Nutrition and Kidney Disease: The Basics

When you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), it’s important to understand what to eat so you can feel your best. Learning to take control of your diet can also help prevent serious health problems and control conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. 

Understanding a kidney-friendly diet

Your care team will help you create a nutrition plan based on your lifestyle and stage of CKD. They will help you understand how to read nutrition labels and will make suggestions for fresh, unprocessed foods to add to your diet to keep you healthy, including:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Lean animal proteins and plant-based proteins (e.g., poultry, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, etc.)
• Starches and whole grains (e.g., brown rice, pasta, bread, oatmeal, etc.)

Knowing what to limit

Your care team will also help you understand what you will need to limit in your diet to feel your best.

Sodium

Too much sodium can make you thirsty and cause your body to hold onto water, leading to swelling, high blood pressure, and kidney damage.

Protein

Eating the right amount of protein helps keep you healthy. If you eat too much protein, it can hurt your kidneys. If you don’t eat enough protein, you might feel weak. Your care team will help you figure out the right amount of protein for you.

Phosphorus

When your kidneys aren’t working well, phosphorus can build up in your blood. This can make your bones weak and cause hardening in your blood vessels.

Potassium

Too much or too little potassium can cause muscle cramps, weakness, and heart problems. The amount of potassium you need depends on what medications you take and how well your kidneys are working.

We are here to help! 

Your care team can help answer your questions about nutrition and create the best plan for you. Reach out for any support you need.

This serves only as a guide. Talk with your healthcare provider for more information based on your health needs.