Kidney-Friendly Eating
If you have chronic kidney disease or diabetes, it’s best to avoid certain foods altogether or at least minimize your consumption of them. In this guide, we’ll outline the main foods to remove from your diet and look at treatment options like Filspari (sparsentan), a prescription medication used to treat a rare kidney condition called IgA nephropathy (IgAN). It works by blocking two receptors (endothelin and angiotensin) involved in causing high blood pressure and kidney damage.
Top 7 Foods to Avoid with Chronic Kidney Disease or Diabetes
1. Processed Meats
Processed meats are best to avoid if you suffer from chronic kidney disease or diabetes. To establish whether a meat item is processed, look for words like cured or smoked. Pepperoni, hot dogs, beef jerky and bacon are all examples of processed red meats that you should avoid. Avoid these items as much as possible, replacing them with other sources of protein like tofu.
Processed red meats are high in sodium, which is an issue for those with chronic kidney disease. That’s because their kidneys can’t remove sodium in the normal way, which can cause high blood pressure. When it comes to diabetes, these processed red meats have high quantities of trans fats, which worsen symptoms.
2. Dairy
As a result of their high levels of potassium, dairy products should be avoided if you’re someone with chronic kidney disease. Most people with the disease have potassium levels in their bodies that are too high, which means that potassium intake should be reduced. Meanwhile, the fat content of dairy products negatively affects those with diabetes.
Whether you suffer from chronic kidney disease or diabetes, it’s best to significantly reduce the amount of dairy you’re consuming. If you can’t kick dairy, opting for low-fat milk choices in the supermarket is a great starting point.
3. Dried Fruits
Another source of potassium is dried fruits. Due to their tiny size, it can be easy to consume more than the recommended daily allowance, which can cause problems for chronic kidney disease sufferers. The sugars present in these fruits are of a high concentration, which heightens the risks of diabetes symptoms becoming more prominent.
Replace dried fruits with full-sized fruits and vegetables, to better monitor your intake. And remember that, for example, a small handful of dried apricots is the equivalent of multiple full-size apricots.
4. Sodas
Sodas, especially dark-colored ones, contain high levels of sugar content. This sugar can worsen diabetes substantially, especially if consumed daily. Sitting alongside the sugars in these fizzy treats are phosphorus additives, which should be limited as part of a chronic kidney disease diet. While diet or zero-sugar soda options are better, they contain artificial sweeteners, which can also impact both health conditions.
5. Potatoes
While fruits and vegetables are important when it comes to healthy eating, not all are equal. Some are worse than others for those inflicted with chronic kidney disease or diabetes. You must be wondering, for example, how a potato can be a bad food choice.
Potatoes are high in potassium, containing more than 500 mg each. If your potassium levels are too high — which is common in people with chronic kidney disease — you should reduce the number of potatoes, you consume each week. Boiling potatoes in water before cooking them is a great trick because it removes a lot of the potassium content.
This vegetable is also high in carbohydrates, which increases blood sugar levels. Increased blood sugar levels should be avoided by people with diabetes. Limit how often you eat potatoes and remember to consider the many guises they might take — chips, fries and hash browns.
6. Chips
Chips and chip-adjacent foods like pretzels and crackers should be avoided by those with chronic kidney disease. They’re unusually high in sodium, which can present itself as face or hand swelling in those with chronic kidney disease. Sufferers may also experience unnatural thirst and high blood pressure from consuming too many of these products.
Chips, crackers and pretzels are high-carbohydrate foods with no nutritional benefits, making them a risky food if you have diabetes. There’s no obvious replacement for chips, so you’re advised to simply reduce your intake of these salty snacks.
7. Frozen Pizza
Frozen pizzas are packed full of sodium, carbohydrates and salt — all of which don’t contribute to a healthy diet if you’re someone with chronic kidney disease or diabetes. It’s not just frozen pizzas you need to be aware of either. You should avoid all frozen meals and cook with fresh ingredients. So why not make your own healthier pizzas using wraps, tomato puree and fresh vegetables?
Filspari
Filspari (sparsentan) is a prescription medication used to treat a rare kidney condition called IgA nephropathy (IgAN), also known as Berger’s disease. IgA nephropathy occurs when an antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA) builds up in the kidneys, causing inflammation that can lead to kidney damage over time. Filspari works by blocking two receptors (endothelin and angiotensin) that are involved in causing high blood pressure and kidney damage, helping to reduce protein loss in the urine and slowing down the progression of kidney disease.
Avoiding the Worst Foods
If you’re one of the 37 million American adults with chronic kidney disease or diabetes, then consider that what you eat can have a huge impact on the symptoms you experience. Certain foods can cause and worsen the conditions.