12

What to eat when you have kidney disease

Meal plan summary

Amount of protein each day _______ grams.

Food Group Number of servings a day

Meats and Alternatives

Milk and Milk Products

Breads, Grains and Other Starches

What to eat when you have
Vegetables kidney disease
Fruits and Juices

Fats, Oils and Sugar Making changes to your diet can help slow down the progress of kidney disease.

Other Foods
What do the kidneys do?
The kidneys:
remove wastes from your blood
help keep you from holding too much water in your body
make hormones including those that control your blood pressure

Hamilton Health Sciences, 2008
PD 5914 01/2008
dpc/pted/KidneyDiseaseDiet-trh.doc
dt/January 2, 2008 ________________________________________________________________________________
2 11
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

How can diet affect my kidney disease?

Here is a chart to help you with serving sizes:
The foods you eat can affect how the kidneys work. When you have
kidney disease, you need to limit the amount of protein you eat. You also need
to limit foods high in potassium and sodium. You may need to limit foods high
in phosphorus. Metric and Imperial Sizes

Your dietitian will help you choose foods that are right for you. 250 ml = 1 cup
175 ml = cup
Protein Potassium Sodium Phosphorus 125 ml = cup
60 ml = cup
Your body uses A mineral the A mineral found A mineral that 15 ml = 1 tablespoon
What is it?
protein to build muscles use to in salt. Your body helps keep your 5 ml = 1 teaspoon
and repair work well. needs sodium to bones strong 25 g = 1 ounce
muscle. function properly. and healthy.
It helps to
maintain normal
blood pressure,
and normal
function of muscle
and nerves.

Why do I Your kidneys Your kidneys Your kidneys filter Some people with Dietitians suggestions
need to limit remove the filter the extra excess sodium kidney disease
my intake? waste products potassium into into your urine. have high
formed when your urine. In In kidney disease, amounts of
protein is kidney disease, excess salt can phosphorus in 1. ________________________________________________________
digested. potassium can build up in your their blood
build up in your body causing you because their
Too much of body. to hold water. kidneys are 2. ________________________________________________________
these waste unable to filter
products can A high amount of Extra water can the excess
make you feel potassium can build up in your phosphorus. 3. ________________________________________________________
unwell. make your heart ankles, lungs or
beat irregularly. abdomen. Too much
Too much phosphorus can
potassium can This extra water cause loss of
cause your heart makes your heart calcium from your
to stop beating. work harder and bones and make
increases your them weak and
blood pressure. brittle.

please turn over

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
10 3
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Additional information about sodium How much protein should I eat each day?
Improving the taste of food without salt: Your dietitian will work with you to determine the amount of protein you need
each day. The amount of protein you need depends on your body weight
There are a variety of ways you can improve the taste of your favourite and your degree of kidney disease.
foods without adding salt.
You need ______ grams of protein each day.
try adding different herbs and spices such as: basil, chives, cumin,
chillies, curry, coriander, dill, fennel, ginger, garlic, horseradish,
mustard, mint, oregano, parsley, pepper, paprika, sage, tarragon,
To learn about which foods have protein, see pages 4 to 7. They are listed
and unsalted seasoning powders such as garlic powder and
under these food groups:
onion powder
Meat and Alternatives
when adding fresh herbs and spices, use 3 times as much dried Milk and Milk Products
herbs to get the same flavour Bread, Grain and Starches
add whole spices when you start cooking to help the full flavour Vegetables
come out; add ground spices at the end
add lemon juice and vinegar after cooking vegetables to add flavour Your dietitian will let you know how many servings to have a day from these
and keep the colour food groups.

Helpful tips to avoid sodium:

do not use the salt shaker at the table Potassium, sodium and your kidneys
do not add salt when cooking
Most people with kidney disease must limit their intake of potassium
choose fresh or frozen vegetables; if choosing canned vegetables, and sodium.
look for the label with No-Added Salt
Foods high in potassium and sodium are listed on pages 4 to 9.
use fresh roast beef, turkey or chicken instead of prepackaged
luncheon meats = foods high in potassium
prepare your own foods to give you better control of what is in it
= foods high in sodium
eat popcorn without salt instead of potato chips, pretzels and nuts
use unsalted butter or margarine Phosphorus and your kidneys
Some people with kidney disease may need to limit their intake of phosphorus.
Your dietitian will tell you if you need to limit foods high in phosphorus.

Foods high in phosphorus are listed on pages 4 to 9.

