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CKD stage 3 diet

Posted by ellerbracke @ellerbracke, Apr 22, 2024

Hello! My husband was diagnosed with CKD stage 3 about 6 weeks ago. I have lists of sodium and potassium values for most common foods, also got some renal diet cookbooks from the library, as well as from Amazon, and do a lot of checking out recipes online.
I tried to find a renal dietician, but there isn't one. Physician(s) nor hospital outpatient services have anyone to recommend, either. Of course, once you progress to the dialysis stage, there's a personal dietician available. But not before, at least here.
So: muddling through. Most, if not all recipes I''ve seen are heavy on boiling stuff, especially vegetables. I get that for carrots, beans, etc., but I've yet to find a reason why I shouldn't roast them in the oven, with olive oil, garlic, etc. Does the cooking method really make a difference?

Also: almost every recipe for CKD diet is super low in calories. Great for someone overweight, but with a BMI of 21.6 my husband does not need to lose weight. But instead of bulking up with healthy vegetables I'm stuck with increasing carbs (rice, pasta), since vegetables contain quite a lot of potassium.

Lastly: leaching potassium out of potatoes: online recommendation is small pieces, lots of warm water, rinse and replace frequently, room temperature. Specially bought cook book by renal dietician says cold water, fridge, overnight (which internet says is the least effective method). Any comment? This is for potatoes destined to be roasted, not mashed.

Sorry to carry on, but there's so much conflicting information going on. Perhaps someone who has dealt with this for a while has some hints or advice.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Support Group.

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Feb 5 11:39am
In reply to @christine15 "@tinyshan May I ask why you eliminated apples and cauliflower? Do these cause gout if you..." + (show)
Profile picture for christine15 @christine15

@tinyshan May I ask why you eliminated apples and cauliflower? Do these cause gout if you are not otherwise predisposed? I am recently diagnosed Stage 3(a) and just bought a lot of cauliflower and apples because they seem like a couple of the only completely “safe” foods for CKD. Now I am wondering if even these are not good choices! Thanks in advance for your reply.

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@christine15 Those of us who deal with gout need to be mindful of purines and things that will raise our uric acid levels. Pork and pork products, shellfish, processed meats, alcohol, red meats, mushrooms, etc.

Here is a list from the National Kidney Foundation that may help you and others: https://www.kidney.org/news-stories/what-to-eat-and-avoid-if-you-have-gout

If you don't have gout, count your blessings! I take allopurinol 4 times a week to deal with my gout issues, in addition to monitoring my diet for both gout and kidney concerns. I sure miss mushrooms!
Ginger

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tinyshan | @tinyshan | Feb 5 4:56pm
In reply to @christine15 "@tinyshan May I ask why you eliminated apples and cauliflower? Do these cause gout if you..." + (show)
Profile picture for christine15 @christine15

@tinyshan May I ask why you eliminated apples and cauliflower? Do these cause gout if you are not otherwise predisposed? I am recently diagnosed Stage 3(a) and just bought a lot of cauliflower and apples because they seem like a couple of the only completely “safe” foods for CKD. Now I am wondering if even these are not good choices! Thanks in advance for your reply.

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@chr
Hi Christine:
Caulifower is moderately high in purines (51 mg /100 grams). Purines cause gout. The gout could have been caused by my degrading health condition that made me susceptible to gout. Too much uric acid also contributes to gout. The combo of purines from the cauli & uric acid from the apples created a "perfect storm" for gout . (I have stage 4 Breast Cancer too. ) I was eating 2 apples a day & riced cauli for dinner & not much else. I needed to be eating some protein , but I was afraid to. I was probably dehydrated as well. (It is better to be careful than sorry to get gout.) The cauli & apples are fine as long as you are eating other stuff too. Keeping hydrated is also advised.
I didn't mean to scare you,Christine.
Best of luck,
@tinyshan

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christine15 | @christine15 | Feb 7 3:35pm
In reply to @tinyshan "@chr Hi Christine: Caulifower is moderately high in purines (51 mg /100 grams). Purines cause gout...." + (show)
Profile picture for tinyshan @tinyshan

@chr
Hi Christine:
Caulifower is moderately high in purines (51 mg /100 grams). Purines cause gout. The gout could have been caused by my degrading health condition that made me susceptible to gout. Too much uric acid also contributes to gout. The combo of purines from the cauli & uric acid from the apples created a "perfect storm" for gout . (I have stage 4 Breast Cancer too. ) I was eating 2 apples a day & riced cauli for dinner & not much else. I needed to be eating some protein , but I was afraid to. I was probably dehydrated as well. (It is better to be careful than sorry to get gout.) The cauli & apples are fine as long as you are eating other stuff too. Keeping hydrated is also advised.
I didn't mean to scare you,Christine.
Best of luck,
@tinyshan

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@tinyshan Thanks for your reply and the explanation!

