Creamy soups, hearty stews and tastes of home are comfort foods and are nothing to give up even when living with CKD! In fact, food should never feel like a burden, it should be something you look forward to, something that brings warmth, satisfaction, and even nostalgia. With a few mindful tweaks, you can continue to enjoy these kidney friendly comfort foods.
What are comfort foods?
Comfort foods are those familiar dishes that boost your mood, give a sense of nostalgia and are often tied to cultural traditions. These foods are different to everyone, from sweets to savoury.
For many people, comfort food is more than just a meal, it’s a way to take care of oneself. And when you’re managing CKD, maintaining a healthy relationship with food becomes even more important.
Comfort foods and CKD: What is the concern?
Traditional comfort foods are often high in:
- Sodium: Can raise blood pressure and put stress on the kidneys.
- Saturated fats: Can increase the risk of heart disease (something people with CKD are already more prone to).
- Sugar: In’t usually a problem for the kidneys unless blood sugar levels are too high, which can lead to damage over time in people with diabetes.
- Phosphorus and potassium: Found in certain dairy products, meats, and processed foods that can be harmful in high amounts for people with CKD.
But the good news? Comfort foods can be comforting and kidney-friendly with a few smart adjustments.
Kidney friendly comfort food ideas
You may be wondering, so how can I take a recipe and make changes? We’ll lets look at this Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup by Cookie and Kate.
Some ways to make this more kidney friendly are:
- Leave out the sea salt
- Use no added salt vegetable broth
- Leave out the butter, if not creamy enough add olive oil or non-dairy beverage
- Spread out the recipe and get 6 servings
These changes give you the following nutrition information based on Cronometer:
Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 153.3 calories, 11.2 g fat, 3.6 g saturated fat, 53.7 mg sodium, 12.7 g carbohydrates, 3.2 g fibre, 3.1 g protein, 482.2 mg potassium
Enjoying kidney friendly comfort food
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by food restrictions when you’re managing CKD but it’s important to remember that eating should still be a joyful, comforting part of life. By modifying and not eliminating your favorite recipes, you can maintain both your health and your love of food.
This article was written by Rachel Lo, Nutrition Student Volunteer.
This article was reviewed by Emily Campbell, RD CDE MScFN.