Kidney-friendly eating patterns
A kidney-friendly eating pattern is a way of eating to support your kidney health and slow the progression of kidney disease. It involves making changes to what you eat and drink to reduce the burden on your kidneys and improve overall health.
Eating pattern versus diet
It is common to hear “diet” and “eating patterns” or “eating habits” used in the same way, but they refer to very different approaches to eating. Diet refers to set guidelines of foods to eat or to avoid for a specific period of time. On the other hand, eating patterns or habits aim to improve your understanding of food and health that leads to long-term changes. It also considers factors like culture, preferences, and lifestyle that affect your food choices.
In the world of kidney nutrition, there truly is no such thing as a “kidney diet” with a specific list of foods all people with kidney disease should and should not eat. Each person with kidney disease is unique with very specific needs. This is why there are different recommendations for people in each stage of kidney disease. And, even if two people are in the same stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD), they may each be given different eating recommendations based on their kidney function and other factors. This is why it is important to work closely with your doctor and dietitian. They will review your kidney function through blood and urine tests, personal and cultural preferences, and lifestyle to help you navigate a kidney-friendly eating plan.
Plant forward eating patterns for chronic kidney disease
Plant forward or plant-based eating is an eating pattern that focuses on foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains. This eating pattern has health benefits, including a lower risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. These health benefits also help delay the progression of kidney disease. Plant-based foods are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals that can also have heart health benefits.
A plant-forward eating pattern focuses on:
Consuming mostly plant foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), nuts, and seeds.
Limiting animal foods such as meats, fish, cheese, and milk.
Limiting ultra-processed foods such as sugary drinks, packaged snacks (potato chips, cookies, candy), fast food, frozen meals.
Vegan and vegetarian eating patterns are plant-based. However, you do not need to completely eliminate animal sources to follow a plant-based eating pattern. You can reduce your intake of animal products by:
Choosing one day a week or one meal a day to be meatless.
Include plant-based proteins (beans, lentils, tofu, nuts) into your meals.
Fill half your plate with vegetables at each meal.
Common plant forward eating patterns
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)
to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. The DASH eating plan aims to limit sodium (salt), saturated and trans-fats. This eating pattern does not specifically recommend the avoidance of meat and other animal products, but it is considered a plant forward eating pattern because it encourages higher intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, unsalted nuts, and low-fat dairy.
Mediterranean Style
eating pattern focuses on foods traditionally found in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. This eating pattern does not recommend the complete avoidance of animal products, but it is considered plant forward because it encourages higher intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats like olive oil and fish, and low intake of processed foods.
Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND)
eating pattern is a combination of the DASH and Mediterranean eating styles. The MIND eating pattern was designed to promote brain health and may reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. The MIND eating pattern recommends specific “brain healthy” foods to include, and to limit foods high in saturated and trans-fat. This eating pattern encourages whole grains, vegetables, green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, berries, poultry, fish, and olive oil.
Tips for starting
The common thread for plant forward eating is to include more fruits and vegetables in your eating plan and limit processed foods like pre-packaged snacks and treats, frozen meals, and sugary drinks. The change you choose to make does not need to be big. In fact, it is more effective to make small changes at a time. Then you can work your way up to more changes when you are ready. Small and steady changes stick. Quick and dramatic changes may leave you feeling defeated.
A plant-forward eating pattern focuses on:
- “I will eat more vegetables with my dinner.”
- “I will replace the cheese and dip for unsalted nuts, fruit, or veggie for my snack.”
Remember to visualize MyPlate—half of your plate should be vegetables and/or fruits, a quarter of your plate is whole grains, and the remaining quarter of your plate is lean protein.
A registered dietitian (RD) can help you make these changes to your eating pattern.
Avoid diet fads
Diet fads are popular eating trends that often promise quick health benefits or weight loss. Common fad diets include extremely low-carb (ketogenic) diets, juice cleanses, and “detox” plans. Diet fads may seem appealing because of their dramatic claims of quick results. But they can be very strict by cutting out entire food groups and promoting certain foods as if they are magical solutions to health. If you have kidney disease, restricting food groups in this way can be harmful to your kidneys and long-term health. If you are not sure if a certain eating pattern is right for you, talk to your doctor or dietitian before starting.
Common fad diets NOT recommended:
Ketogenic or keto diet:
originally developed as a medical nutrition therapy for epilepsy, it focuses on high fat, moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate intake. It may be harmful to people with CKD, especially those in pre-dialysis stages, because it includes more protein, which may put extra strain on the kidneys and speed up disease progression.
Alkaline diet
claims that eating more alkaline (or basic) foods, like fruits and vegetables, can shift the body’s pH balance and improve health by preventing disease, increasing energy, and supporting weight loss. While plant-based foods are more naturally alkaline, protein-rich foods tend to be more acidic. This diet focuses on eating more plant-based foods and fewer processed ones, but some followers may avoid even plant proteins to reduce acidity. This method of cutting out specific food groups can lead to missing important nutrients like protein, iron, and calcium.
Intermittent fasting
this is an eating plan where people alternate between periods of fasting and eating. Supporters say it may help with weight loss and disease prevention (or even reversal), but there is limited research to support these claims. It is important to talk to your doctor or dietitian if you are considering intermittent fasting, especially if you have diabetes. Fasting can affect blood sugar levels and may impact kidney disease progression.
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