Is Popcorn High in Potassium? And More…from a Kidney Dietitian

Is popcorn high in potassium? It’s a common question, but not the only one you should be asking. When it comes to kidney-friendly snacking, sodium, phosphorus, and blood sugar matter too—and popcorn checks some boxes better than others.

Is popcorn high in potassium?

Popcorn is not considered a high potassium food. One ounce of popcorn contains only 93mg of potassium, which makes it a low potassium food. In general, if a food has less than 200mg of potassium per serving, it is considered a low potassium food.

One thing that’s important to understand about potassium is that there are a LOT of factors that can cause potassium levels to be abnormal—and many of them are completely unrelated to the potassium content of your food. Automatically cutting back on potassium when your healthcare provider hasn’t instructed you to can even backfire, making your body less able to handle normal potassium levels over time.

The most effective way to control your potassium is to address the underlying cause of any abnormal labs—which often has little to do with food alone. If you’re interested in learning practical ways to manage potassium without avoiding healthy, high-potassium foods (and you’re not on dialysis), sign up for my free 5-Day Email Course: 5 Ways to Control Potassium Without Avoiding High Potassium Foods below:

Popcorn has another benefit: it’s a whole grain that’s naturally high in fiber (about 4 grams per ounce). Fiber helps keep your gut healthy and reduces constipation. That’s important because constipation can actually raise potassium levels in the blood.

Is popcorn high in phosphorus?

Plain popcorn is considered a low phosphorus food. One ounce (about 3 cups popped) contains around 101 mg of phosphorus. But here’s the key: the phosphorus that naturally occurs in plant foods like popcorn isn’t absorbed very well. Your body only takes in about 30% of it, which means you’re really absorbing closer to 30 mg per ounce—a very small amount.

Why does this matter? High phosphorus levels over time can harm your bones and blood vessels. But most of the trouble comes not from natural phosphorus in foods like popcorn, but from phosphorus additives. These additives, which are used in food processing, are absorbed almost completely by the body and can raise your phosphorus levels much more quickly.

Phosphorus additives aren’t very common in plain popcorn, but they do show up in flavored varieties—especially cheese-flavored popcorns. That’s why it’s always a good idea to scan the ingredient list. Anything with “phos” in the name (like sodium phosphate or disodium phosphate) is a sign that phosphorus has been added.

Is popcorn good for kidneys?

Popcorn can be a kidney-friendly snack if it’s prepared the right way. The biggest concern with popcorn is usually sodium. Many microwave and pre-popped popcorns are loaded with salt, and too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure, bloating, and fluid build-up—all of which put added stress on your kidneys. The KDOQI Guidelines recommend aiming for 2,300mg of sodium per day or less. A good rule of thumb is to choose popcorn that has fewer milligrams of sodium than calories per serving.

Popcorn is also naturally low in protein, which makes it a good option for people with CKD who are not on dialysis and may be following a lower protein diet. If you are on dialysis, you can still enjoy popcorn—just pair it with a higher protein food to keep your snack balanced.

For those who also have diabetes, it’s important to remember that popcorn counts as a starchy food, so it will raise your blood sugar. A typical serving is about one ounce, or three cups popped, and I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure it out unless you’re really good at eye-balling serving sizes (I’m not!). Portioning it out ahead of time can help you stay on track.

I like to use a standard plastic drinking cup to measure mine out. Additionally, pairing popcorn with a healthy fat, such as a handful of nuts, can also slow down how quickly your blood sugar rises and make the snack more satisfying. Just be mindful of kettle corn or sweetened varieties, which often come with a lot of added sugar.

Kidney Friendly Popcorn You Can Buy

Here are some low sodium, low phosphorus brands of popcorn you can find in stores or online:

Boom Chicka Pop

• Calories: 150
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 16g
• Fat: 9g
• Sodium: 150mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 93mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 0g

This kidney friendly popcorn has the same number of calories as sodium, making it a low sodium food. Other low sodium kidney friendly flavors include their Light Kettle Corn, Dark Chocolate, and Sweet and Salty. Note that their label did not provide the amount of potassium, so I have listed the amount of potassium in one ounce of popcorn according to the USDA. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Better Made White Cheddar

• Calories: 170
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 13g
• Fat: 12g
• Sodium: 170mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 99mg
• Calcium: 10mg
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 2g

This kidney friendly popcorn contains the same number of calories as sodium, making it a kidney friendly popcorn. Other kidney friendly flavors include their Movie Theater butter, Jalapeno Cheddar, and Detroit Mix. Be careful of their other flavors. I almost fell out of my chair when reading the sodium content of one of them (780mg per serving!!). Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Black Jewell Natural Microwave Popcorn

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 3g
• Carbohydrate: 21g
• Fat: 5g
• Sodium: 140mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 73mg
• Calcium: 6mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 0g

This brand has two kidney friendly microwave popcorns: Natural and a No salt/No Oil flavor. If you’re looking for a completely plain microwave popcorn that you can season to your liking, then this brand may be right for you. They also make some bagged flavors that are kidney friendly: Simply Sea Salt and Natural. Their Aged White Cheddar and Sea Salt & Cracker Pepper are just a tiny bit high in sodium. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Good & Gather Organic Sea Salt Popcorn

• Calories: 110
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 15g
• Fat: 5g
• Sodium: 110mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 80mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 0g

This store brand popcorn from Target is low sodium and kidney friendly. There may be other store brands with kidney friendly popcorn that we’ve been unable to validate the nutrient info for, so definitely check out the store brand labels if you’re shopping at another grocery store. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Live Love Pop Truffle Salt Popcorn

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 15g
• Fat: 8g
• Sodium: 100mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 57mg
• Calcium: 1mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 0g

This kidney friendly popcorn comes in two low sodium, kidney friendly flavors: Truffle Salt and Cinnamon Bun. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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Skinny Pop Popcorn

• Calories: 150
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 15g
• Fat: 10g
• Sodium: 75mg
• Phosphorus
  Additives: None
• Potassium: 40mg
• Calcium: 0mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 0g

The Skinny Pop brand has several varieties of popcorn that are considered kidney friendly: Original, Sea Salt & Pepper, Twist of Lime, Sweet & Salty, and Sweet Vanilla. Note that their sweeter flavor do contain a fair amount of added sugar, so keep that in mind when choosing a flavor. Also note that their microwave popcorns are all higher in sodium. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.

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