High gasoline prices are contributing to rising food costs. Since many people on dialysis are unable to work full-time due to treatment time or disability, the increased cost of living calls for new measures to save pennies whenever possible. Start to control food costs by deciding what  to buy before you leave the house.

Grab your diet plan and grocery flyers and start making a grocery list. You can identify the lower potassium, sodium and phosphorus foods on sale by referring to your kidney diet guide while browsing through the grocery ads. Studies show that shoppers who use a list are less likely to buy impulsively. Grocery flyers help guide you to the sale specials and this can make a big difference.

For example, in one store’s ads this week Read more…

Research on dieting for weight loss and what works for long term weight maintenance is extensive. One tool shown to help weight loss dieters maintain their weight is a food diary. This is a useful tool for dialysis patients or anyone on a kidney diet making new and long lasting changes in eating habits.

A food diary is a record of the amount of foods and liquids consumed. It may include additional information Read more…

A handful of grapes make a healthy snack for a kidney friendly diet—tasty, convenient and full of phytochemicals—amazing plant components that provide health benefits.  Anthocyanins are a polyphenol antioxidant that gives the red to purple color to grapes, grape juice and red wine.  Resveratrol is another polyphenol antioxidant found in grapes.

These and other phytochemicals in grapes protect against heart disease by keeping blood vessels relaxed, preventing inflammation and oxidation of free radicals.  This may be a benefit to anyone with kidney disease because cardiovascular disease and inflammation risks are greater in kidney patients as compared to the general public.  Phytochemicals have also been linked to cancer prevention and protection against nerve degeneration that occurs with aging.

Nutrients in Grapes

1/2 cup grapes contains 1 mg sodium, 88 mg potassium, 4 mg phosphorus
4 fluid ounces grape juice contains 4 mg sodium, 167 mg potassium, 14 mg phosphorus
4 fluid ounces red wine contains 5 mg sodium, 149 mg potassium, 27 mg phosphorus

What about raisins?  Read more…

Understanding food labels is even more important for those following a kidney diet. Since phosphorus is often missing from the Nutrition Facts, it’s important to know how to find hidden sources on the ingredient list.

Look for obvious sources of phosphorus in the ingredients: cheese, milk, yogurt, nuts, seeds, dried beans and peas, bran, whole wheat or whole grains, organ meats, peanut butter and chocolate.

One not-so obvious source of phosphorus is the leavening agent, baking powder. One teaspoon contains over 450 mg phosphorus and over 350 mg sodium. Products made with baking powder include biscuits, pancake mix, quick breads and many commercially prepared bakery products.

Cereals and cereal bars may be another phosphorus contributor. Many cereal boxes list phosphorus in mg or as a % of Daily Value (DV). Use these numbers to interpret:
50 mg or up to 5% DV is low phosphorus
51-150 mg or 5-15% DV is medium phosphorus
Over 150 mg or greater than 15% DV is high phosphorus

Another hidden source of phosphorus is Read more…