For those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) the shock of being diagnosed is often accompanied by dietary guidelines restricting the intake of potassium and other electrolytes. The next realization is that almost all vegetables contain some amount of potassium.

While this is true, there are a few vegetables that are lower in potassium, and the amount of potassium in vegetables can be further reduced by soaking the vegetables in water before cooking, in a process called leaching. This works well for vegetables that will be eaten raw. Cooked vegetables should be boiled, and the water they are boiled in should be discarded.

While the daily value (DV) for potassium is 4700 milligrams (mg), a vegetable can be considered to be "low potassium" if it has less than 200mg of potassium per serving (please watch portion sizes). (2) The list of vegetables below serves as a suggestion of low potassium vegetables for your diet and is for informational purposes only. Please work with your primary care provider to establish a proper diet.

Note: Please use the percent daily value in this article only as a guide to compare foods and not as a target!

The amount of potassium in vegetables may vary based on the soil and conditions in which they are grown. The numbers below can be considered averages across the U.S. To be safe, incorporate new vegetables into your diet slowly and in small quantities.

Low potassium vegetables include cilantro, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, arugula, kale, Napa cabbage, leeks, spaghetti squash, sweet onions, eggplant, and more. For more low potassium vegetable ideas, see the complete ranking of over 200 vegetables low in potassium.

Most vegetables are low in calories, and so should be eaten with other low potassium foods.