= foods high in phosphorus

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
4 9
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Meat and Alternatives (7 grams of protein per serving)

Fats, Oils and Sugars
You may have _______ servings of meat and alternatives a day. Fats, oils and sugars have no protein.
(This will give you______ grams of protein) Talk to your dietitian about how to include them into your diet.
Food One Serving
Beef, lamb, pork, veal 30g (1 oz)
Poultry 30g (1 oz)
Fish, shrimp 30g (1 oz)
Other Foods
Salmon or tuna (water-packed, no added salt) cup
Cheese (hard cheeses such as cheddar, 30g (1 oz) These foods have no protein.
mozzarella, swiss, gouda, colby)
Cottage cheese cup Avoid:
Egg 1 salted seasonings, such as celery salt, garlic salt, onion salt and
Unsalted peanut butter** 1 tablespoon sea salt
Tofu cup salty snacks, such as salted nuts, seeds, pretzels, chips and
crackers
*Based on weight after cooking and after skin and excess fat has been removed salt substitutes like No Salt
Avoid: packaged liquid or dried soups, broths, bouillons
salt-cured meats, bacon, sausage, ham, dried beef, corned beef, homemade soups with packaged soup-base*
Hamburger Helper gravy bases and meat tenderisers
sardines, oysters prepared condiment sauces and marinades such as BBQ, soy,
liver, heart, kidney chilli, Worcestershire and steak sauces, ketchup, and mustard
salted, canned, or processed meats, fish, and sardines commercial salad dressings and dips made from dehydrated mixes
processed cold cuts and wieners soda water and tonic water
blue cheese, feta cheese, processed cheeses such as Cheese Whiz chocolates, cocoa, malt drinks
and processed cheese slices
cola drinks
canned beans and canned lentils
beer
salted nuts and seeds
dried peas, beans and legumes
* homemade soups are often high in potassium if they are made using
** peanut butter is high in potassium. Limit your intake to no more than a packaged soup base.
1 tbsp 3 times a week

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
8 5
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Fruits and Juices (0.5 gram of protein per serving) Milk and Milk Products (4 grams of protein per serving)

You may have _______ servings of fruits and juices a day. You may have _______ servings of milk and milk products a day.
(This will give you .5 gram of protein) (This will give you______ grams of protein)
Fruits and juices have little protein. Some people may not need to limit Food One Serving
their intake of fruits and juices. Your dietitian will tell you if you need to limit
fruits and juices. Skim, 1%, 2%, or whole milk cup
Cream (Half and half, light, or regular) cup
Avoid: Skim milk powder 1 tablespoons
apricots dried, canned, fresh Soy Milk cup
avocado Cream soups cup
banana Yogurt, pudding cup
cantaloupe Ice Cream cup
dates
Most milk and milk products are high in potassium and phosphorus. This is
figs why you may need to limit these.
grapefruit juice
Avoid:
guava
buttermilk
kiwi
eggnog
mango
melon honeydew
orange
orange juice
papaya
passion fruit juice
pear fresh
persimmon
pomegranate
prunes or prune juice

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
6 7
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Breads, Grains Vegetables (1 gram of protein per serving)

and Other Starches (2 grams of protein per serving)
You may have _______ servings of vegetables a day.
You may have _______ servings of starch a day.
(This will give you______ grams of protein)
(This will give you______ grams of protein)
Food One Serving
Food One Serving
Vegetables (except those listed below) cup
Pasta, rice (cooked) cup
Bread 1 slice Avoid:
Bagel, English muffin, pita
Cold or hot cereal 1
/2 to 1/3 cup artichokes
Muffin or roll 1 small beet greens
Popcorn (unsalted) 2 cups
brussel sprouts
Crackers (unsalted) 6 to 8
Melba Toast 4 bok choy
Hamburger bun, hotdog bun, Kaiser roll canned vegetables
carrot juice
Avoid:
collards
potato baked, mashed, instant, fries, scalloped dandelion greens
sweet potato and yams mushrooms canned, cooked
dark or pumperknickel breads, or other breads made with bran parsnips
bread and bread products with salted tops peas canned, dried
prepackaged rice, potatoes, and noodles with salty seasonings pickles, pickled vegetables or relish
commercial mixes of bread, pancakes, muffins, waffles, plantain
instant cooked cereal pumpkin
granola rapini
salted snack foods (crackers, potato chips, pretzels, popcorn) rutabagas
Note: sauerkraut
Potatoes are very high in potassium. You may have a small potato or cup swiss chard
no more than 3 times a week only if double boiled to lower the potassium. spinach cooked
To double boil, cut potatoes into small pieces. Boil them in water until half cooked. squash (winter) acorn, butternut, hubbard
Change the water and boil until cooked. Throw away the water. tomato, tomato juice/paste/sauce
vegetable/V8 juice

