What’s the secret to maintaining a healthy kidney disease diet? It goes without saying that when you are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, things are going to change. And one of the biggest changes revolves around what it is you’re consuming on a regular basis. If you’re like the majority of people, food isn’t something you go to too much trouble to scrutinize. Once kidney disease comes into your life though, you quickly learn just how fundamentally linked diet and kidney disease really are. 

You start learning about all the different levels that need to be regulated, and balancing all the right kidney-friendly minerals and nutrients your body needs without putting  your kidneys through excessive strain in filtering them from your system. Your kidney disease diet doesn’t need to be restrictive or boring, though.

As you realize that the daily struggle against kidney disease doesn’t stop when you go grocery shopping, you discover Nutritional Value Labels, which really are your FIRST line of defense against potentially unsafe foods in your kidney disease diet. 

So What Are The Top Nutrition Content Categories To Watch Out For? 

• Sodium – avoid most canned, pickled, processed, prepackaged foods as they have TONS of sodium which is harmful for the kidneys.

• Protein – you’ll definitely want to make sure you’re monitoring those protein levels. Meats, nuts, peanut butter, seeds, even lots of dairy products have protein levels that are too high to be considered kidney-friendly

• Potassium – another important level to monitor for your kidneys. Foods should be lower in potassium. Potassium is found in fruits like bananas and avocados, vegetables like potatoes and spinach and many other fruits and vegetables, so be sure to check this and opt for frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables instead of canned or processed.

A quick note about Potassium. You’ll find potassium isn’t included on every food label as it has been designated ‘optional,’ by the FDA, so be sure to double-check any foods that don’t directly list potassium content before deciding to buy. 

With the right knowledge at your fingertips, there’s no reason you can’t partake in many of the foods you’ve always enjoyed without risking the state of your kidneys!

To learn more about how to read a Nutrition Label and discover what other nutrients and minerals you should be actively monitoring in your food choices, you’ll definitely want to take a look at our All-Natural Kidney Health & Kidney Function Restoration Program.