Food items to be ignored when diagnosed with hyperkalemia
Potassium is an integral mineral that keeps your nervous and cardiovascular systems functioning. However, excess of it can result in conditions such as hyperkalemia. If your potassium levels are high, you might need to review your food intake to manage this condition effectively. High potassium levels in the body over a prolonged period can lead to serious health complications. Here is a list of food items to be avoided if you are diagnosed with hyperkalemia. Dried apricots Dried apricots are very high in potassium and must be avoided at all costs. Half a cup of dried apricot contains 755.3 milligrams of potassium. There are other dried fruits too which are rich in this mineral and should also be avoided. Half a cup of prunes has about 700 milligrams of this element, whereas the same quantity of raisins has 618 milligrams of potassium. Beans and lentils Food items such as beans may seem like a good option for energy and minerals but they can likely be harmful for consumption to a person diagnosed with hyperkalemia. For example, just a handful of canned kidney beans might contain about 607 milligrams of potassium and, thus, should be avoided. However, you can reduce the effects of potassium in beans by soaking uncooked beans overnight and rinsing them thoroughly before cooking.