Healthy Eating When You Have Diabetes and Kidney Disease: Care Instructions

Your food choices are important when you have diabetes and kidney disease. Planning meals that have the right amount of carbohydrate, protein, and other nutrients can help keep your blood sugar in your target range and help your kidneys work as well as possible.

Your doctor and dietitian will help you make an eating plan. It will be based on your medical condition. For example, you may need to limit salt, fluids, and protein. You also may need to limit minerals such as potassium and phosphorus. It takes planning, but there are plenty of tasty, healthy foods you can eat. Always talk with your doctor or dietitian before you change what you eat.

• Work with your doctor or dietitian to create a food plan that guides your daily food choices.
• Do not skip meals or go for many hours without eating.
• Talk to your doctor or dietitian about ways to get more calories if you have a hard time eating enough.
• If you would like to drink alcohol, ask your doctor if it's safe.

• Ask your doctor or dietitian how much protein you can have each day. You need some protein to stay healthy.
• Include all sources of protein in your daily protein count. Besides meat, poultry, and fish, protein is found in milk and milk products, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, tofu, and eggs. Vegetables and grain products, such as bread and cereal, contain small amounts of protein too. Check the Nutrition Facts label found on packaged food to find out how much protein are in those foods.

• Do not add salt to your food. And look for "low sodium" on labels.
• Do not use a salt substitute or lite salt unless your doctor says it is okay. (These products are high in potassium.)
• Avoid or use very small amounts of condiments and marinades. These include soy sauce, fish sauce, and barbecue sauce. They are high in sodium.
• Avoid salted pretzels, chips, and other salted snacks.
• Check food labels to become more aware of the sodium content of foods. Foods that are high in sodium include soups; many canned foods; cured, smoked, or dried meats; and many packaged foods.

• Ask your dietitian how much carbohydrate you can have. Carbohydrate foods include:
  • Grain products such as bread, rice, pasta, tortillas, and cereals.
  • Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, peas, and beans.
  • Fruits, milk, and milk products (except cheese).
  • Candy, table sugar, and sugar-sweetened drinks such as soda pop.

• Know what your fluid allowance is. Fill a pitcher with that amount of water every day. If you drink another fluid (such as coffee) that day, pour an equal amount out of the pitcher.
• Foods that are liquid at room temperature count as fluids. These include ice, gelatin, ice pops, and ice cream.

• Limit foods that are high in potassium. Potassium is in many foods, including vegetables, fruits, and milk products. Some high-potassium foods are bananas, broccoli, cantaloupe, milk, oranges, potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes.
• Choose fruits and vegetables that don't have as much potassium. These include applesauce, blueberries, cucumbers, grapes, green beans, lettuce, olives, pineapple, and raspberries.

• Follow your doctor's or dietitian's plan for your daily limit on milk and milk products.
• Avoid organ meats and processed meats like bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets.
• Avoid cola drinks.
• Avoid grain products that have phosphorus added to them. Check the ingredients list on food labels. These foods have ingredients that start with "phos" in the ingredients list. Examples of foods that may have phosphorus added include bread, cake, muffin, and biscuit mixes.