Kidneys filter the blood of toxic and waste products along with balancing water and sodium in the body and maintaining bone health and hemoglobin. Chronic Kidney disease affects millions of patients. The filter of the kidney becomes damages and the kidney loses the ability to filter the blood properly in to urine.
Since this is a chronic disease we can not completely cure it but we can only control the disease and further damage that arises from it. Here are some lifestyle changes that you need to make to keep your diseased kidneys stable and working. Kidney diet as mentioned in this article will help kidneys recover faster.
Limit the protein intake.
Use only high quality proteins such as the ones mentioned below:
Milk/Curd – 500ml per day can be taken along with either 40 grams of egg or paneer or 50 grams of chicken or fish or 30 grams of dal/besan/sprouts/soya.
Reduce potassium rich foods
The Kidney diet changes would depend on the level of potassium:
If Potassium is less than 3.5 meq then you do not need any restriction
If potassium is between 3.5 to 5 meq then you should avoid fresh fruits except Apple or papaya or Guava or pineapple. These are the safer fruits to take. You should use very less tomatoes while cooking your food. Fruits like Banana, Orange, Lemon, Arbi, Mushroom, Kathal, Coconut , Amla etc should be avoided.
If your potassium is above 5 meq avoid any fresh fruits, chutneys and Sauces and use minimal tomatoes in food. Dialyze the vegetables by peeling them and soaking them in water for several hours prior to using them. Don’t take any raw vegetables. Cook them before consumption to reduce potassium in them.
Reduce Salt in Diet
Avoid any sort of added salt, chat masala or meetha soda. Avoid any tinned or canned or preserved products and bakery products.
Reduce oil consumption
Restrict oils of any type to 2-4 teaspoons per day
Water control
Water control is the major aspect of kidney protection. Since removal of excess water is the main role of the kidneys and in CKD the kidneys are already failing to do their work, you do not want to put excess pressure on them. These tips will help you control water intake:
- Do not force any water intake. Only drink when you feel thirsty
- Use small glasses and drink water slowly to quench thirst faster
- Avoid water after meals
With these simple kidney diet changes you can protect kidneys from further damage. This table summarizes what you should and should not eat.
Kidney Diet Recommendations by Dr. Raman Tanwar
| Food | Allowed | To be Avoided |
| Cereals | Wheat, Rice Flakes, Multigrain products, Sabudana, Ragi, Jowar, Ararout and Sooji are fine | Avoid refined flour especially ones in bakery, chinese and confectionery |
| Pulses | One katori of regular dal is allowed (30 grams) | Avoid beans, rajma, Chole, Lobia, kala Chana, Whole dal |
| Vegetable | Karela, Carrot, tinda, Pumpkin, Parwal, Turnip, Brinjal, Cucumber, Cabbage, jackfruit (Kathal, Lady finger, capsicum, Fenugreek, Peas, French Beans | All green leafy vegetables, Mushrooms, Broccoli, aloo, radish, cauliflower, lemon, raw tomato |
| Fruits | Papaya, Watermelon, Guava, Pineapple, Pear | All other fruits like bananas, oranges, mango, grapes etc. |
| Dairy | Double toned milk | Creamed milk, Condensed milk, sheese, khoya, butter, cream products |
| Egg | Egg White | Yolk |
| Animal Food | Fih/Chicken | Beef, Pork, Ham, Sausages, Prawns, Organ Meat, Red Meat |
| Dry Fruits | Makhana, Almond (4 to 5), Walnut (upto 2 per day) | Cashew nuts, Pistachio, Figs and other dry fruits |
Avoid high sugar products, high fat products, salt, Smoking and alcohol.