Healthy Eating for People with Chronic Kidney Disease

You need to have a “kidney-friendly” meal plan when you have chronic kidney disease. Watching what you eat and drink will help you stay healthier. This section of our website is for people who have kidney disease but are not on dialysis. It describes a kidney-friendly diet and why it is important.

What you eat affects your health. Maintaining a healthy weight and following a balanced meal plan that is low in salt can help you control your blood pressure. If you have diabetes, your meal plan is also important in controlling your blood sugar. Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes may also help slow down kidney disease.

A kidney-friendly diet may also help. It limits certain minerals in the foods you eat. This helps keep waste from building up in your blood and may help prevent other health problems.

Protein

Protein is one of the building blocks of your body. Your body needs protein to grow, heal and stay healthy. Having too little protein can cause your skin, hair and nails to be weak. But having too much protein can also be a problem. To stay healthy and help you feel your best, you may need to adjust how much protein you eat.

The amount of protein you should have depends on your body size, activity level and health concerns. Some doctors recommend that people with kidney disease limit protein or change their source of protein. This is because a diet very high in protein can make the kidneys work harder and may cause more damage. Ask your doctor or dietitian how much protein you should have and what the best sources of protein are for you.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates (“carbs”) are the easiest kind of energy for your body to use. Healthy sources of carbohydrates include fruits and vegetables. Unhealthy sources of carbohydrates include sugar, honey, hard candies, soft drinks and other sugary drinks.

Some carbohydrates are high in potassium and phosphorus, which you may need to limit depending on your stage of kidney disease. We'll talk about this in more detail a little later. You may also need to watch your carbohydrates carefully if you have diabetes. Your dietitian can help you learn more about the carbohydrates in your meal plan and how they affect your blood sugar.