Nuts are one of the high potassium foods. As a general rule, they should be avoided by those on a low potassium diet, who need to eat low potassium foods. Nuts and seeds are not one of the low potassium foods. But nuts are like fruits, vegetables and some of the other high potassium foods. If a small amount is eaten, it adds only a small amount of potassium to your daily total.
The table includes those seeds and nuts that can provide less than 100 mg of potassium in the serving size mentioned. As can be seen from the table, this varies from 1 oz to 1 tbspn. Eating a handful of nuts would contribute too much potassium to someone who needs to restrict potassium intake.
In the table, the best source of a low potassium seed or nut can be seen to be sunflower seeds. Sunflower butter also contributes only a small amount in a tablespoon. If a nutty flavor is desired, this would be good way to get it while limiting potassium. Sunflower meal is another source that is relatively low in potassium.
Safflower seed meal is a lower potassium seed that can provide a slightly different taste. An ounce only provides 19 mg of potassium.
Even in this table, most of the other nuts and seeds are much higher than sunflower and safflower seeds. If the seed or nut is not in the table, it has even higher amounts of potassium. Those who require low potassium foods should avoid the nuts and seeds that are not in the table.
The weights all are grams except for the potassium and sodium, which are milligrams. The calories, protein, total fat, carbohydrate, fiber, potassium and sodium values given are for 100 grams of food.
As usual, K is potassium, and Na is sodium.
Except for the potassium to sodium ratio and the amount of potassium per serving (which we calculated), the source of data is: USDA National Nutrient Database Standard Reference – Release 22.
| Food | K | Na | Serving Wt | Serving Size | Ratio K:Na | K per Serving |
| Nuts, cashew butter, plain, w salt added |
546 | 614 | 16 | 1 tbsp | 0.89 | 87 |
| Nuts, cashew butter, plain, w/o salt added |
546 | 15 | 16 | 1 tbsp | 36.4 | 87 |
| Nuts, chestnuts, chinese, boiled and steamed |
306 | 2 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 153 | 87 |
| Nuts, chestnuts, japanese, boiled and steamed |
119 | 5 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 23.8 | 34 |
| Nuts, chestnuts, japanese, raw |
329 | 14 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 23.5 | 93 |
| Nuts, formulated, wheat-based, all flavors except macadamia, w/o salt |
320 | 91 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 3.5 | 91 |
| Nuts, formulated, wheat-based, macadamia flavored, w/o salt |
261 | 47 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 5.6 | 74 |
| Nuts, formulated, wheat-based, unflavored, w salt added |
318 | 505 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 0.63 | 90 |
| Seeds, chia seeds, dried | 160 | 19 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 8.4 | 45 |
| Seeds, safflower seed meal, partially defatted |
68 | 3 | 28.35 | 1 oz | 22.7 | 19 |
| Seeds, sesame butter, paste | 582 | 12 | 16 | 1 tbsp | 48.5 | 93 |
| Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, fr raw and stone ground kernels |
414 | 74 | 15 | 1 tbsp | 5.6 | 62 |
| Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, fr roasted and toasted kernels (most common type) |
414 | 115 | 15 | 1 tbsp | 3.6 | 62 |
| Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, fr unroasted kernels (non-chemically removed seed coat) |
459 | 1 | 14 | 1 tbsp | 459 | 64 |
| Seeds, sesame butter, tahini, type of kernels unspecified |
459 | 35 | 15 | 1 tbsp | 13.1 | 69 |
| Seeds, sunflower seed butter, w salt added |
72 | 520 | 16 | 1 tbsp | 0.14 | 12 |
| Seeds, sunflower seed butter, w/o salt |
72 | 3 | 16 | 1 tbsp | 24 | 12 |
| Seeds, sunflower seed flour, partially defatted |
67 | 3 | 64 | 1 cup | 22.3 | 43 |
