When the kidney's function of filtering and excreting toxins is impaired, substances such as potassium, phosphorus and sodium easily accumulate in the body. Therefore, diet plays a very important role in controlling the disease. Therefore, if a family member has kidney failure, housewives need to pay attention to choosing food for meals.
Housewives should note that some vegetables, although nutritious, are not suitable for people with kidney failure due to their high potassium or mineral content.
First, people with kidney failure should limit vegetables with high potassium content. Potassium is a mineral necessary for the body, but when the kidneys are weak, potassium excretion becomes difficult. If potassium accumulates too much in the blood, it can cause heart rhythm disorders and be life-threatening. Vegetables containing a lot of potassium that people with kidney failure need to avoid or should only eat very little include spinach, amaranth, water spinach, broccoli and kale. These are all vegetables very rich in potassium, so eating too much will increase the burden on the kidneys. Therefore, housewives should limit processing this type of vegetable in the diet for family members with kidney failure.
In addition, people with kidney failure should also limit vegetables high in phosphorus. When kidney function declines, phosphorus is difficult to excrete from the body, leading to accumulation in the blood. This can cause bone problems and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Some vegetables and plant foods have relatively high phosphorus content such as peas, soybeans, or legumes in general. Although they provide a lot of plant protein, people with kidney failure need to use them at a controlled level.
Sour or processed vegetables such as pickled mustard greens and pickled eggplant should also not be eaten much. These foods often contain very high levels of sodium. Sodium causes the body to retain water, increase blood pressure and put greater pressure on weakened kidneys. Consuming too much sodium can also cause edema and difficulty controlling blood pressure in patients.
However, this does not mean that people with kidney failure must completely abstain from green vegetables. Housewives can add to the patient's diet many low-potassium vegetables such as cabbage, cucumber, zucchini or lettuce in reasonable amounts.
The most important thing is that patients need to balance their diet, consult a doctor or nutritionist to build a diet suitable for each stage of kidney failure.
Good nutrition control not only helps reduce the burden on the kidneys but also contributes to slowing down the progression of the disease and improving the quality of life.
