Diet For Kidney Failure

A kidney failure diet can be described as an eating plan, which can help to control the symptoms of kidney diseases, also known as renal failure. The kidneys are vital organs in the body, which get rid of the toxins that are present in the blood. These toxins are filtered by the kidneys and are disposed through the urine. Many people claim that figuring out which foods to eat can be a bit of a challenge, especially in the beginning as some of the foods that they always thought were healthy could aggravate the condition and therefore are a part of the kidney failure dietary restrictions list. For example, choosing the right fruit for kidney failure is definite not the easiest task, since most of the fruits that are high in nutrients should be avoided.

However, this does not mean that all fruits should be avoided by kidney failure patients; certain varieties of fruits, like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, apples, pineapples and plums are low in potassium and are good for people suffering from kidney problems. Apple juice and cranberry juice are also regarded as being healthy in most kidney patients.

Foods Good For Kidneys

There are some foods good for kidney failure, as they help in maintaining the liver function to a great extent. However, since every individual’s health may be different, the kidney disease diet menu may vary a bit from one patient to the other. Some of the most commonly recommended kidney failure foods to eat include tofu, shrimp, beef stew, lean chicken, mono-saturated fats (canola oil, olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil, safflower oil), herbs, unsalted snacks, mustard greens, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and non-dairy creamer (liquid), among others. Get to know about diet for patients with kidney stones

Foods To Avoid Kidney Failure

Health experts claim that the consumption of the right kidney failure foods should be one of the most important considerations for those who are suffering from this affliction. Due to the fact that the kidneys do not have the ability to get rid of the excess potassium, salt, or water, foods that are high in them are generally a part of the kidney failure diet restrictions. Kidney failure foods to avoid generally include apricots, bananas, kiwis, tomatoes, potatoes, melons, oranges, orange juice, avocados, condiments, hydrogenated vegetable oil, prepackaged meals, canned food, processed meats, certain beans, aerated drinks, sweets, milk, nuts and salt substitutes, to name a few. Also read foods for kidney pain

Recipes For Kidney Failure Patients

Fortunately, there are several different types of kidney failure diet recipes that are easily available through books or online resources. Given below are a few examples of popular kidney failure diet recipes:

Stir Fried Vegetables:

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 Zucchini, thinly sliced
1 Yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 Green pepper, thinly sliced
1 Clove garlic, mashed
1 Cup sweet corn
½ Lime juice
½ Teaspoon pepper
Parsley (chopped), a handful
Salt to taste

Method:

Take a medium sized wok and heat the olive oil in it. Once the oil is heated, add the mashed garlic and allow it to sizzle for one minute or so.
After the garlic takes on a golden color, add the sliced zucchini, yellow pepper, green pepper, allowing them to cook for a while. Keep stirring them, so that they do not stick at the bottom.
Once the vegetables become a bit tender, add the sweet corn and stir fry it for around 10 minutes.
Remove wok from the flame and then add the lime juice, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the chopped parsley, just before serving the dish.

Pasta Salad:

Ingredients:

2 Cups pasta, preferably farfalle
2 Tablespoons coriander, chopped finely
1 Cup green beans
1 Tablespoon olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
1 Tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped finely
1 Tablespoon mustard paste
½ Cup steamed and shredded tuna
½ Cup spring onions, fine sliced
½ Teaspoon pepper powder
Lemon juice (1 lemon)
A pinch of salt to taste

Method:

Boil the pasta in a large pot of water; when it is a bit soft, remove it from the flame, drain it and pour some cold water over it.
Blanche the green beans and set them aside for a while
Take a medium sized bowl and pour the coriander, olive oil, basil leaves, mustard paste, spring onions and lemon juice.
Mix these ingredients thoroughly, before adding the shredded tuna and the farfalle. Once again, all the ingredients should be mixed, but this time, a bit gently.
Sprinkle the pepper and the salt and toss the ingredients lightly together, so that all the ingredients have been mixed well.
Cover the bowl with some cling wrap and place it in a refrigerator for at least an hour before serving it.

The kidney failure diet recipes, foods and tips mentioned above are only safe, if they are used after getting an approval from a medical expert. Moreover, while these tips may be good for people suffering from renal diseases, they may not be suitable for those patients, who have other medical problems too. Therefore, people who are suffering from any other preexisting health condition should consult a doctor before making any dietary changes, or even before switching over to a kidney failure diet.

Submitted on January 16, 2014