What Fruit is Good for a Renal Diet? Renal Diet Fruit

The reason why you’re on a renal diet determines which fruit you can eat. You may have a kidney stone that is calcium oxalate, and need a renal diet to prevent formation of these stones in the future. There’s no pain worse than kidney stones! If following a diet can prevent this from happening again, it’s worth the effort.

Another type of renal diet might be one developed for you to stop gout from progressing. In gout, crystals are formed in the body, which deposit themselves in the joints. The crystals will literally eat away at the joints themselves, and can contribute to serious disability. It’s very important to stop gout from progressing.  If following a diet can keep you mobile and not needing a walker, wheelchair or hip replacement, it’s worth the effort.

Another type of renal diet that may be recommended for you is the pre-dialysis or dialysis renal diets. These try their best to prevent kidney damage from progressing further in a heroic attempt to prolong your life.

Renal Diet:  Fruits for Kidney Stone Patients

For example, if you are on a renal diet due to oxalate kidney stones, then your diet would consist of foods that don’t form oxalates and those that help break down oxalates.

Recent research shows that calcium levels should be particularly paid attention to, as they may not have enough calcium, rather than too much. Your dietitian will help you determine the proper amount of calcium and the form of calcium to take to bind up some of the oxalates in your diet.

Fruits allowed on a low oxalate diet include the following:
    • cherries        • bananas        • cantaloupe    
    • mango        • papaya        • canned peaches
    • plums        • red seedless grapes    • canned pears
    • nectarines        • watermelon        • canned pineapple
    • honeydew melon    • Crenshaw melon

Renal Diet:  Fruits for Gout Patients

If you have gout, you will be happy to know that all fruits are not a problem! There’s nothing in fruits that cause or contribute to problems with gout. -Renal Diet Fruit

Renal Diet:  Fruits for Pre-Dialysis and Dialysis Patients

If you’re on a pre-dialysis renal diet, then you’ll be happy to know that all fruits are low in sodium and protein, which makes them all allowable on a pre-dialysis diet. The only restrictions come into the picture when there are extra dietary needs, such as with diabetes.-Renal Diet Fruit

If you’re on a dialysis renal diet, some fruits are allowed while others are not. The difference between a pre-dialysis diet and a dialysis diet is that potassium foods and phosphorus foods are restricted with dialysis. Fruits high in potassium will have to be limited. Here’s a list:
    • nectarines        • oranges, orange juice    • kiwi
    • grapefruit        • apricots            • avocado
    • banana        • mango            • honeydew melons
    • cantaloupe        • dried fruits            • tangelos
    • raisins        • fresh pears            • prune juice, prunes
    • dates            • figs                • guava

There are no fruits high in phosphorus, so you don’t have to worry about eliminating any specific fruits because they won’t be a problem.

Always work with your doctor and dietitian on your renal diet.  And if you are in need of a renal diet meal plan, please check out what we have to offer for meal planning at: Pre-Dialysis, Renal Diabetic, and Dialysis meals.  

Also published on Medium.