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Egg whites for a dialysis diet

Egg whites are an excellent source or high quality protein for the dialysis diet. Egg whites are very low in phosphorus (5 mg per egg white). Most of the phosphorus in an egg is in the yolk (60-90 mg per yolk).  Pasteurized fresh egg whites are packaged in a carton, found in the egg/dairy section […]

Spinach: Yes or No For a Kidney Diet?

Last updated: August 6, 2026 Raw spinach is lower in potassium than cooked spinach. If you’ve ever cooked a bag of spinach, you can probably guess why. When heated, spinach leaves wilt and shrink, so it takes about 3 times more to produce an equal volume. Potassium For comparison, 1/2 cup cooked fresh spinach weighs […]

About Kidney Diet Tips

About Kidney Diet Tips This blog is brought to you by DaVita Kidney Care, a company that, through its operating divisions, provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. DaVita Kidney Care is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to […]

Why does the renal diet limit some healthy foods?

When a person starts on dialysis, one of the diet contradictions is that all the sudden some foods that were forbidden are on the ‘ok to eat’ list and foods that were healthy to eat end up on the ‘limit or avoid’ list. What’s going on? The answer has something to do with potassium and […]

Vinegar: An Ideal Seasoning for Kidney Diets

Last updated: July 9, 2026 Vinegar is made through the fermentation of plant sugars, which are then turned into alcohol. That alcohol is exposed to bacteria the changes the alcohol into acetic acid. The ingredient responsible for the sour taste of vinegar. Some vinegars sources include: Vinegar is an excellent seasoning for a kidney diet […]

Best Broth Choices for a Kidney Diet

Last updated: July 9, 2026 For people following a low sodium diet, the biggest problem with soup and broth is the extremely high sodium content. A one cup serving can exceed 1000 mg sodium. For the best choices, look for low sodium  broth that contains less than 140 mg sodium per one cup serving or reduced sodium […]

Liquid low cholesterol egg product: use in a kidney diet

Why is potassium limited in the dialysis diet for people on hemodialysis?

Most people on hemodialysis limit high potassium foods to keep blood levels from going too high. Potassium is a mineral that helps muscles and nerves work properly, and it helps regulate the heartbeat and blood pressure. In kidney failure, potassium from the diet builds up in the body. If the level goes too high the […]

Which foods count as fluid for those with kidney disease following a dialysis diet and fluid restriction?

Any food that is liquid or will melt at room temperature counts as fluid. These can be divided into visible fluids (includes anything a person drinks) and hidden fluids (foods that appear as solids, but are liquid at room temperature). For people with kidney disease following a prescribed fluid restriction, all the items below are […]

Why is sodium limited in the dialysis diet?

Foods high in sodium can make you very thirsty. Excess sodium may also increase blood pressure and contribute to fluid retention. For people on dialysis these are two reasons sodium is limited in the dialysis diet. For those with kidney failure, fluids are limited in their diets. Because kidneys are no longer able to remove fluids […]