What is one with chronic kidney disease suppose to eat?
Just curious.
Very little protein.
The great thing about protein, from a weight loss point of view, is that it requires more calories to metabolize. So, calorie-for-calorie, you net fewer of the calories.
But that means the body is working harder to get it done.
The kidneys do much of that added work. Thus, folks who have or work with chronic kidney disease say protein is “harder” on the kidneys than other foods, causing more wear-and-tear, and causing kidney disease to progress more rapidly.
This is said to be true even with people with healthy kidneys. But, life generally wears kidneys out. Kidney disease is generally measured by glomerular filtration rate, or GFR. An healthy individual’s GFR at 70 is almost certainly going to be lower than when he was 20. And lots of protein will cause that to happen more quickly. But most people wear the rest of their body out before their kidneys. “Bisogna morire.” We all die.
But if you have chronic kidney disease, I don’t know ANYONE who recommends an all-meat diet. Interestingly, prior to ESRD and the need for dialysis/transplant, protein, especially animal protein, is VERY restricted. While on dialysis, it’s still restricted, but folks with CKD tend toward anemia, and many nephrologists and renal dieticians actually recommend that you eat a modest, but regular amount of meat. especially lean beef.
As to what folks with CKD eat, very little! LOL. A renal diet is often pretty restricted, at least for those on hemodialysis. Restricted sodium, potassium and phosphorus intake are typical, but kidney patients are told to “eat their labs,” in other words, adjust diet according to individual blood work results.