Patients & Carers

Nutrition & Diatetics for Patients and Carers


The information here is given as a guide only and patients are advised to seek further information from their dietician.

Patients with kidney failure must give attention to their Nutrition and Renal Diet.

You will receive constant, helpful and friendly advice from your dietician which is important to your well being. The dietician will supply you with “Your guide to good nutrition” which is designed to hold information leaflets that are easy to follow . These give advice on portions, options, swaps, foods to avoid, drinks to avoid, treats etc.

For reference purposes it may be worth high-lighting a couple of factors (taken from the leaflets) which are most important to your diet.

Protein

Protein is an important part of your diet. It is needed by the body for growth and repair of the body tissues. Large amounts of Protein are found in the following foods:-

Meat/ Poultry
Fish
Eggs
Cheese
Milk

Potassium

Potassium is a mineral in the blood and body tissues. In Kidney Failure the potassium level in the blood can rise too high. It is therefore important to limit Potassium in the diet.

The following foods are very high in Potassium :

Vegetables
Broad Beans, Butter Beans, Jerusalem Artichokes, Mushrooms, Parsnips, Plantain, Pumpkin, Spinach, Sweet Potato, Tinned Tomatoes & Yam.
Fruit
Apricots, Avacado, Banana, Figs, Greengages, Melon & Rhubarb.
Avoid all dried fruit (eg: Apricots, Currants, Dates, Prunes, Peaches, Raisins & Sultanas).
Nuts
Avoid all varieties of Nuts & Nut Butter (eg: Peanut Butter).
Not Boiled Potatoes
Avoid Jacket Potatoes, Chip Shop Chips, Oven Chips, Frozen Chips, Instant Mashed Potato. Any made potato dishes eg: (Potato Croquettes, Potato Waffles, Potato Crisps), Potato Flour, Potato Starch.

The following drinks are high in Potassium and should be avoided:-

Drinks
Bought Cartons of Milkshakes, Fruit Juice, Tomato Juice, Lucozade in cans, Ribena in cartons, Britvic 55 juice drinks
Alcoholic Drinks
Strong Ale, Stout, Ciderf3eef9

Vegetarian Food Options

There are various Vegetarian Food Options for your Renal Menu such as:

  • Omlette with (part-boiled) Saute Potatoes
  • Scrambled Eggs with Toast
  • Vegetarian Sausage Rolls plus green salad
  • Vegetarian Pasty served with green salad
  • Soya Shepherds Pie
  • Lasagne (made with minced Quorn
  • Curry/Sweet Sour (made with Quorn Pieces) served with rice
  • Vegetarian Quiche
  • Pizza with cheese & tomato topping (vegetarian)

Vegetarian options to boost your protein intake

The following foods are suitable protein sources when you are on a Renal Diet.
Please choose only 1 portion :

  • Tofu – 100-200g
  • Quorn – 100-200g
  • Chick Peas (boiled) – 100g
  • Mung Beans (boiled) 100g
  • Humus – 100-150g

Please be aware that while we have made all effort to ensure that this information is accurate, we cannot guarantee that there are no mistakes. Also that the best management for individual patients may differ from that outlined here. Only the doctors caring for the patient will be able to advise on this.