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christine15 | @christine15 | Feb 7 3:36pm
In reply to @gingerw "@christine15 Those of us who deal with gout need to be mindful of purines and things..." + (show)
Profile picture for Ginger, Volunteer Mentor @gingerw

@christine15 Those of us who deal with gout need to be mindful of purines and things that will raise our uric acid levels. Pork and pork products, shellfish, processed meats, alcohol, red meats, mushrooms, etc.

Here is a list from the National Kidney Foundation that may help you and others: https://www.kidney.org/news-stories/what-to-eat-and-avoid-if-you-have-gout

If you don't have gout, count your blessings! I take allopurinol 4 times a week to deal with my gout issues, in addition to monitoring my diet for both gout and kidney concerns. I sure miss mushrooms!
Ginger

Jump to this post

@gingerw Thank you!

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kenzie | @kenzie | Feb 13 2:17pm

H there, you have all my sympathy. The recipes and advice even from renowned institutions differ in some fundamental aspects, I took the decision to stay with one or two that had advice and recipes that suited me best.
Thus far it has worked very well for me. was diagnosed with CKD 3b in October last year and my last blood test at the end of January was CKD stage 2. I wish you good luck on fnding the right information that suits your needs,

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christine15 | @christine15 | Feb 13 5:34pm
In reply to @kenzie "H there, you have all my sympathy. The recipes and advice even from renowned institutions differ..." + (show)
Profile picture for kenzie @kenzie

H there, you have all my sympathy. The recipes and advice even from renowned institutions differ in some fundamental aspects, I took the decision to stay with one or two that had advice and recipes that suited me best.
Thus far it has worked very well for me. was diagnosed with CKD 3b in October last year and my last blood test at the end of January was CKD stage 2. I wish you good luck on fnding the right information that suits your needs,

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@kenzie Would you mind sharing the specific ones you found most useful for advice and recipes? Your improvement is remarkable! Thank you.

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kenzie | @kenzie | Feb 17 6:00am
In reply to @christine15 "@kenzie Would you mind sharing the specific ones you found most useful for advice and recipes?..." + (show)
Profile picture for christine15 @christine15

@kenzie Would you mind sharing the specific ones you found most useful for advice and recipes? Your improvement is remarkable! Thank you.

Jump to this post

@christine15 , Hi there, Sites that I have found useful are: This site, Mayoclinic DaVita Site.
However I have found this site a little confusing, so when he uses ingredients such as avo or whole eggs, I find a low potassium alternatives. The best site for me is the "America n Kidney Fund, Kidney kitchen. I must stress however that you need to take your own circumstances in to account and keep on investigating. For example, I suffer from gout and yesterday found that apples and cauliflower contain purines which are a no, no for gout although they are considered Kidney friendly. At 82 I have several health issues and it is a matter of juggling which foods that are kidney friendly but meet the needs of other health issues. I hope this has been helpful and hope you are successful.

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ichbindck | @ichbindck | Feb 18 8:34am

I have been CKD 3b for 3 years. My GFR has held steady at 36 over this time period. I don't eat any red meat and never eat bacon per my Nephrologist. I also totally stopped taking Omeprazole for gerd. I am convinced Omeprazole caused my CKD and there are medical studies indicating that using Omeprazole over long time period can contribute to kidney damage. I had used it for over 20 years. A good source of recipes via my dietician are National Kidney Foundation and American Heart Association. Best wishes to you and your husband.

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christine15 | @christine15 | Feb 18 8:46am
In reply to @kenzie "@christine15 , Hi there, Sites that I have found useful are: This site, Mayoclinic DaVita Site...." + (show)
Profile picture for kenzie @kenzie

@christine15 , Hi there, Sites that I have found useful are: This site, Mayoclinic DaVita Site.
However I have found this site a little confusing, so when he uses ingredients such as avo or whole eggs, I find a low potassium alternatives. The best site for me is the "America n Kidney Fund, Kidney kitchen. I must stress however that you need to take your own circumstances in to account and keep on investigating. For example, I suffer from gout and yesterday found that apples and cauliflower contain purines which are a no, no for gout although they are considered Kidney friendly. At 82 I have several health issues and it is a matter of juggling which foods that are kidney friendly but meet the needs of other health issues. I hope this has been helpful and hope you are successful.

Jump to this post

@kenzie I just looked at the American Kidney Fund Kidney Kitchen and it looks really helpful. I will definitely use it as a resource going forward. Thanks so much for your reply!

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edjag74 | @edjag74 | Feb 18 6:11pm

I don't have any great ideas to share. I am the same place as you. Wondering what to do with my diet? I am overweight, so cutting calories is a must. I am trying to avoid salt in everything (never had an idea how much there is in food). I have massive proteinuria and just read to stay away from protein, so I don't know what to think. I am on Mounjaro and Jardiance because I am technically diabetic but my A1C has dropped into the "pre" range. I am seeing a good Dr. about this but still in the dark. Please share any good information. Best wishes for you.

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