When you are a renal patient, it is important to keep your diet controlled. Natural ingredients and additives like phosphorus, potassium, and especially sodium can be extremely harmful. The main reason for this is that it is the kidney’s main function to flush out excess waste and other deposits. When the kidneys are not functioning properly they are unable to flush out the extras, causing damage and pain.
A lot of people automatically assume that meal plans for people with renal failure, or really any other chronic health problem, have to be bland and boring. The fact is, however, that there are flavorful solutions that can suit the needs of a pre-dialysis meal plan. There are so many options available to you to make all of your meals taste so amazing, you won’t even miss the added salt and fat.
Here are some secrets to flavorful pre-dialysis meal plans:
Herbs
Using fresh herbs when cooking can give your meals a huge boost. No only do they make foods tastes good, but the depth of flavor is truly unmatched.
Dry herbs are absolutely acceptable, but use fresh whenever possible. You can find many fresh herbs in your grocer’s produce section, and dried herbs in the spice aisle. Growing your own herb garden is an easy, fun, and creative way to always have the herbs you need on hand.
Flavorful Secret: Each herb has a very specific taste, so you can experiment with combining them to create perfect flavor matches. For example, rosemary and thyme meld together perfectly to create a match that is perfect for poultry and fish dishes.
Salt Free Spices
In the spice aisle, look for “salt free” spices such as the popular brand Mrs. Dash. These are easy to use, flavorful spice mixes that give you a huge boost of flavor without the added sodium that you truthfully don’t need to make delicious dishes.
Flavorful Secret: Look for any brand’s version of salt free “table spice”. This zesty mixture gives you a pop of flavor and just enough heat to tantalize your taste buds. Even better, this mix works great on just about any dish you use it for, it is so versatile.
Lemon Juice
A lesser known trick of the trade is simply using lemon juice to flavor your foods. This is a surprisingly perfect solution for dishes that you think need salt. The acidity of the lemon juice adds a bright flavor and completely diminishes the need for added sodium.
Flavorful Secret: When baking fish or chicken, squeeze some lemon wedges over the meat and leave the rinds in the pan while it cooks. Then serve each plate with an additional lemon wedge for a fresh squeeze of flavor.
Use any of these flavorful secrets in your favorite dishes and see what a difference it makes. You might even find that you don’t need the added salt after all, that the foods you eat are delicious on their own right. With these tasty tips, you can say bye-bye to boring pre-dialysis meals and get back to enjoying your food.
For other flavorful pre-dialysis meal ideas click here.
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