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
6 7
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Breads, Grains Vegetables (1 gram of protein per serving)

and Other Starches (2 grams of protein per serving)
You may have _______ servings of vegetables a day.
You may have _______ servings of starch a day.
(This will give you______ grams of protein)
(This will give you______ grams of protein)
Food One Serving
Food One Serving
Vegetables (except those listed below) cup
Pasta, rice (cooked) cup
Bread 1 slice Avoid:
Bagel, English muffin, pita
Cold or hot cereal 1
/2 to 1/3 cup artichokes
Muffin or roll 1 small beet greens
Popcorn (unsalted) 2 cups
brussel sprouts
Crackers (unsalted) 6 to 8
Melba Toast 4 bok choy
Hamburger bun, hotdog bun, Kaiser roll canned vegetables
carrot juice
Avoid:
collards
potato baked, mashed, instant, fries, scalloped dandelion greens
sweet potato and yams mushrooms canned, cooked
dark or pumperknickel breads, or other breads made with bran parsnips
bread and bread products with salted tops peas canned, dried
prepackaged rice, potatoes, and noodles with salty seasonings pickles, pickled vegetables or relish
commercial mixes of bread, pancakes, muffins, waffles, plantain
instant cooked cereal pumpkin
granola rapini
salted snack foods (crackers, potato chips, pretzels, popcorn) rutabagas
Note: sauerkraut
Potatoes are very high in potassium. You may have a small potato or cup swiss chard
no more than 3 times a week only if double boiled to lower the potassium. spinach cooked
To double boil, cut potatoes into small pieces. Boil them in water until half cooked. squash (winter) acorn, butternut, hubbard
Change the water and boil until cooked. Throw away the water. tomato, tomato juice/paste/sauce
vegetable/V8 juice

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
8 5
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Fruits and Juices (0.5 gram of protein per serving) Milk and Milk Products (4 grams of protein per serving)

You may have _______ servings of fruits and juices a day. You may have _______ servings of milk and milk products a day.
(This will give you .5 gram of protein) (This will give you______ grams of protein)
Fruits and juices have little protein. Some people may not need to limit Food One Serving
their intake of fruits and juices. Your dietitian will tell you if you need to limit
fruits and juices. Skim, 1%, 2%, or whole milk cup
Cream (Half and half, light, or regular) cup
Avoid: Skim milk powder 1 tablespoons
apricots dried, canned, fresh Soy Milk cup
avocado Cream soups cup
banana Yogurt, pudding cup
cantaloupe Ice Cream cup
dates
Most milk and milk products are high in potassium and phosphorus. This is
figs why you may need to limit these.
grapefruit juice
Avoid:
guava
buttermilk
kiwi
eggnog
mango
melon honeydew
orange
orange juice
papaya
passion fruit juice
pear fresh
persimmon
pomegranate
prunes or prune juice

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
4 9
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Meat and Alternatives (7 grams of protein per serving)

Fats, Oils and Sugars
You may have _______ servings of meat and alternatives a day. Fats, oils and sugars have no protein.
(This will give you______ grams of protein) Talk to your dietitian about how to include them into your diet.
Food One Serving
Beef, lamb, pork, veal 30g (1 oz)
Poultry 30g (1 oz)
Fish, shrimp 30g (1 oz)
Other Foods
Salmon or tuna (water-packed, no added salt) cup
Cheese (hard cheeses such as cheddar, 30g (1 oz) These foods have no protein.
mozzarella, swiss, gouda, colby)
Cottage cheese cup Avoid:
Egg 1 salted seasonings, such as celery salt, garlic salt, onion salt and
Unsalted peanut butter** 1 tablespoon sea salt
Tofu cup salty snacks, such as salted nuts, seeds, pretzels, chips and
crackers
*Based on weight after cooking and after skin and excess fat has been removed salt substitutes like No Salt
Avoid: packaged liquid or dried soups, broths, bouillons
salt-cured meats, bacon, sausage, ham, dried beef, corned beef, homemade soups with packaged soup-base*
Hamburger Helper gravy bases and meat tenderisers
sardines, oysters prepared condiment sauces and marinades such as BBQ, soy,
liver, heart, kidney chilli, Worcestershire and steak sauces, ketchup, and mustard
salted, canned, or processed meats, fish, and sardines commercial salad dressings and dips made from dehydrated mixes
processed cold cuts and wieners soda water and tonic water
blue cheese, feta cheese, processed cheeses such as Cheese Whiz chocolates, cocoa, malt drinks
and processed cheese slices
cola drinks
canned beans and canned lentils
beer
salted nuts and seeds
dried peas, beans and legumes
* homemade soups are often high in potassium if they are made using
** peanut butter is high in potassium. Limit your intake to no more than a packaged soup base.
1 tbsp 3 times a week

