Quince is a pear shaped, golden yellow fruit related to the pear and apple fruit family. Unlike it’s cousin fruits, the quince is very tannic and bitter when eaten raw, so most recipes call for cooking the fruit. When sugar is added the cooked quince turns crimson red and develops a flavor described as a combination of rose, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom. Some popular quince recipes include quince baked or poached with sugar, quince added to stewed or slow cooked meat dishes, quince tarts, preserves and a spreadable paste known as membrillo.

In the US, quince is available in the fall. You can find it at farmer’s markets, large supermarkets and specialty and ethnic stores. Turkey is the world’s largest quince producer/exporter.

Nutritionally, a medium quince has around 75 calories and 14 grams of carbohydrate. With only 181 mg potassium, 16 mg phosphorus and 4 mg sodium, quince is a great fruit choice for a kidney diet.

Treat yourself to a new taste experience! Look for the raw fruit to cook or shop for quince paste or jelly.

Here’s an easy recipe for Baked Quince: 

Portions:  8           

Serving size:  1/2 quince

Ingredients

• 4 medium quinces
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 cups water
• 2-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Peel the fruit, cut in half and remove seeds. Place in a baking dish.
3. Pour sugar over quince halves and dot each piece with butter.
4. Add water and bake for 1 hour.
5. Serve each quince half with a spoonful of whipped topping.

Nutrients

152 calories, 0 protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 5 mg sodium, 93 mg potassium, 9 mg phosphorus, 9 mg calcium, 0.8 g fiber

Visit DaVita.com to discover more kidney-friendly fruit recipes. Some of  my favorites include:

• Apples Baked in Cider
• Blueberry Peach Crisp
• Creamy Grape Salad
• Peach Cobbler
• Traverse City Cherry Crisp
• Zingy Spiced Pears

Kidney diet resources from DaVita.com

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Phosphorus Challenge

Got milk? Americans are familiar with the milk ad campaign that shows up on television and in magazines. Celebrities sport a milk mustache that  promotes health benefits of drinking milk. For people with kidney disease on dialysis, milk restriction is advised. Milk is high in potassium, phosphorus and calcium-some of the nutrients that become out of balance when the kidneys are no longer working. Milk is often limited by chronic kidney disease patients who are on a lower protein diet. Read more…

Today I received a question about the best cereals for a person in stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) to eat. Instead of sending my answer to only one person I thought I would share it with all of you as well.

Some good hot cereal choices include cream of wheat, Malt-o-Meal, grits, and even oatmeal a few times a week. (Stick with the cook and serve cereals instead of the higher sodium instant ones.) Many diet guides place oatmeal in the limit or avoid list because it does contain more phosphorus than the other hot cereals listed.

For ready-to-eat cereals look on the Nutrition Facts label and select the brands lowest in sodium and phosphorus. Lower sodium choices help with blood pressure control. Many cereals give the % Daily Value for phosphorus rather than milligrams. Try to go with those containing 10% DV or less. In general, cereals with added nuts or whole grain tend to have higher amounts of phosphorus.

Read more…