Understanding a renal diet plan

A renal diet plan poses many daily challenges. When your kidneys are in stages of failure, there are definite foods that you can and cannot eat. In this article, I'd like to explain this special diet a little further and the basics of it.

The renal plan diet is low in potassium, phosphorous, sodium, and calcium. Since your kidneys are no longer cleaning out these things, your meal plan has to be tailored to fit that plan. You and your renal dietitian will work together to plan the best of food choices where those things are limited

In carbohydrates you can eat things that are lower in fiber and also no whole grains. Things such as white bread, popcorn, white buns, pasta and white rice are all usually acceptable on this diet plan. The problem with whole grains and high fiber foods is that there are higher amounts of phosphorous in those foods that you will need to strictly limit. Keep in mind that you will have to limit sodium, and look for foods that have lower sodium, going according to your sodium allowance.

Proteins are a bit more liberal on the renal diet. You can have fish, chicken, ground beef, pork, and eggs.You can have about 10 ounce serving sizes daily on these foods. Other protein sources such as peanut butter and nuts, are good in protein, but too high in phosphorous. Lentils and dried beans and other types of legumes are not really recommended on a kidney diet plan.

Dairy foods on a renal diet plan have a lot of restrictions. This is due to the fact that these contain a lot of calcium and especially phosphorous. Selecting foods such as sherbet, butter and margarine in tubs, cream cheese, heavy cream, non-dair whipped topping, and ricotta cheese. These dairy selections are safe in phosphorous levels. If you do eat a high phosphorous food, your phosphorous binder should help to counteract the extra.

Fruits that are not good for kidney patients are kiwi, honeydew, nectarines, prunes, bananas, raisins, and other melons will need to be eliminated. These all contain higher levels of potassium which is hard on failing kidneys.

Alternatives for your fruit choices are apples, pears, fruit cocktail drained, berries, pineapple, plums, cherries, watermelon, grapes, tangerines, and peaches. These are all fine in their selected portions on your diet plan. Eat only what is recommended, though.

Potatoes are okay with the process of leeching to get the potassium out. Ask your renal dietitian how to do this. It involves letting the peeled raw potatoes sit overnight.

Vegetables allowed are cucumbers, garlic, eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. broccoli, carrots, spinach, lettuce of all types, green and wax beans, radishes, and peppers. Other vegetables that should be restricted or avoided altogethr are avocadoes, beets, asparagus, tomatoes,parsnips and pumpkin. These vegetables contain too much potassium.

Your fluid intake on a kidney diet all depends upon how much urine your kidneys are still putting out, if any. If there is some, the fluids will be a little less restriction. If there is none, then there will be many restrictions on fluids and how much you can have daily which is about 32 ounces. Fluids include not only water and other drinks, but gravy, soups, and gelatins. When you drink, you can have white colored colas usually, and not dark, tea, or water.