Last updated: August 6, 2026
Raw spinach is lower in potassium than cooked spinach. If you’ve ever cooked a bag of spinach, you can probably guess why. When heated, spinach leaves wilt and shrink, so it takes about 3 times more to produce an equal volume.
Potassium
For comparison, 1/2 cup cooked fresh spinach weighs 3 ounces and contains ~400 mg potassium. One cup raw fresh chopped spinach weighs approximately 1 ounce and contains ~165 mg potassium.
If a low potassium diet is required due to kidney disease or dialysis, it’s best to stick with raw spinach in small amounts. Try mixing spinach leaves with lettuce for a salad or add to your favorite sandwich or wrap.
Recipe Ideas
Try some of our kidney friendly recipes with spinach, to see how you can fit it into your meals.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Spinach-Mandarin Salad
Creamy Bowtie Pasta with Veggies
Italian Wedding Soup
Tortilla Rollups
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical
advice or treatment. Consult your physician and dietitian regarding your specific diagnosis, treatment, diet and
health questions.
About the author:
Sara Colman, RDN, CDCES
Sara is a renal dietitian with over 30 years experience working with people with diabetes and kidney disease. She is co-author of the popular kidney cookbook "Cooking for David: A Culinary Dialysis Cookbook". Sara is the Manager of Kidney Care Nutrition for DaVita. She analyzes recipes and creates content, resources and tools for the kidney community. In her spare time Sara loves to spend time with her young grandson, including fun times together in her kitchen.
