The Irish Kidney Association

Introduction

The renal diet is an essential part of treatment - it helps you to feel well and avoids complications like fluid overload, high blood potassium, itching, bone disease and weight loss.

Each person with renal disease is very different and obviously so are their needs. the dietary advice you are given depends on a number of factors including: the stage of renal disease, the type of treatment you are on, your blood results and the presence of other medical conditions e.g. diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolaemia.

There's no doubt that the renal diet is a challenge and requires planning, imagination and practical ideas. Hopefully this cookbook will help you enjoy your renal diet.

Remember the diet sheet your dietian gave you is designed specially for you and you may need to adapt some of the recipes to suit your own special needs. We have highlighted recipes which are higher in potassium or fat.

Potassium

Because many renal patients are on potassium restriction the potassium content of recipes have been highlighted. If your blood potassium level is allowed to rise too high, it can affect the heart and in extreme cases cause it to stop.

Vegetables are used in some of these recipes to make meals more appetising and interesting. If you have been advised to restrict your potassium intake, you will need to include these in your vegetable allowance. Salads must also be included as part of your daily fruit and vegetable allowance.

Potatoes are very high in potassium and hence need to be double boiled in large volumes of water. Try to make use of useful alternatives like savoury rice or pasta. Potassium is found in a wide range of foods (see your diet sheet for a more detailed list).

Fat

If your blood cholestorol is high, you should avoid the following recipes which are high in fat:
ginger pork escalopes
chicken with cream and pasta

Other components or the renal diet

Protein

Protein is found in meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, yoghurt and to a lesser extent bread, cereals and potatoes. How much protein you need depends on your body size, whether or not you are on dialysis and the type of dialysis you are receiving - your protein protions will be specified on your diet sheet. Some protein sources need to be limited as they are high in potassium or phosphate e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt.

Protein is essential for tissue repair and growth and therefor adequate protein is necessary to prevent muscle loss and malnutrition.

Salt

If you have a high blood pressure or need to limit your fluid intake you must also limit your salt intake. Other flavourings can be used instead, such as: mustard, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, to make a meal more tasty - Ideas are given in the section on "Sauces", "Stuffing" and "Herbs".

Phosphate

High phosphate levels cause itchiness in the short term and bone disease in the long term. The most common sources are dairy products i.e. milk, cheese, yoghurt as well as eggs, bones of fish, etc. (a detailed list is included in your diet sheet).

Most of the recipes avoid these foods as ingredients. If your phosphate is too high, try to use milk substitues when cooking, e.g. Snopro, Milupa LPD.

Fluid

Don't forget to count soup, sauces, jelly, custard, etc as part of your fluid allowance!!