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Kidney Disease (CKD) Diet Plan

For chronic kidney disease not on dialysis: moderate protein, less salt, and lower-potassium and lower-phosphorus choices, with a week of meals to start from. Kidney diets are very personal, so use it with your kidney team. Free, no sign-up, and it runs in your browser: your health details are never sent anywhere.

General guidance based on public guidelines, not a personal prescription. Check with your doctor or a registered dietitian, especially if you take medicines or have more than one condition.

1. Choose a condition

2. About you

Your plan

Chronic kidney disease (not on dialysis)

With chronic kidney disease (stages 3–5, not on dialysis), eating a moderate amount of protein and much less salt protects the kidneys. Whether you need to limit potassium and phosphorus depends on your blood tests, so your kidney team sets those limits.

  • Kidney disease: your potassium, phosphorus and fluid limits are personal. Use this plan only together with your kidney doctor or renal dietitian.

Daily targets

Calories

1,880 kcal

Maintenance ≈ 1,884

Carbohydrate

259 g

55% of calories

Protein

56 g

0.6–0.8 g per kg

Fat

69 g

33% of calories

Fibre

≥ 24 g

Sodium

≤ 2,000 mg

≈ 5.1 g salt in total

Saturated fat

≤ 21 g

Added sugar

≤ 47 g

≈ 12 tsp

  • Dialysis diets are very different (more protein, strict fluid, potassium and phosphorus limits): if you're on dialysis, follow your renal dietitian, not this plan.
  • Protein about 0.6–0.8 g per kg body weight a day (KDIGO 2024): moderate, not high
  • Sodium under 2,000 mg a day
  • Potassium and phosphorus: limit only as your blood tests and kidney team advise
  • Enough calories to avoid losing muscle (about 25–35 kcal per kg)
  • Choose fresh foods; avoid processed foods with phosphate additives

What to eat

Eat more

  • Moderate portions of chicken, fish or eggs (egg whites are especially kidney-friendly)
  • Plant proteins in measured portions: ½ cup daal, tofu
  • Lower-potassium vegetables: lauki (bottle gourd), tinda, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, green beans, peppers, carrots
  • Lower-potassium fruit: apple, pear, berries, pineapple, grapes
  • Rice, roti, pasta and bread for energy
  • Olive, mustard or canola oil to add calories without protein

Limit

  • High-potassium foods if your potassium runs high: banana, orange, mango, coconut water, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, dried fruit
  • High-phosphorus foods if your phosphorus runs high: milk, paneer, cheese, nuts, colas, whole grains in large amounts
  • Large portions of meat, fish and pulses (protein)

Avoid

  • Salt substitutes (they contain potassium chloride)
  • Processed and packaged foods with phosphate additives ('phos' on the label), dark colas
  • Pickles, papad, instant noodles, salty snacks and takeaways
  • Herbal supplements and protein powders unless your kidney doctor approves

7-day meal plan

Monday · about 1,888 kcal, 274 g carbs, 83 g protein, 34 g fibre, 1,646 mg sodium

Breakfast

≈ 450 kcal

2 slices plain toast with a ripe banana

  • • 3 slice white bread
  • • 1½ bananas

90 g carbs · 12 g protein · 5 g fat · 6 g fibre

Mid-morning snack

≈ 175 kcal

Moong sprout chaat with tomato, onion and lemon

  • • 1¼ cup moong sprouts
  • • ½ tomato
  • • ½ lemon

28 g carbs · 11 g protein · 1 g fat · 8 g fibre

Lunch

≈ 600 kcal

Baked white fish with mashed potato and steamed carrots

  • • 175 g white fish (cod)
  • • 225 g potatoes
  • • 1¼ cup carrots
  • • 1¼ tsp olive oil

58 g carbs · 40 g protein · 19 g fat · 6 g fibre

Afternoon snack

≈ 163 kcal

Berries with a spoon of pumpkin seeds

  • • 1 cup berries
  • • 1¼ tbsp pumpkin seeds

18 g carbs · 6 g protein · 9 g fat · 5 g fibre

Dinner

≈ 500 kcal

Brown-rice vegetable pulao with raita and salad

  • • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • • 1 cup mixed vegetables
  • • ½ cup raita

80 g carbs · 14 g protein · 13 g fat · 9 g fibre

Shopping list for the week

Vegetables & fruit

Grains & bread

Pulses & legumes

Dairy & eggs

Meat & fish

Nuts & seeds

Oils, herbs & spices

Tips

  • To lower the potassium in potatoes and vegetables, peel, cut small, soak and boil in plenty of water, then drain (leaching).
  • Cook without salt and add lemon, herbs and spices.
  • Bring a 3-day food diary to your renal dietitian: limits are personal.

Easy swaps

  • Bananaswap forApple or pear
  • Aloo sabziswap forLauki, tinda or cabbage sabzi
  • Colaswap forWater or homemade lemon water
  • Large chicken portionswap forPalm-sized portion with more vegetables and rice

When to see a doctor

  • Much less urine, swelling of legs or face, breathlessness: contact your kidney team.
  • Muscle weakness, palpitations or an irregular heartbeat (possible high potassium): seek urgent care.

Does what you ate fit this plan?

Type or say a meal and each food is checked against the plan.

In English, Urdu or Hindi, e.g. “I had two roti with daal and a cup of chai”. Turned into text on this device; the recording isn't kept or sent.

General guidance based on public guidelines, not a personal prescription. Check with your doctor or a registered dietitian, especially if you take medicines or have more than one condition.

Read the full guide: Kidney Disease Diet: Protein, Salt and Potassium Guide

How to plan meals for chronic kidney disease

Quick answer: To plan meals for chronic kidney disease, keep protein moderate, cut salt, follow your blood tests for potassium and phosphorus and get enough calories.

  1. Keep protein moderate. About 0.6–0.8 g per kg of body weight a day (KDIGO 2024): palm-sized portions, not big ones.
  2. Cut salt. Under 2,000 mg sodium a day. Avoid pickles, papad, packet foods and salt substitutes (they contain potassium).
  3. Follow your blood tests for potassium and phosphorus. If they run high, choose apples, berries, lauki, cabbage and cucumber over bananas, oranges, potatoes, tomatoes and coconut water, and avoid colas and phosphate additives.
  4. Get enough calories. Rice, roti and healthy oils keep your energy up so your body doesn't break down muscle.

Leaching vegetables

To lower the potassium in potatoes and some vegetables: peel, cut into small pieces, soak, then boil in plenty of water and drain before cooking. Your dietitian can tell you if you need to.

On dialysis?

Dialysis diets are very different: they usually need more protein and strict fluid, potassium and phosphorus limits. Follow your renal dietitian, not this plan.

Why medical advice matters here

Potassium and phosphorus limits depend on your blood tests and medicines, and they change as kidney function changes. Bring the plan and your latest results to your kidney doctor or renal dietitian.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein should I eat with CKD?

For CKD stages 3–5 not on dialysis, KDIGO 2024 suggests about 0.8 g per kg of body weight a day, and some people are prescribed less under supervision. For 70 kg, that's around 56 g a day.

Is daal OK for kidney patients?

In measured portions (about ½ cup), yes for most people: plant protein is easier on the kidneys, and less of its phosphorus is absorbed. If your potassium or phosphorus is high, your dietitian may limit it.

Can I use low-sodium salt?

Not without asking your doctor. Most salt substitutes use potassium chloride, which can be dangerous with kidney disease.

Discussion

No questions here yet. Stuck on something, or found a trick worth sharing?