These items might include breakfast sausage, ham, bacon, frozen breakfast sandwiches, French toast, waffles, and pancakes. One can still enjoy these items, but they should be altered to reduce sodium content.
65 g of French toast, plain contains 62.40 mcg vitamin A, 0.0 mg vitamin C, 0.65 mcg vitamin D as well as 1.57 mg of iron, 94.90 mg of calcium, 90 mg of potassium. French toast, plain belong to 'Pancakes, waffles, French toast' food category.
Thankfully, many Chinese cuisine items are low in potassium and full of healthy veggies. However, it's important to limit or avoid soups, soy sauce, MSG and other high-sodium ingredients.
White bread is typically recommended over whole wheat bread on a renal diet due to its lower phosphorus and potassium levels. All bread contains sodium, so it's best to compare food labels and choose a lower sodium variety.
Suitable bread types
White or brown pan loaf, baguettes, pitta bread, ciabatta, chapattis, white or granary bread rolls are all suitable. Your dietitian will decide if you can eat wholemeal bread based on your blood levels. Your dietitian will also guide you on how many slices you should eat per day.
Potatoes are high in potassium (also know as “K”) which is a nutrient that must be limited when following a diet to manage kidney disease. People following a kidney-friendly diet can cut up and soak their potatoes in water to reduce their potassium content.
Asian Food:
Dishes without sauces or with a light sauce are more suitable e.g. steamed whole fish, braised meats, crispy skin chicken, sweet sauces such as plum, lemon, orange, and sweet and sour may also be lower in salt.
Avoid salty items like soy sauce, French fries (also high in potassium), and macaroni and cheese. Instead, order vegetables like carrots, green beans, or corn.
Choose a hamburger/mayo chicken/grilled chicken salad. Avoid Big macs/big tasty/chicken legend burger as they have a very high salt content. Ask for fries without salt. Grilled chicken wings are the lowest salt option at KFC, although remember that if you eat more than one the salt content can get very high.
French toast can be a healthy breakfast option, depending on how it's made. French toast is definitely healthier than pancakes, as well as some other breakfast options. It is high in carbs, but you can make a French toast recipe healthy by using whole wheat or high-fiber bread.
The Whole Grain Bread Dilemma
Traditionally, white bread was recommended for people with kidney disease because it has less potassium and phosphorus.
The good: This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Calcium, Phosphorus and Selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese.
You can use vegetables, grains and pasta as the main dish and small pieces of meat, poultry or fish as the side dish. You can also add low-protein pastas to help keep protein within limits.
Sandwiches that are low in sodium and phosphorus, plus limit potassium are a great fit with the kidney diet.
Pastas and noodles are actually good for CKD patients, especially since they can fit a renal healthy diet (also check our useful guide on pizza for kidney dieting). Some dishes may be more suitable for you than others, depending on your specific needs.
Avoid foods that have salt in the first four or five items in the ingredient list. Don't eat ham, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, lunch meats, chicken tenders or nuggets, or regular canned soup. Only eat reduced-sodium soups that don't have potassium chloride as an ingredient (check the food label.)
Foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt, such as crisps, chocolate, biscuits and cakes, can be included in your diet. However, because they do not contain good nutrients, they should only be included in small amounts occasionally.
Pizza is typically a no-no when it comes to the renal diet. High in sodium (from the crust, cheese, and toppings like processed meats), high in potassium (from the cheese, tomato sauce, and toppings), and low in nutritional value of fiber.
People withe chronic kidney disease or on dialysis who require a low potassium diet can still eat potatoes by using a technique to reduce potassium. Although potassium is not totally removed, it is lowered enough to safely include a small portion and keep your diet kidney-friendly.
What's the best way to reduce potassium in potatoes? For the most effective potassium removal, potatoes must be cut into small pieces, sliced thin or grated. If boiled at least 10 minutes in a large pot of water, potassium is reduced by at least half the original amount.
If you find yourself occasionally craving a fast food hamburger, it's fine to have one every now and then. Remember to order your hamburger with no salt, pickles or grill seasoning, so you can limit sodium and potassium. Also, cheese is limited for those on the dialysis diet.