Some High Potassium Foods That You May Need to Limit
Avocados
Bananas
Beets and beet greens
Carrot juice
Clams
Dried beans, peas, chickpeas, soybeans, and lentils (all kinds)
Dried fruit (e.g., apricots, dates, figs, prunes — and juice, raisins
“Enhanced” fresh meats (read labels and look for potassium)
Fish (e.g., clams, cod, halibut, salmon, trout, tuna)
Hard squash (e.g. acorn, butternut)
Jerusalem artichokes
Mangos
Melons, like cantaloupe
Milk (non–fat)
Molasses
Nuts
Oranges
Parsnips
Potatoes and sweet potatoes
Salt substitutes
Spinach
Tomatoes and tomato products
Yogurt (low fat)
Fluids
While your kidneys work they need blood flow, so you need to stay hydrated. It does not “stress” your kidneys to drink fluids. You should not be told to limit fluids with stage 3 CKD unless you retain fluid and have swelling.
In general, drink when you feel thirsty. Most foods have some water in them, so don’t worry about getting eight 8–oz glasses per day.
But, don’t drink soda. A large study has linked drinking one or more regular sodas a day to kidney damage. A second large study found that two or more diet sodas a day can lead to kidney damage or make it progress faster.
Sugar and Starch
If you are overweight or have diabetes, eating less sugar and starchy food can have big payoffs for your health. Talk with your care team about how many grams of carbohydrates (carbs) to aim for each day.
Sweets & Starches (You May Want to Limit)
Candy
Corn and corn products (cereal, chips, puffs, etc.)
Dried beans, peas, lentils, etc. (high in potassium, too)
Hard squash
Ice cream
Plantains
Potatoes and sweet potatoes
Wheat products (bagels, bread, cereal, crackers, cake, muffins, etc.)
White rice (and rice cereal)
Limit Shellfish and Meat
Research has found that a toxin called domoic acid in shellfish and some fish that eat algae can harm kidneys — in mice. People are not mice. But, the really troubling finding was that very tiny levels of the toxin could harm kidneys. Shellfish also have high levels of purines, which can be a problem if you have gout. So, it may be wise to cut back on shellfish if you eat it a lot.
Antioxidants May Help You
Every cell in your body needs oxygen. But, too much oxygen in the wrong places can “oxidize” and cause damage, a lot like rust. Anti–oxidants help protect your cells, and may help your kidneys. Ask your doctor if antioxidants like these might be worth taking:
Coenzyme Q10
Turmeric
Fish oil can help slow CKD that is caused by a disease called IgA nephropathy.
Note: Talk to your care team before you take any supplement, vitamin, or over the counter remedy. When your kidneys don’t work well, these can build up in your body to levels that could harm you.
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