Healthy Foods for People with Kidney Disease

What are some of the nutrients to restrict in your diet?
Sodium is an electrolyte that helps in muscle contraction, and in maintain the fluid balance of the body. Limiting sodium intake helps in controlling blood pressure and prevents swelling in your body (edema). Edema can cause shortness of breath and heart failure.
Potassium is also an electrolyte that controls nerve and muscle function. Therefore, limit your intake of high potassium foods. Too high or too low levels of potassium can have risks and can cause cardiac arrhythmia.
Phosphorus is a mineral found in food. Unhealthy kidneys are unable to remove excess phosphorus. If phosphorus intake is not limited, it builds up in the body leading to bone and heart disease.

List of Kidney Friendly Foods:
High potassium and phosphorus can accumulate in the body. Hence you have to be wary of the foods you include in your diet. Subsequent slides are a list of healthy kidney-friendly foods recommended for patients in advanced kidney disease such as CKD Stage III - V with GFR less than 60. These foods are less in Sodium, Potassium, and Phosphorus and is ideal for such patients

Herbs and spices
Use herbs and spices such as rosemary, oregano, chilly, cinnamon, basil, bay leaf, cardamom, dill, rosemary, thyme, turmeric, ginger, and garlic. These are substitutes for common ingredients like salt to spice up your dish.
Use no more than a quarter teaspoon of dried spice per 500g of meat and a three-fourths teaspoon of fresh herbs per half a kilogram of meat.

Apples
Apples have a skin of attractive red color due to the presence of anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that has antioxidant effects. Pectin is the soluble fiber present in apples; it slows the passage of food through the gut and thus, lowers cholesterol. Also, pectin reduces constipation. Apples are kidney-friendly, in that they have anti-inflammatory properties.

Garlic
Even though garlic does not treat kidney disease, it acts as a substitute in low sodium foods by enhancing the flavor and taste. Hence, it is a kidney-friendly spice.
You can incorporate garlic in your diet by making garlic gravy, adding as a seasoning, or as garlic chutney.

Strawberries
Strawberry has 50mg total ascorbic acid, which helps in reducing oxidative stress. A study published in Kidney and Blood Pressure Research, says 60mg of ascorbate is recommended for chronic kidney disease patients. Strawberries are hence good for patients with chronic kidney disease and those on hemodialysis.

Bell Peppers (Capsicum)
Green bell peppers are low in potassium compared to the red and yellow variety, and are ideal for renal patients. About one serving of 30g or 1/2 cup raw green bell peppers should be consumed cooked. Green bell peppers have 123mg vitamin C, which is a potent antioxidant. Bell peppers have 51 - 66 mg of folic acid. Red capsicum is rich in lycopene (an antioxidant that fights certain cancers) while green and yellow variety also have carotenoids. Beta carotene found in capsicum is valuable in the synthesis of vitamin A.

Cabbage
Cabbage belongs to the brassica family and contains moderate amounts of potassium and should be consumed cooked. The red variety has anthocyanins that contribute to their color appeal. They are low in total available carbs. They are high in vitamin K and hence to be avoided by those on anticoagulants. Their phytonutrients protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, especially oleic acid, with comparatively less amounts of saturated fats. It contains antioxidants such as vitamin E, A, and phenols. This helps beat cancer and heart disease.
These oils are recommended in kidney disease diet as they help fight cholesterol and protect against inflammation.
Refined olive oil can be used for Indian cookery, with a deep-frying temperature of 160°C and a smoking point of 210°C. Use them in cooking curries or gravies, salads, dips, or marinades.

Fish
The composition of fish varies depending on the variety. Fish have high biological value protein and the biological value is around 80 and hence are ideal for dialysis patients who lose considerable amounts of amino acids in the dialysate fluid.
Fish contain good amounts of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega-3 helps fight inflammation. The fatty acid composition of fish is attributed to the freedom from cardiovascular diseases in certain population groups. 100g of Salmon has 21g of protein.

Chicken
Poultry meat is a high biological value protein with all the essential amino acids. Like other animal tissues, it is a good source of B vitamins and minerals.
100g of chicken has 22g of protein. You can have a maximum of 250g of chicken in a given day if on dialysis.