You are constantly told that you should eat a healthy diet. However, for people with kidney disease, also known as renal disease, eating a healthy diet means making adjustments, such as giving up a favorite meal or drink. People with renal diet restrictions should avoid many foods, even healthy ones.
They are high in minerals such as sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, which stress the kidneys and may cause further kidney damage. The more severe your kidney disease, the more limitations you may face. Here are six foods to avoid if you have kidney disease.
Foods high in salt
Salt, or sodium, is a common ingredient in many foods we enjoy, mainly processed foods. However, salt significantly impacts how much fluid your body retains. Excess fluid affects blood pressure and can lead to heart and lung disease. Healthy kidneys usually help maintain proper fluid balance, but this may not be the case if you have kidney disease.
As a result, avoid high-sodium foods such as soy sauce and packaged, processed foods. Choose low-sodium options and, when cooking at home, experiment with spices and herbs for flavor instead of salt. Also, remove the salt shaker from the table to make it less tempting to use.
Calcium supplements and high-calcium foods
Calcium is another essential mineral, but it is hard on the kidneys. Calcium is most commonly found in dairy products but is also found in many of the same foods with high phosphorus levels. Avoiding those foods can help reduce the amount of phosphorus and calcium in your diet. If you take calcium or vitamin D supplements, tell your doctor because you may need to discontinue them.
Foods high in protein, especially animal products
Animal products contain more protein, such as red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Protein is necessary for muscle building and tissue repair, but it also produces waste that your body must eliminate. This is the kidneys’ job, and overeating protein makes your kidneys work harder and may hasten kidney damage. However, because some protein is still required, you can get it from fruits and vegetables and low-sodium bread, rice, and pasta.
Potassium-rich fruits and vegetables
Potassium causes kidney stress, so it should be limited in a kidney disease diet. Many fruits, including melons, bananas, oranges, prunes, and tomatoes, are high in potassium and can be consumed whole or in juice form. Dairy products, avocados, bran, beans, lentils, and nuts are also high in minerals. You might be surprised to learn that dark-colored sodas, fruit punches, and prepared iced tea are higher in potassium. Apples, grapes, strawberries, cauliflower, white bread, pita, chicken, and white rice are all low in potassium.
Alcoholic beverages
Most people know that alcohol can harm your liver but also damage your kidneys. When you drink alcohol and your liver is compromised or injured, your kidneys can become more damaged as they try to compensate for the injured liver. Alcohol dehydrates your body, affecting how well your kidneys filter out toxins. Furthermore, high blood pressure is harmful to the kidneys, and drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure.
