how high their potassium levels are, they may be able tolerate one high potassium food a week or possibly one serving a day! Your dietitian can help you figure out how much is right for you.