Is pomegranate good for kidney disease?
Pomegranate counts as a high-potassium food on a kidney diet: 1/2 cup arils (3.1 oz, 87 g) has 205 mg of potassium, above the 200 mg per serving the National Kidney Foundation uses for high-potassium foods. About 2.9 oz (84 g) stays under 200 mg.
This page is for people with chronic kidney disease who have been told to watch potassium or phosphorus. Your kidney care team sets the limits that apply to you. These numbers help you fit a food into them.
Potassium, phosphorus and sodium by portion
| Portion | Potassium | NKF high-potassium line (200 mg) | Phosphorus | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup arils (3.1 oz, 87 g) | 205 mg | High | 31 mg | 3 mg |
| 1 pomegranate (9.9 oz, 282 g) | 666 mg | High | 102 mg | 8 mg |
| 3.5 oz (100 g) | 236 mg | High | 36 mg | 3 mg |
USDA FoodData Central, Pomegranates, raw. The 200 mg line is per serving, so the same food can be under it in a small portion and over it in a large one.
What the National Kidney Foundation and NIH say
- Level E National Kidney Foundation:
A food that is considered “high-potassium” generally has 200 mg or more potassium per serving.
National Kidney Foundation, Potassium and Your CKD Diet, accessed 2026-10-12
Word-for-word quotes. Level E means the position of an expert body. How we grade evidence.
How it compares with similar foods
| Food | Portion | Potassium | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomegranate | 1/2 cup arils (3.1 oz, 87 g) | 205 mg | 31 mg |
| Apple | 1 cup, quartered or chopped (4.4 oz, 125 g) | 134 mg | 14 mg |
| Figs | 1 large (2.3 oz, 64 g) | 148 mg | 9 mg |
| Watermelon | 1 cup, balls (5.4 oz, 154 g) | 172 mg | 17 mg |
Same USDA food group, each at its usual US portion. USDA FoodData Central.
The other side
Potassium limits apply to people whose care team has set one.
- Level C The standard advice to cut potassium in kidney disease rests on very low-quality evidence: restricting it moved blood potassium by 0.22 millimoles per liter and did not slow the disease. Morris et al., Journal of Renal Nutrition, 2020
- Level E There is no RDA for potassium because the data were insufficient to derive one, and no upper limit because high intakes do not cause hyperkalemia in adults with normal kidney function. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Health Professional Fact Sheet: Potassium
In practice
Pomegranate sits right at the line. Half a cup of arils has 205 mg of potassium, just over the 200 mg the National Kidney Foundation uses for high-potassium foods. A whole pomegranate has 666 mg.
If your potassium is limited, the portion is what counts. About 2.9 oz (84 g) of arils stays under 200 mg, a little less than half a cup. Apples and watermelon come in under the line at a normal cup.
Half a cup also has 31 mg of phosphorus. If your kidneys are healthy, potassium from food is not a concern in the same way: NIH notes that no upper limit has been set, because high intakes do not cause high blood potassium in adults with normal kidney function.
Evidence behind this note
- Level E There is no RDA for potassium because the data were insufficient to derive one, and no upper limit because high intakes do not cause hyperkalemia in adults with normal kidney function. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Health Professional Fact Sheet: Potassium
Written from the agency positions and data on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Sources
- National Kidney Foundation, Potassium and Your CKD Diet, https://www.kidney.org/kidney-topics/potassium-your-ckd-diet (accessed 2026-10-12)
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Pomegranates, raw, FDC ID 169134
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), FDC ID 171688
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Figs, raw, FDC ID 173021
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Watermelon, raw, FDC ID 167765
- Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.
Sources checked 2026-10-12. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.