Renal Diet: A Guide for Patients

What is a renal diet?

It is a diet low in salt, protein and phosphorus. Fluid intake should be limited as well. In some cases, the diet might also require controlled intake of potassium and calcium. It is important to include high quality protein in a renal diet. Higher quality proteins are found in animal products like meat, poultry, fish and eggs.

There is no single eating plan that is right for everyone with kidney disease. What you can or cannot eat will change over time. Everyone is different so it is important to work closely with a dietitian to make sure you are following the right meal plan for you.

Which foods should you limit?

Sodium:

Seasonings like soy sauce, sea salt, teriyaki sauce, garlic salt, or onion salt
Most canned foods and frozen dinners
Processed meats like ham, bacon, hot dogs, sausage and deli cuts
Salted snack foods, like potato chips and crackers
Canned or dehydrated soups
Most restaurant foods, take-out foods and fast foods

Phosphorus:

Dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream and pudding
Nuts, sunflower seeds and peanut butter
Dried beans and peas, such as kidney beans, split peas and lentils
Beverages such as cocoa, beer and dark cola drinks
Bran breads and bran cereals

Potassium:

Avocados, bananas, melons, oranges, prunes and raisins
Artichokes, winter squash, plantains, spinach, potatoes and tomatoes
Dried beans and peas
Most salt substitutes (many "reduced sodium" foods are high in potassium)
Bran products and granola

Grocery List Suggestions

Although a renal diet may seem limiting at first, there are many renal-friendly food items you will be able to enjoy. You may even find some of your favorites on this list.

Protein

Meats

Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey, veal, wild game

Seafood

Fish (fresh or frozen)
Shellfish
Tuna (canned in water, low sodium)

Eggs (any size)

Egg substitutes (eggs beaters, scramblers)

Tofu

Fruits

Apples, applesauce
Apricots (canned, not dried)
Blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, mulberries, raspberries, strawberries,
Cherries
Clementine oranges, mandarin oranges, tangerines
Cranberries/cranberry sauce (canned)
Figs (canned or fresh)
Grapefruit
Grapes
Lemons/limes
Passion fruit
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Plums

Vegetables

Alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts
Asparagus
Bell peppers (green, red, or yellow), chili peppers, pimientos
Broccoli, cauliflower
Cabbage, radishes, turnips
Carrots, celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Arugula, kale, lettuce, spinach
Mushrooms
Okra
Garlic, chives, onions, leeks, shallots
Pea pods/peas, beans (green or waxed)
Rhubarb
Spaghetti/summer squash, zucchini
Water chestnuts, watercress

Grains/Cereal

Bagels (blueberry, egg, raisin, white)
Breads (dinner/hard rolls, english muffins, French, Italian, pita, rice cakes, rye, sourdough, white)
Flour tortillas
Cold cereals: Fruity Pebbles, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Kix, Quaker cereal Puffed rice, Rice Chex, Rice Krispies
Hot cereals: cream of rice, cream of wheat, farina, grits
Unsalted crackers: Graham crackers (not chocolate), low-sodium Ritz Crackers, Teddy Grahams (not chocolate), unsalted pretzels, unsalted saltine crackers, Wheat Thins Hint of Salt

Dairy/dairy alternatives

Milk

Limit to 1/2 cup per day

Nondairy creamer

Coffee-mate
Coffee Rich

Nondairy dessert topping

Cool Whip

Milk alternatives

Almond milk
Nonenriched soy milk

Renal-Friendly Seasoning Recipes

References:

NKF Brochures: Nutrition. National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Web site. https://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozTopic_Brochures Published 2013-2014. Accessed June 14, 2019.
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): Kidney-friendly diet for CKD. American Kidney Fund Web site. http://www.kidneyfund.org/kidney-disease/chronic-kidney-disease-ckd/kidney-friendly-diet-for-ckd.html Accessed June 14, 2019.
Sanofi Renal: Renal-friendly grocery list. Sanofi-Aventis U.S. Web site. https://www.sanofi.us/ Published 2012. Accessed June 14, 2019.