Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Diet and Diet Plan

You should reduce the amount of salt/sodium in your diet. Over time, your kidneys lose the ability to control your sodium-water balance. Less sodium in your diet will help lower blood pressure and decrease fluid buildup in your body, which is common in kidney disease. Opt for fresh, homemade food and avoid restaurant and packaged foods since they usually contain a lot of sodium. Always read the nutrition labels whenever you are buying your food and look for low sodium (5% or less) on food labels. Try to replace salt with herbs, spices such as black pepper, oregano, mustard, etc. Don’t use salt substitutes because many of them are very high in potassium, which you also need to limit. To watch your salt intake:

• Avoid table salt, salted seasonings
• Say no to chips, namkeen, biscuits, french fries, pizza, burger and bakery products
• Avoid ketchup, sauce, jam, jelly, cake, pastry, namkeen and biscuits
• Limit packaged food items such as juice, breakfast cereals, ready to eat meals

The right level of potassium keeps your nerves and muscles working well. With kidney disease, too much potassium can build up in your blood and cause serious heart problems. Foods that are rich in potassium should be avoided, including the following: 

• Oranges, lemon, banana, muskmelon, fruit juices 
• Leafy vegetables, beans, potatoes, tomatoes
• Coconut, coconut water
• Whole-grain bread, pulses (Read more: Whole grain or multigrain bread: Which is healthier?)
• Low sodium salt

Fluid control is important for patients in the later stages of CKD as normal fluid consumption may cause fluid build-up in the body, which could become dangerous. To know about the total water intake, consult your nephrologist or nutritionist with your latest kidney function test, microalbumin test and urine creatinine ratio reports.

You can become very sick if urea builds up in your blood, which happens when your kidneys are not healthy. Some sources of protein produce less waste than others. These are called high biological value proteins. High biological value proteins come from meats, fish, poultry, eggs, and milk. Getting most of your protein sources from these can reduce the amount of urea in your blood. Not including enough protein in your diet can be equally harmful so it is essential to have just the right amount of it. The guideline for when not on dialysis (Stage 2-4) is to eat less protein, meaning about 0.8 grams/kg. The recommendation for when on dialysis (Stage 5) is to eat more protein, meaning about 1.2-1.3 grams/kg. You should consult with your doctor and nutritionist about your kidney parameters so they can make a customized diet plan for you. 

(Read more: Protein deficiency) 

Eating the wrong kinds of fat or eating too much of it can increase the risk of clogged blood vessels and heart problems. Fat provides energy, helps produce hormone-like substances that regulate blood pressure and other heart functions and carries fat-soluble vitamins. Everyone needs dietary fat but some fats are healthier than others. People with CKD are at higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Therefore, people with CKD should be especially careful about how dietary fat affects their heart health. 

Saturated and trans fat can raise blood cholesterol levels and clog blood vessels. Saturated fats are found in animal products such as red meat, poultry, whole milk and butter; it is best to avoid these foods. You can use different types of plant-based oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil and canola oil. They are much healthier sources compared to animal fat. 

Most people get enough antioxidants and vitamins to stay healthy by eating a wide variety of fruits each day. However, if you have CKD, you will need to avoid certain kinds of fruits that can make your condition worse. The fruits you can include in your regular diet are grapes, cherries, apples, plums, papaya, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and pears.

Vegetables are good sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, all of which help us with our bodily functions. But if you have CKD, there are some restrictions in electrolytes that you need to keep in mind. Vegetables that you can safely add to your daily diet are cauliflower, onions, eggplant, turnips, cabbage, carrots, corn, cucumber, capsicum and water chestnut.