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| | | Here's a not-so-fun fact: Roughly 1 in 7 U.S. adults have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and as many as 9 in 10 people with the condition don't know they have it. | | CKD is the progressive and gradual loss of kidney function. It's most commonly caused by high blood pressure and diabetes. Below, Lindsay Mahar, a registered dietitian at Healthline, explains how the foods you eat affect your health when you live with CKD. | | | | | | | Hope this helps!
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Ginger Wojcik
March 18, 2025 • 2.5 min read | | | |  | | | | Q: | I have chronic kidney disease. Are there foods I need to avoid? | | | A: | CKD is a complex medical condition with five progressive stages. What you can or cannot eat depends on which stage you're in, and your diet may need to change over time. Because of this, it's crucial to work with your doctor to build an individualized eating plan.
In the early stages of CKD, when damage to the kidneys is minimal, maintaining a balanced diet — including lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats like fish and poultry, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil — can slow the progression of the disease and help prevent further damage. It's also recommended to avoid or limit alcohol and ultra-processed foods, such as soda, white bread, and potato chips.
As CKD progresses, the kidneys become less able to filter out certain nutrients and fluids. Therefore, it may become necessary to limit your intake of sodium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and protein. Foods you may need to limit or avoid include: As you can see, your diet becomes highly restrictive during late stage CKD. It's vital to work with your care team to ensure that your diet is in line with your CKD management plan. Your doctor will monitor your blood and urine to help determine whether you are getting the right amounts of these and other nutrients.
That being said, there are plenty of kidney disease-friendly foods out there. Depending on your specific diet recommendations, these six low potassium recipes may make sense to work into your eating plan. | | | | | Lindsay Mahar, Registered Dietitian | | | Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com and we'll look into it for you! (Heads up, we may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.) | | | | | | | | | What we're digesting | | 🥴 The 5 types of Crohn's disease. Knowing the type you have can help you get the correct treatment. | | ⚕️ Resources for advanced prostate cancer. Learn where to get your questions answered and how to reach out for emotional support. | | ⚖️ 9 hormones that affect your weight. Plus, tips for keeping them at healthy levels. | | 🍵 What happens when you replace coffee with matcha for a month? Healthline editor Sarah Choi shares her experience. | | | | | How did you feel about this newsletter? | | | | | Email nutritionedition@healthline.com with comments related to this newsletter or topics you'd like to see in future editions. The newsletter editors read every message that lands in our inbox — yes, really! We look forward to hearing from you. | | | | Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
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