Green beans belong to the legume group, which is a food source rich in fiber and plant protein.
However, according to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), beans also contain significant amounts of potassium and phosphorus. For many people with early-stage chronic kidney disease, it is not necessary to completely eliminate beans.
Not only green beans themselves, the processing of sweet soup also increases the risk for people with kidney disease. A bowl of green bean sweet soup is usually cooked with quite a lot of sugar, sometimes adding coconut milk or milk.
High sugar content can increase blood sugar and contribute to overweight - two factors that make kidney disease progress faster, especially in people with diabetes at the same time. Meanwhile, coconut milk increases the amount of saturated fat and energy of the dish.
In addition, many people have a habit of eating sweet soup with ice or using it as a daily snack. This significantly increases the total amount of sugar and energy consumed.
For people undergoing hemodialysis or having to limit the amount of fluid intake, a bowl of tea with a lot of water can also contribute to exceeding the recommended amount of fluid per day.
That does not mean that kidney patients must absolutely abstain from green bean sweet soup. Nutrition experts say that if kidney function is still stable, potassium and phosphorus levels are within the permissible limit, patients can still enjoy it in small quantities and not often. It is important to reduce sugar intake, not add coconut milk and control portion sizes.
Some ways to make sweet soup more suitable are to reduce about half the amount of sugar compared to the usual recipe, do not use condensed milk, replace coconut milk with unsweetened vegetable milk if appropriate, and only eat about half a bowl each time.
However, even when applying these methods, patients still need to consult a doctor or nutritionist if they are controlling potassium, phosphorus or fluid levels.
