In this section, you will know the diet for kidney diseases. A suitable diet is necessary for the proper functioning of the kidneys.
A fair diet or kidney diseases
The DASH Diet is rich in vegetables, beans, seeds, fruits, low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, and nuts. The DASH diet is one of the most proper treatments for high blood pressure or hypertension kidney disease and heart disease. It is low in sugar and sweet salts.
What is the DASH eating plan?
The blood pressure of a person can be reduced with an eating plan that is low in saturated fat cholesterol and that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, and d fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. This eating plan is called a DASH eating plan.
The DASH eating plan used with other lifestyle changes such as getting more exercise can assist a person to prevent and control high blood pressure ( hypertension). It is reduced in red meat, added sugars, and sweets and rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium as well as protein and fibers.
Research and studies on the DASH have described that the DASH diet assists to decrease blood pressure, reduces kidney stone formation, and lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. In the case of dialysis DASH, the diet should not be used.
DASH Studies (for a 2,100 Calorie Eating Plan)
Protein 18% of calories Sodium 2,300 mg*
Total fat 27% of calories Calcium 1,250 mg
Saturated fat 6% of calories Potassium 4,700 mg
Carbohydrate 55% of calories Magnesium 500 mg
How can we make the DASH?
The DASH eating plan for 2000 calories is as follows;
Food Group Daily Servings Serving Sizes
Fruits 4–5 1 medium fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
1/2 cup fruit juice
Fats and oils§ 2–3 1 tsp soft margarine
1 tsp vegetable oi
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp salad dressing
Vegetables 4–5 1 cup raw leafy vegetable
1/2 cup vegetable juice
1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetable
Grains* 6–8 1 slice bread
1 oz dry cereal†
1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
Nuts, seeds, and 4–5 per week 1/3 cup or 11/2 oz nuts
legumes 2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz seeds
1/2 cup cooked legumes (dry beans and peas)
Lean meats,
poultry and fish 6 or less 1 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish
1 egg
Fat-free or low-fat 2–3 1 cup milk or yogurt
milk and milk products 11/2 oz cheese
Sweets and 5 or less per week 1 Tbsp sugar
added sugars 1 Tbsp jelly or jam
1/2 cup sorbet, gelatin
1 cup lemonade
Kidney friendly diet
Fresh or frozen vegetables are considered the best-friendly diet for kidney diseases. It is necessary for a person to rinse the vegetables before cooking so that extra salts may be removed if he uses canned vegetables.
A person suffering from chronic kidney disease CKD needs a kidney-friendly meal plan. This article the information for those who have kidney disease but are free from dialysis.
With a kidney-friendly diet, you need how much certain nutrients you have to take in, for example;
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
- Fat
- Calories
Here a brief description is mentioned of each nutrient regarding a kidney-friendly diet.
- Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are considered the easiest type of energy for body use. They are the basic source of energy for all animals. About half to 2/3 of the total calories every animal consumes from carbohydrates daily. Carbohydrates contain 4 kilocalories per gram. Vegetables and fruits are known as healthy sources of Carbohydrates, while honey, candies, soft drinks, and sugary drinks are known as unhealthy sources of Carbohydrates. For a kidney patient vegetables and fruits are more beneficial than an unhealthy source of Carbohydrates.
- Protein
Proteins act as the building blocks of our body. One gram of protein contains 4 kilocalories of energy. They help to grow body size and take part in healing wounds. Having too less proteins can cause skin, nails, and hair to be weak. On the other hand, having too many proteins also create serious complications.
A diet with very high protein quantity can make the kidneys work harder and may cause more damage. Because of it, ask your doctor how much protein you should have and what excellent sources of protein are for you.
Higher-protein foods:
- Fish
- Red meat
- Eggs
- Poultry
Lower-protein foods:
- Pasta and rice
- Bread
- Vegetables
- Fruits
· Fat
In our body fats provide energy and help us to use some vitamins in our food. But too much fat can lead to heart disease. We should limit fats in our meal plan and select healthier fats for the proper functioning of kidneys.
Healthier fats or “good” fats are called unsaturated fats. Examples of unsaturated fats may include;
Corn oil
Olive oil
Peanut oil
unsaturated fats involve in reducing the cholesterol in our body. If a person needs to gain weight, he should have more unsaturated fats, and if he wants to lose weight, he should limit the unsaturated fats in his diet. Too much fat can also cause some serious problems.
Saturated fats are called “bad” fats. The reason is that they can increase the cholesterol level of our body. High cholesterol levels can raise risks for heart diseases. Examples of saturated fats are as under;
Meats
Lard
Butter
Shortening
In order to maintain our kidneys healthy it is necessary for a person to limit the use of saturated fats in his meal plan. Choose healthier, unsaturated fats instead. Removing the skin from chicken and trimming the fat from meat can help limit saturated fats. We should also avoid trans fats. Such type of fats makes our bad (LDL) cholesterol higher and our good (HDL) cholesterol lower. When this happens, we are more likely to get heart diseases which can cause kidney damage.
- Calories
When we eat or drink our body gets energy from calories. In our diet calories come from proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Calories depend on the age, gender, and activity of a person.