Proper nutrition helps preserve kidney function, helps prevent complications of chronic kidney disease or exacerbation of chronic kidney failure, and contributes to slow progression to end-stage chronic kidney failure.

Therefore, it is necessary to choose foods that suit the nutritional needs of patients with chronic renal failure who are not on dialysis.

What foods should be chosen

• Carbohydrate: low-protein starch such as white milled rice, vermicelli, tapioca, sweet potato, taro, rice noodles, noodles, ... Patients with chronic renal failure accompanied by diabetes, choose foods with low, medium sugar index: taro, rice noodles, banh canh, spring rolls, sweet potato ...

• Protein: should eat a variety, pay attention to high biological value protein (meat, fish, milk, eggs). If patients with dyslipidemia should eat eggs 3 fruits / week, every other day, beef 1-2 times / week, fish turn (salmon, extract, scad ...) 2 times / week ... The amount of food depends on the degree of kidney failure, renal failure stage 3b-4, protein intake often halved compared to the protein diet of normal people (100 - 120g meat (fish) / day).

• Fat: choose vegetable oil (sesame oil, soy, olive ...), fish fat.
• Vegetables, fruits: The stage of mild chronic kidney disease (GFR glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60) can eat a variety of vegetables, fruits are green, red, yellow, purple ... Patients with diabetes should choose fruits with low glycemic index, average: apples, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit ... with the amount depending on the level of blood potassium.

• Water: Based on the balance of export and import water, it should be adjusted when there is a decrease in the amount of urine, edema, heart failure.
• Spices: Choose foods low in salt, should read food labels before buying.

Dr. Duong Thi Thanh Tam is helping patient's dialysis process be gentle, effective and comfortable.

Food should be limited

• Limit foods high in potassium (for patients with severe renal impairment with reduced urine output or increased potassium / blood): raisins, dried bananas, dragon fruit, avocado ..., dark green leafy vegetables (shrimps, jute vegetables, spinach, water spinach, etc.), dried lotus seeds, cat mushrooms, beans.
• Patients with diabetes should limit foods with high glycemic index: white bread, potatoes, red dragon blood rice, cornflakes, vermicelli, sweet confectionery ...)
• Limit harmful fats: foods high in cholesterol, saturated fat: egg yolks, butter, cheese, fat, liver, heart ...), coconut oil.
• Limit foods that are high in phosphorus: dried shrimp, egg yolks, shiitake mushrooms, soybeans, dried lotus seeds, beef ...
• Limit foods high in sodium: fish sauce, dried fish, dried shrimp, salt duck seeds, bread, instant noodles, chips ...
• Do not drink too much water, as this will make the body more edged, blood pressure difficult to control; At the same time, if the kidney disease is early stage, the patient will urinate more, especially at night causing difficulty sleeping.