Chinese cuisine is loved all over the world for its bold flavours, spices and endless options. But if you’re managing CKD, finding kidney-friendly options may seem tricky. However, with a little knowledge and planning, you can still enjoy delicious Chinese food with CKD while keeping your kidneys in mind.
Understanding a kidney-friendly diet
If you have chronic kidney disease, your doctor or dietitian may recommend making nutrition changes such as:
- Sodium: to help control blood pressure and reduce fluid retention
- Potassium: as too much makes it difficult for the kidneys to control the amount of potassium in the blood if your potassium is high, but always to avoid potassium additives
- Phosphorus: can buildup can weaken bones and damage blood vessels, always to avoid phosphorus additives
- Protein: depending on your stage of CKD, you may need to monitor protein intake and types of protein
Even with these modifications Chinese cuisine can be included with CKD.
Chinese cuisine with CKD
Let’s take a look at some common foods in Chinese cuisine and how you can incorporate them into a kidney-friendly diet. Remember keeping in mind sodium, potassium, phosphorus and protein can help.
When ordering dishes, ask for:
- Ask for no MSG and “light sauce” or “sauce on the side” this helps to reduce the sodium
- Share dishes: Chinese restaurants often serve dishes family style which is great for sharing and can help manage portions of sodium, protein, potassium and phosphorus
1. Steamed Dishes
- Steamed options like steamed vegetables, steamed chicken, or steamed fish are often lower in sodium and fat compared to deep fried or sauced dishes.
- For example
- Dumplings
- Steamed rice rolls
- Sticky rice
- Baos
2. Stir-Fried Veggies
- Lightly stir-fried vegetables can be kidney-friendly if you ask for “light sauce” or sauce on the side. Choose vegetables lower in potassium like:
- Green beans
- Cabbage
- Bok choy
- Bell peppers
- Bean sprouts
- Lotus root
- Chayote
3. Rice and Noodles
- Plain white rice, vermicelli and rice noodles (like in chow fun or mei fun) are low phosphorus options. Rice noodles can be enjoyed stir fried or in soups! Congee is also a great choice.
Enjoying Chinese foods with CKD at restaurants
Malatang, is a beloved Chinese street food known for its bold, spicy flavors and customizable ingredients, can actually be made CKD-friendly with a few smart swaps. One of the best things about Malatang is that you choose your own ingredients, which makes it easy to adapt for different dietary needs, including kidney health, so a great wat to enjoy Chinese foods with CKD.
Vegetables (Choose Low-Potassium Options if needed)
- Napa cabbage
- Bok choy
- Enoki mushrooms
- Bean sprouts
- Bamboo shoots (rinse canned versions)
- Sliced daikon (leach first, limit portion)
Noodles
- Glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli)
- Wheat noodles (regular or udon-style)
- Rice noodles
Protein
- Tofu (tofu puffs, frozen, silken, firm)
- Chicken breast
Sauce Bar
The perfect way to customize your malatang is at the sauce bar! There are an assortment of constituents such as vinegar, pepper and sesame oil that can add more flavour to your soup without the sodium.
Making Chinese foods with CKD at home
If you are adventurous in the kitchen you may be looking for ways to make these meals at home. With smart choices and a little creativity, you can enjoy flavorful, satisfying Chinese meals that support your kidney health. Here are some of our favourite recipes
- Tofu Fried Rice from Balanced Bites: A Diabetes and Kidney-Friendly Cookbook
- Lemon Tofu Stir-Fry from The Complete Renal Diet Cookbook
- Stir-Fry Rice Noodles with Chicken and Basil from the Kidney Community Kitchen
- Eight Treasures and Sweet Potato Congee from Healthy Eating for Life Cookbook
If you’re looking for personalized nutrition support to help you include some of your favourite foods, connect with our team for a free 20 minute intro call.