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
10 3
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

Additional information about sodium How much protein should I eat each day?
Improving the taste of food without salt: Your dietitian will work with you to determine the amount of protein you need
each day. The amount of protein you need depends on your body weight
There are a variety of ways you can improve the taste of your favourite and your degree of kidney disease.
foods without adding salt.
You need ______ grams of protein each day.
try adding different herbs and spices such as: basil, chives, cumin,
chillies, curry, coriander, dill, fennel, ginger, garlic, horseradish,
mustard, mint, oregano, parsley, pepper, paprika, sage, tarragon,
To learn about which foods have protein, see pages 4 to 7. They are listed
and unsalted seasoning powders such as garlic powder and
under these food groups:
onion powder
Meat and Alternatives
when adding fresh herbs and spices, use 3 times as much dried Milk and Milk Products
herbs to get the same flavour Bread, Grain and Starches
add whole spices when you start cooking to help the full flavour Vegetables
come out; add ground spices at the end
add lemon juice and vinegar after cooking vegetables to add flavour Your dietitian will let you know how many servings to have a day from these
and keep the colour food groups.

Helpful tips to avoid sodium:

do not use the salt shaker at the table Potassium, sodium and your kidneys
do not add salt when cooking
Most people with kidney disease must limit their intake of potassium
choose fresh or frozen vegetables; if choosing canned vegetables, and sodium.
look for the label with No-Added Salt
Foods high in potassium and sodium are listed on pages 4 to 9.
use fresh roast beef, turkey or chicken instead of prepackaged
luncheon meats = foods high in potassium
prepare your own foods to give you better control of what is in it
= foods high in sodium
eat popcorn without salt instead of potato chips, pretzels and nuts
use unsalted butter or margarine Phosphorus and your kidneys
Some people with kidney disease may need to limit their intake of phosphorus.
Your dietitian will tell you if you need to limit foods high in phosphorus.

Foods high in phosphorus are listed on pages 4 to 9.

= foods high in phosphorus

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
2 11
What to eat when you have kidney disease What to eat when you have kidney disease

How can diet affect my kidney disease?

Here is a chart to help you with serving sizes:
The foods you eat can affect how the kidneys work. When you have
kidney disease, you need to limit the amount of protein you eat. You also need
to limit foods high in potassium and sodium. You may need to limit foods high
in phosphorus. Metric and Imperial Sizes

Your dietitian will help you choose foods that are right for you. 250 ml = 1 cup
175 ml = cup
Protein Potassium Sodium Phosphorus 125 ml = cup
60 ml = cup
Your body uses A mineral the A mineral found A mineral that 15 ml = 1 tablespoon
What is it?
protein to build muscles use to in salt. Your body helps keep your 5 ml = 1 teaspoon
and repair work well. needs sodium to bones strong 25 g = 1 ounce
muscle. function properly. and healthy.
It helps to
maintain normal
blood pressure,
and normal
function of muscle
and nerves.

Why do I Your kidneys Your kidneys Your kidneys filter Some people with Dietitians suggestions
need to limit remove the filter the extra excess sodium kidney disease
my intake? waste products potassium into into your urine. have high
formed when your urine. In In kidney disease, amounts of
protein is kidney disease, excess salt can phosphorus in 1. ________________________________________________________
digested. potassium can build up in your their blood
build up in your body causing you because their
Too much of body. to hold water. kidneys are 2. ________________________________________________________
these waste unable to filter
products can A high amount of Extra water can the excess
make you feel potassium can build up in your phosphorus. 3. ________________________________________________________
unwell. make your heart ankles, lungs or
beat irregularly. abdomen. Too much
Too much phosphorus can
potassium can This extra water cause loss of
cause your heart makes your heart calcium from your
to stop beating. work harder and bones and make
increases your them weak and
blood pressure. brittle.

please turn over

__________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
12
What to eat when you have kidney disease

Meal plan summary

Amount of protein each day _______ grams.

Food Group Number of servings a day

Meats and Alternatives

Milk and Milk Products

Breads, Grains and Other Starches

What to eat when you have
Vegetables kidney disease
Fruits and Juices

Fats, Oils and Sugar Making changes to your diet can help slow down the process of kidney disease.

Other Foods
What do the kidneys do?
The kidneys:
remove wastes from your blood
help keep you from holding too much water in your body
make hormones including those that control your blood pressure

Hamilton Health Sciences, 2008
PD 5914 01/2008
dpc/pted/KidneyDiseaseDiet-trh.doc
dt/January 2, 2008 ________________________________________________________________________________