Fresh fruits, veggies, and protein are great everyday choices. You can also enjoy low-sodium chips, crackers, or fruit-based desserts for a treat on the go.
You can include desserts and snacks on your kidney-friendly food list. Low-sodium crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, popcorn, and nuts are all great snacks. Homemade dishes are best for dessert, such as fruit-based pies or cobblers, cheesecake, and cookies.
Some health snack options you can consider are hard boiled eggs, unsalted crackers/pretzels/popcorn, carrot sticks, sugar free cookies, etc. The American Kidney Fund has a resource called the Kidney Kitchen where you can get recipes and snack ideas to meet your specific needs.
If possible, make meat sandwiches from low sodium, fresh-cooked meats such as chicken, turkey breast, roast beef, pork or fish. Use meat leftover from dinner, or cook fresh meat specifically for lunch sandwiches. Consider freezing cooked meat in 2- to 3-ounce portions until needed.
I recommend whole grain, whole wheat or multigrain bread for people with kidney disease. Be careful to check the sodium in whatever bread you buy. Bread is a surprising source of salt! Historically, white bread was recommended because it has less phosphorus in it.
Butter contains saturated fat, which increases your risk for heart disease. The National Kidney Foundation notes that heart disease is a major risk factor for kidney disease and vice versa. Consume less butter, lard and shortening to reduce your intake of saturated fat and lower your risk for heart and kidney disease.
Objective(s): Despite the nutritional benefits of potato tuber, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) should limit the consumption because of its high potassium content.
Phosphorus and Dairy Foods
Most dairy foods are very high in phosphorus. People with kidney disease should limit their daily intake of milk, yogurt, and cheese to ½ cup milk, or ½ cup yogurt or 1-ounce cheese. If you do eat high-phosphorus foods, ask your doctor for a phosphate binder to be taken with your meals.
Foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt, such as crisps, chocolate, biscuits and cakes, can be included in your diet. However, because they do not contain good nutrients, they should only be included in small amounts occasionally.
Tomatoes are a good way to add extra potassium to your diet and decrease the need to take an additional potassium pill. Eating tomatoes will not have an effect on forming kidney stones.
Beans are in the legume family which includes dried lentils and split peas. Recent research shows the benefits of plant-based foods in the kidney diet. Beans are great for people with kidney disease to enjoy.
Whole eggs provide a nutrient-dense source of calories to meet the increased energy demands of CKD patients. Additionally, eggs are naturally low in sodium, a nutrient which is restricted in renal diets.
Individuals with kidney disease should limit their intake of yogurt because it is high in potassium and phosphorus. Yogurt is high in protein, a nutrient that dialysis patients require. It's also high in calcium and vitamin D.
Beta-Carotene Benefits
Beta-carotene, the water-soluble form of vitamin A in carrots, helps the kidneys filter toxins out of the blood and prevent urinary tract infections, according to Dr. George D.
There are different types of red meat, and some are worse for your kidneys than others. For example, processed meats such as bacon, sausage, and ham are the worst for your kidneys because they contain high levels of sodium.
People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are often concerned about eating tomatoes if they have been advised by their renal dietitian to follow a low potassium diet. However, in the right amount and served with the right foods, tomatoes can still be enjoyed safely.