Diet for kidney failure

In the diet for kidney failure, it is necessary to control the intake of nutrients such as salt, phosphorus, potassium and protein, and in the most severe cases it is also necessary to control the consumption of fluids in general, such as water, juices and soups.

Thus, these patients need to avoid eating meat, fish, nuts, beans and some types of fruits and vegetables, such as orange, kiwi, tomato and potato. However, there are also strategies to reduce the potassium content of fruits and vegetables, such as peeling vegetables and changing the cooking water at the time of preparation.

It is important to remember that the amount and foods allowed or prohibited vary according to the stage of the disease and the exams of the patient, and therefore the diet for kidney failure is specific to each person, and must be personally guided by a nutritionist.

Foods that must be controlled

In general, the foods that should be consumed in moderation by those suffering from kidney failure are:

1. Potassium-rich foods

The kidney of patients with kidney failure has a hard time getting rid of excess potassium from the blood, so these people need to control their intake of this nutrient. Foods rich in potassium are:

Fruits: avocado, banana, coconut, fig, guava, kiwi, orange, papaya, passion fruit, tangerine or tangerine, grape, raisin, plum, prune, lime orange, melon, apricot, blackberry, date; Vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, mandioquinha, carrots, chard, beets, celery, cauliflower, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, radish, tomatoes, pickled hearts of palm, spinach, chicory, turnip; Legumes: beans, lentils, corn, peas, chickpeas, soybeans, broad beans; Whole grains: wheat, rice, oats; Whole foods: cookies, whole pasta, breakfast cereals; Oilseeds: peanuts, chestnuts, almonds, hazelnuts; Industrialized products: chocolate, tomato sauce, broth and chicken tablets; Drinks: coconut water, sports drinks, black tea, green tea, mate tea; Seeds: sesame, linseed; Rapadura and sugarcane juice; Diabetic salt and light salt.

Excess potassium can cause muscle weakness, arrhythmias and cardiac arrest, so the diet for chronic renal failure has to be individualized and monitored by the doctor and nutritionist, who will assess the appropriate amounts of nutrients for each patient.

Fruits to avoid

Vegetables to avoid

2. Phosphorus-rich foods

Phosphorus-rich foods should also be avoided by people with chronic kidney failure to control kidney function. These foods are:

Canned fish; Salted, smoked and sausage meats such as sausage, sausage; Bacon, bacon; Egg yolk; Milk and derivatives; Soy and derivatives; Beans, lentils, peas, corn; Oilseeds such as chestnuts, almonds and peanuts; Seeds such as sesame and flaxseed; Cocada; Beer, cola soft drinks and hot chocolate.

Symptoms of excess phosphorus are itchy body, hypertension and mental confusion, and patients with kidney failure should be aware of these signs.

3. Protein-rich foods

Patients with chronic kidney failure need to control their protein intake, as the kidney also cannot eliminate the excess of this nutrient. Thus, these people should avoid excessive consumption of meat, fish, eggs and milk and dairy products, as they are foods rich in protein.

Ideally, the patient with kidney failure will eat only about 1 small beef steak for lunch and dinner, and 1 glass of milk or yogurt per day. However, this amount varies according to the function of the kidney, being more restrictive for those people in whom the kidney almost no longer works.

4. Foods rich in salt and water

People with kidney failure also need to control their salt intake, as excess salt raises blood pressure and forces the kidney to work, further impairing the function of that organ. The same is true with excess fluids, as these patients produce little urine, and excess fluids accumulate in the body and cause problems such as swelling and dizziness.

So these people should avoid using:

Salt; Seasonings such as broth tablets, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce; Canned food and frozen frozen food; Packet snacks, French fries and salt crackers; Fast food; Powdered or canned soups.

To avoid excess salt, a good option is to use aromatic herbs to season foods, such as parsley, coriander, garlic and basil. The doctor or nutritionist will indicate the appropriate amount of salt and water allowed for each patient. See more tips at: How to reduce salt consumption.

Protein-rich foods

Replace salt with aromatic herbs

How to reduce potassium in foods

In addition to avoiding the consumption of foods rich in potassium, there are also strategies that help to reduce the potassium content of fruits and vegetables, such as:

Peel the fruits and vegetables; Cut and rinse the food well; Place the vegetables in water in the refrigerator one day before use; Place the food in a pan with water and boil for 10 minutes. Then drain the water and prepare the food as you wish.

Another important tip is to avoid using pressure cookers and microwaves to prepare meals, as these techniques concentrate the potassium content in foods because they do not allow water to be changed.

How to choose snacks

Restrictions on the renal patient's diet can make it difficult to choose snacks. So the 3 most important guidelines when choosing healthy snacks in kidney disease are:

Eat fruit always cooked (cook twice), never reusing cooking water; Restrict processed and processed foods that are usually high in salt or sugar, preferring homemade versions; Eat protein only at lunch and dinner, avoiding consumption in snacks.

See 5 ideas for low potassium snacks.

Diet for acute renal failure

The diet for acute renal failure is usually carried out in a hospital setting, with the nutrients ingested by the patient being carefully calculated and, often, using food through serums with nutrients that are placed in the bloodstream.

After kidney function is restored, the patient receives specific instructions on what to eat, to prevent the accumulation of toxins that are normally eliminated by the kidneys. Usually the elaborated diet is low in protein, potassium, salt and phosphorus, as well as in the case of patients with chronic renal failure.