What Is The Right Food For Kidney Diet Items?

Kidneys serve the important function of eliminating the waste from the body. Thus, if an individual’s kidney is not working properly, he or she needs to make changes in his or her diet for good health. While following the right diet is important, the same can be assessed only on the basis of diagnosis of the problem. The recommended food for kidney diet of one person will differ from another according to the kind of kidney disease, the stage of kidney failure and the dialysis chosen. Additionally, it is important to factor the height, weight, age and activity level of a kidney patient before formulating a diet plan for him or her that will be the right food for kidney diet that is needed.

Food for Kidney Diet: Preparing a Meal Plan

Many kidney patients prepare a diet plan for themselves after referring to the grocery list and recommended food items for people suffering from kidney disease. However, it will be a much better option to get a pre-done online meal plan that a registered dietitian has created after considering various nuances pertaining to kidney health and is the right food for kidney diet items.

On Dialysis, Choose Food for Kidney Diet Items that Are Healthy and Delicious

Dialysis patients should work with a qualified renal dietitian to chart a healthy meal plan containing the right food for kidney diets for them. The top food choices that medical experts recommend to be included in the diet of a kidney patient include vegetables such as: cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, onion, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, apples, raspberries, cherries, red grapes, fish, olive oil and egg whites. These kidney-friendly foods are loaded with antioxidants that nullify the effect of free radicals in the body and protect vital organs. In addition to that, these foods have low sodium, potassium and phosphorus content.  That makes these foods for a kidney diet a very important key to good taste and good health.

Food Items to Exclude in a Kidney Diet for Dialysis

Kidneys play a vital role in regulating the level of potassium, sodium and phosphorous in the body. In addition to that, they control the amount of fluid eliminated from the body. When on dialysis, your kidneys are unable to perform these functions and hence the diet of a person undergoing dialysis should exclude any food items that are rich sources of the above-mentioned nutrients.

Accordingly, you should severely limit all  high sodium foods such as table salt, potato chips as well as canned and processed foods from your diet. You should also take care to avoid cheese, sardines, nuts and caramels that are high on phosphorus.  Also limit yourself from eating large amounts of protein in foods, as they are rich source of proteins which produce urea as a waste product and which cannot be eliminated by the body if a person has a stage 5 kidney disease except through dialysis.

Food For Kidney Diet Meals Are an Important Part of Your Plan

Medical researchers have found conclusive evidence about the link between chronic diseases including kidney problems and their aggravation by consuming the wrong foods. Thus, if you or a member of your family is on dialysis or suffering from chronic kidney disease, it is extremely important to include healthy food items that are recommended above in the diet. These kidney friendly foods help in reducing the risk of inflammation and heart diseases. However, before making any changes to your diet, you should consult your doctor and identify the best food for kidney diet for you.

You may want to follow a pre-designed meal plan that is planned by a qualified registered dietitian that will make your life easier and provide you with renal diet recipes that contain the proper food for kidney diets.

Also published on Medium.