How much sodium is okay for kidney disease?

Controlling your sodium intake is key for managing kidney disease. Nutrition can help you not only retain kidney function, but also make you feel better! There are four vital components to a kidney-friendly diet: 1) potassium, 2) phosphorus, 3) sodium, and 4) protein.

Too much sodium and CKD?

Now, let’s jump right in! You have probably heard about sodium at this point, with hypertension and chronic kidney disease we know that too much sodium can worsen our condition. High levels of sodium can result in increased thirst, elevated blood pressure, and headaches.

Water tends to follow sodium in the body, so when there is a lot of sodium, the body will hold onto a lot of water – this can cause a condition called edema where your hands, feet, and ankles may feel swollen or puffy. Diets high in sodium can also cause an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Where is sodium in food?

Processed or snack foods, such as chips, pretzels, microwave dinners, canned foods, cheeses, and meats are common sources of foods high in sodium.

Check out this chart below to see some common sources and alternatives that we could use instead.

Low Sodium Foods

Best low sodium foods for CKD  include:

• Fresh or frozen beef, lamb, pork, poultry and fish
• Eggs
• Unsalted nuts and low sodium nut butters
• Dried beans and peas
• Cream cheese, ricotta, mozzarella and Swiss cheese
• Milk, yogurt, ice cream and ice milk
• Muffins and many ready-to-eat cereals
• Low-sodium tortillas, noodles and crackers
• Unsalted popcorn, chips, and pretzels

For more blogs about kidney disease, take a look at these:

• Mastering Chronic Kidney Disease: Strategies for Renal Health
• What can I eat with Kidney Disease?
• What are kidney friendly beverages?
• Potassium and kidney disease: what you need to know
• Eating with Potassium restriction