An Essential Guide to Low-Sodium Foods for Kidney Health

Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology | Oct 04, 2024

Your body absorbs nutrients from the food you eat. Excess nutrients are transferred to your kidneys through your blood, which are then filtered and expelled from your body through urine. Sodium is one such mineral that your body needs to maintain electrolyte balance. However, excess sodium consumption is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and chronic kidney failure.

Tracking your table salt intake, especially if you are a kidney patient or have a history of kidney disease, is crucial to keeping your kidneys healthy. This post is your comprehensive guide to low-sodium foods for the kidney diet. We’ve mentioned the best dietary choices for kidney patients. Keep reading.

How Much Sodium is Safe for a Kidney Patient?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and KDOQI (Kidney Disease outcome quality initiative) the average sodium intake for a healthy person should be around 2000 mg/day (a little less than one teaspoon of table salt). However, almost everyone consumes double the recommended dose.

Increased sodium intake, particularly in people with CKD or other illnesses that affect kidney health, can cause kidney damage. A sodium-rich diet can elevate blood pressure, damaging the fragile blood vessels in the kidneys and reducing their ability to filter blood.

Moreover, excess sodium in the body can lead to fluid retention, which again affects the kidneys’ ability to filter fluid. Fluid buildup makes the heart and kidneys work harder, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney failure.

Low-Sodium Diet for Kidney Patients

75% of our salt intake is from processed foods, so you should check also the labels on food packaging. Most of your sodium intake comes from restaurant meals, fast food, processed food, packaged items, and any food that isn’t home-cooked.

How to Choose Low-Sodium Foods

Work with your dietician or a healthcare provider to figure out the ideal sodium intake for your kidney health. It’s advisable to keep your salt consumption to less than 10–15 percent of the recommended dose. Fortunately, you can find many sodium-free foods or foods containing a very small amount of sodium. Just read the labels carefully and stick to fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.

What does salt do in my body?

Salt keeps the amount of water in your body balanced. It also helps to keep blood pressure normal. Your body needs very little salt. Extra salt is removed out of your body by the kidneys.

What happens when the kidneys slow down?

As the kidneys slow down, they may not be able to remove extra salt. Salt builds up in your body. Since salt holds water with it, you may notice:

• You feel thirsty
• You have ankle swelling
• Your weight may go up
• Your blood pressure may go up

When there is too much salt and water in your body, you may have trouble breathing. This is caused by water in your lungs.

How can I cut down on salt in my diet?

Give up the saltshaker.

• Avoid adding salt when cooking.
• Cut down on foods that contain hidden salt such as salty meat, snacks, processed food, canned soups, pickles and salted sauces. Since many foods have hidden salt, you will need to learn how to read food labels.

Can I use salt substitutes?

You cannot use salt substitutes as they are made with potassium. It is not safe to use these substitutes if you have kidney disease. Avoid pink salt, rock salt, sodium lite, himalayan salt

• Use fresh herbs, whole spices to flavor food in replace of Salt in cooking

Choose Seasoning Carefully

Many types of seasonings, especially the ready-made ones available on the market, are high in sodium content. Onion salt, garlic salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, and salad dressings are a few sodium-rich seasoning ingredients you should avoid at all costs. You can make seasonings at home to limit the amount of salt that goes into your food. Or, you can choose sodium-free or low-sodium alternatives like citrus juices, herbs and spices, garlic powder, and chili peppers.

There’s a common myth that pink salt or sea salt are good alternatives to regular table salt, but they contain nearly the same amount of sodium as your regular salt. Low-sodium salt alternatives are also available on the market, but they aren’t recommended for kidney patients because of their high potassium chloride content

Conclusion

People with kidney diseases or those who are at an increased risk of developing CKD should see a urologist at AINU for diet recommendations. While your salt intake significantly affects your kidney health, there are other minerals that can strain your kidneys. Reach out to us if you have any queries. We can help you select low-sodium foods that are good for your kidneys and overall health.