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.
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.
If you need to limit potassium, eggplant, bean sprouts, Gai choy (mustard greens), Gai lan (Chinese broccoli), Pe tsai* (Nappa cabbage) and snow peas are lower potassium options. Order dishes served over rice instead of chow mein noodles as noodles often contain sodium in the list of ingredients.
Soy foods may be beneficial for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), dialysis patients and those with a kidney transplant as a low-saturated fat, cholesterol-free meat replacement. Similar to animal protein, soy is also a high quality protein, but is plant-based instead.
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.
Pastas can have different nutritional content
If you have kidney disease, it's important to check the food label to make sure the pasta suits your nutritional needs. Certain pastas can have different nutritional content. For example, some pastas can have varying amounts of salt or sodium.
Rice is a great choice for the kidney diet—it provides energy and is low in minerals of concern for people with kidney disease or those on dialysis.
Tomatoes are a good way to add extra potassium to your diet and decrease the need to take an additional potassium pill. Eating tomatoes will not have an effect on forming kidney stones.
Broccoli is a medium potassium food, low in sodium and phosphorus, and suitable for all the following kidney conditions and treatments: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
Mushrooms are rich in Vitamin D and are essential to regulate kidney function and help prevent kidney disease.
Traditionally, white bread was recommended for people with kidney disease because it has less potassium and phosphorus.
Choose soy, almond, cashew, or rice milk for less phosphorus and less potassium than cow's milk. Avoid cow's milk substitutes that are "Enriched" or have the word phosphorus or "phos" in the ingredient list. For a change, try hot cereal like oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice, or Malto-meal.
Processed meats can be high in sodium and phosphorus, which aren't good for people with kidney disease. When you go grocery shopping, choose lean cuts of fresh meat, chicken or fish for broiling. This will give you the high-quality protein that is necessary on a CKD non-dialysis diet or dialysis diet.
The wide variety of ingredients found in pizza, including the crust and toppings, can be a significant source of phosphorus, potassium, and sodium in the diets of renal patients. Cheese, tomato-based sauces, and vegetable toppings may contribute to life-threatening hyperkalemia.
Milk, yogurt, and cheese can be part of a healthy kidney diet. Shop for natural cheeses, avoiding items labeled “cheese food” or “cheese product.” Greek yogurt and cottage cheese can be easy and tasty snacks, and, in most cases, milk servings should be 1 cup per day.
Although egg yolks are very nutritious, they contain high amounts of phosphorus, making egg whites a better choice for people following a renal diet. Egg whites provide a high quality, kidney-friendly source of protein.
Hard cheeses such as cheddar, Edam and Red Leicester are high in phosphate. Better options include: cream cheese • cottage cheese • mozzarella • feta • brie • Stilton.
Most leafy green vegetables, including Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens, are not recommended on a kidney diet due to their potassium content. Opt for lower potassium green vegetables such as green beans, asparagus, lettuce, and celery to limit your daily potassium intake.
Beta-Carotene Benefits
Beta-carotene, the water-soluble form of vitamin A in carrots, helps the kidneys filter toxins out of the blood and prevent urinary tract infections, according to Dr. George D.