The Kidney is bean shaped organ in the lower abdomen. They play a very important role in the overall health of the body. Few foods might boost the performance of the kidneys, while few others may cause stress and damage to it. Kidney friendly diet or renal diet recommends restriction of below foods.
Canned foods
Due to modern lifestyle, many prefer canned foods because of convenience and less cost. The drawback is, it has a good amount of sodium, as salt, this helps the manufacturer to offer customer’s longer shelf life. One can totally avoid canned foods or restrict or opt low sodium products so that overconsumption of sodium is restricted.
Milk and Diary Products
For children and young adults, Milk and Dairy products are recommended for muscle health and strong bones, but it is not a good choice for those who look out for renal diet. Dairy products are a natural source of potassium and phosphorus. They are also an excellent source of protein. When kidney patient’s intake milk, phosphorus gets buildup in the blood and calcium may be removed from bones. The bones of kidney patients become weak and there exists higher chance of either bone breakage or fracture.
Processed Meat
The above meats are dried, salted, canned and cured. These have been associated with varied chronic diseases. Due to its preservative nature, they are unhealthy choice. To improve flavor and preserve taste large amount of salt is added in the processed meat. If you include them in your diet, it would be really difficult to maintain sodium intake level less than 2000 mg.
Olives and pickles
During the pickling process large amount of salt is added. We find processed olives usually taste salty, as they go through both curing and fermentation process to taste bitter. If you take five pickled olives it contains around 195 mg of sodium, this is definitely significant portion for daily intake for a small serving. Most grocery stores only sell reduced varieties of pickles and olives, but even then it is better to avoid it or if you have it, have it very less amount.
Whole wheat bread
For health enthusiastic, whole wheat bread is a healthy choice because it has more fiber. But for those who are looking out for kidney friendly diet, they must avoid it, as it contains sodium, which is not a healthy choice for those suffering from kidney disease.
Brown rice
Brown rice is a whole grain, it contains high amount of phosphorus and potassium when compared to white rice. Good replacement for brown rice includes pearled barley, couscous bulgur and buckwheat. These are lower phosphorus nutritious grains
Dark Colored soda
On a renal diet, dark colored soda must be avoided as it contains phosphorus in additive form. It is highly absorbable by the human body. Weak kidneys cannot remove phosphorus completely. Hence, try to limit intake of phosphorus. Your doctor might also prescribe binders to take it, when you eat snacks or meal. These would help remove phosphorus from the body.
Potatoes and sweet Potatoes
Potatoes and sweet potatoes are rich source of potassium. One can reduce the potassium level either by boiling them or soaking them for about 4 hours in water before using them in any recipe. This would help remove the potassium present in the vegetable. The other thing you can do is, cut the potatoes into thin pieces boil them for ten minutes, then add them in any recipe, and this would also reduce potassium in potatoes.
Spinach, Swiss chard and beet greens
The above leafy green vegetables are rich source of minerals and nutrients. And it also includes potassium. When cooked these leafy vegetable sinks to smaller size but the potassium content remains the same. Limit your intake of these leafy greens, these have a high amount of oxalates. Those individuals who are sensitive, they are more prone to high risk of getting kidney stones. These leafy green, may also damage renal tissue and reduce kidney function.
Avocados
This fruit must be avoided when you have a kidney disease because they have large amount of potassium. One cup of Avocado equals to 37% of the 2000 mg potassium restriction.
Bananas
This fruit also contains large amount of potassium, hence restrict or limit this fruit when on a renal diet. Best replacement would be Pineapple; it is a kidney friendly fruit.
Oranges and orange juice
Oranges are rich source of potassium and known to contain a good amount of Vitamin C. One large orange weighing around 185 grams contain nearing to 473 mg of potassium. Due to its potassium content it is better to totally avoid or limit it from your diet. Good substitute can be grapes, apples and cane berries.
Apricot
This fruit is rich source of potassium. If you take one cup of fresh apricot, you will find 427 mg of potassium and if it is dried over 1500 mg per cup, as it would be more concentrated. It is better to avoid it, if you have kidney disease.