Diet Chart for Kidney Patients
Kidneys are vital organs in your body. The bean-shaped organs are responsible for filtering waste and extra fluids from your body as well as maintaining a healthy balance of salts, minerals and water. Having kidney disease can affect your general health. It is, thus, important to take extra care of your body if you are experiencing kidney disease. The top factor in maintaining your overall health is your dietary intake. A diet chart for kidney patients is an important tool that provides key details about what to eat and what to avoid.
In this article, with insights from Dr. Mohit Khirbat, a leading nephrologist at the CK Birla Hospital, we will explore the chronic kidney disease diet food list. But first, let’s begin by understanding what kidney disease is?
Table of Contents
Kidney diet chart: What is kidney disease?
Your kidneys are responsible for removing excess fluids and waste from your blood. This wastage is then converted into urine which is drained from the body.
Kidney disease is a condition that leads to the loss of kidney function and restricts your body to lose extra waste as it should. It can be an acute or chronic condition. Kidney disease is characterised by a range of varying symptoms. Common signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Changes in the frequency of urination
- Decreased mental sharpness
- Cramping in the muscle
- Swollen feet and ankles
- Dryness and itching on the skin
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Shortness of breath due to fluid-up in the lungs
- Chest pain
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a highly prevalent condition. It is estimated that about 697.5 million individuals were recorded to have chronic kidney disease in 2017 alone, making up for a 9.1% global incidence.
Why is a dialysis patient’s diet important?
If you are suffering from chronic kidney disease, your body’s ability to filter waste is compromised. It means that your kidneys are unable to perform their function properly. Hence, you should ensure to eat included in the Indian diet chart for kidney patients so that your kidneys are able to function healthily despite kidney disease.
Modifying your kidney diet chart can help you avoid complications of kidney disease and improve your quality of life.
In addition, a proper diet chart for high creatinine patient provides:
- More energy
- Reduced risk of infection
- Healthier body weight
- Decreased risk of disease progression
Dialysis patient diet chart: What is dialysis?
Before we jump into understanding food for dialysis patients, we should learn what dialysis is all about.
Since kidneys are unable to filter any waste while experiencing kidney disease, a novel treatment for kidney patients. Dialysis is a procedure in which a machine is used to filter and remove waste products. A dialysis machine also regulates minerals and salts in your blood and controls blood pressure.
There are two types of dialysis:
- Hemodialysis
- Peritoneal dialysis
Dialysis does not cure kidney disease but only offers temporary relief and allows your body to get rid of waste and extra fluids.
Indian diet chart for kidney patient
A personalised dialysis patient diet chart can help someone with kidney disease relieve their symptoms and live a better quality of life. An ideal renal diet should be low in sodium, protein and phosphorus. In some patients, an additional restriction on the intake of calcium and potassium is also there.
Maintaining the balance of these nutrients is important in order to eat a healthy diet as well as keep the kidney disease from progressing further.
Listed below are the top components you should include in the diet chart for kidney patients:
Sodium
Sodium is a mineral found in salt and is used as a common seasoning. A kidney patient should avoid consuming higher levels of sodium. Intaking higher levels of salt can increase your thirst, blood pressure levels, and further cause swelling in the legs, hands and face. Low levels of salt, on the other hand, can help regulate blood pressure levels, nerve function and muscle contraction.
How to monitor sodium intake: Read food labels, choose fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid consumption of packaged meats.
Potassium
Potassium is a mineral that occurs naturally in the body. It is also found in several food items. Potassium is important for muscle function and regulating heartbeat. It, additionally, improves fluid and electrolyte balance in the blood.
It is important for kidney patients to balance their potassium intake as high levels of this mineral in your blood can lead to muscle weakness, irregular heartbeat and slow pulse.
How to monitor potassium intake: Limit the consumption of foods high in potassium, choose fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid salt substitutes.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is important for bone development and strength. It also helps in maintaining muscle function and the development of connective tissue. If you are a kidney patient, your ability to filter phosphorus decreases. When your kidneys are not functioning at their full potential and you consume high levels of phosphorus, your body can pull out extra calcium from your bones and cause calcium deposits in the blood vessels and various organs.
How to monitor phosphorus intake: Choose foods that are low in phosphorus, avoid packaged foods, and eat smaller portions of food high in protein.
Protein
Damaged kidneys are unable to filter protein from food, which in turn, gets collected in the blood. Protein, however, plays a significant role in tissue maintenance. Therefore, it is important to balance your protein intake.
How to monitor protein intake: Check labels, avoid consumption of processed foods and maintain a food journal.
Fluids
Fluids are essential for your body’s hydration. However, if you are suffering from kidney disease, you are required to balance your fluid intake so that the dialysis can fully filter the waste from your body. High fluid intake can increase the pressure on your heart and lungs.
It is important to maintain your fluid intake based on your urine output as well as your dialysis setting.
How to monitor fluid intake: Avoid drinking additional fluids and be aware of the amount of water you keep while cooking.
| Foods good for kidneys | Foods bad for kidneys |
| Fruits (peaches, grapes, pears, apples, berries, pineapple, plums, tangerines, and watermelon) | Oranges and orange juice, nectarines, kiwis, raisins or other dried fruit, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew, and prunes |
| Grains, Dalia, & oatmeal | Nuts |
| Olive oil, canola oil and safflower oil | Chocolate |
| Fish, poultry and eggs | Dark-colored soda, processed food, pickles, tomatoes, and ready-to-eat meals |
| Milk, yoghurt and cheese | High-fat dairy products |
| Vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, red pepper, cucumber, eggplant, green and wax beans, lettuce, onion, peppers, watercress, zucchini, and yellow squash) | Asparagus, avocado, potatoes, tomatoes or tomato sauce, winter squash, pumpkin, and cooked spinach |
The Concluding Note
Diet chart for kidney patients is a significant and handy tool that can help kidney patients lead a life of good quality.
For more information or personalised guidance on kidney disease, you can book an appointment with Dr. Mohit Khirbat, a leading nephrologist at the CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon.
FAQs
Ques 1. What are the 10 best foods for kidney disease?
The 10 best foods for kidney disease are broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, red pepper, cucumber, eggplant, green and lettuce.
Ques 2. Which food reduces creatinine level?
To reduce creatinine levels, reduce your consumption of red meat and fish.
Ques 3. What fruit is good for the kidneys?
Peaches, grapes, pears, apples, berries, pineapple, plums, tangerines, and watermelon are good fruits for kidneys.
