Ensuring a kidney-friendly diet during Ramadan is important for patients with kidney disease. Consider the following tips for a healthy, kidney-friendly diet during the holy month:
Ramadan Dua: نَوَيْتُ اَنْ اُصُوْمَ غَدًا مِّنْ شَهْرِ رَمْضَانَ الْمُبَارَكِ فَرْضَا لَكَ يَا اللهُ فَتَقَبَّل مِنِّى اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ السَّمِيْعُ الْعَلِيْم
General
- Divide your food intake into three meals (Iftar, midnight, and Suhoor).
- Avoid large amounts of sodium (table salt) to control your blood pressure and avoid feeling thirsty throughout the day.
- Avoid large amounts of potassium (from vegetables, bananas, dates, apricots, figs, tomatoes, lentils, milk and dates). If you choose to eat dates, eat only one or two a day.
- Avoid large quantities of phosphorus (from beans, nuts, dairy products, carbonated beverages, etc.).
- Boil, bake or grill your food in place of frying.
- Avoid processed and canned meats, fish and chicken, as they contain a large amount of salt.
- Do not exercise during the daytime; evening is better.
- Do not consume a lot of food at one time.
- Chew your food well.
Suhoor
- Do not skip Suhoor. In order to avoid weakness and fatigue throughout the day, it is important that patients with kidney disease eat more calories than individuals without kidney disease.
- Delay your Suhoor meal to Fajir time.
- Consume plenty of protein.
- Consume slow-digesting, fiber-rich foods (such as whole-wheat bread, legumes, salads and vegetables) that will help sustain you throughout the day.
- Increase your fiber intake, such as whole wheat bread, legumes, salads and vegetables.
- Avoid eating a heavy meal, especially if you go back to sleep after consuming it.
- After consuming a meal, the digestive system needs to digest the food and then absorb the nutrients. Some food items are easily digested (such as rice or potatoes) while others (such as meat or fried foods) need many hours to digest. The digestive system slows down during sleep.
- Try to consume low-fat foods, avoid large meals, go for a walk two hours after you eat, and return to sleep no sooner than three hours after eating.
- Sleeping soon after consuming the meals leads to improper digestion, and may cause constipation and gas problems.
Iftar
- Eat your Iftar meal at sunset, as permitted.
- Reduce your intake of sweets (such as sweetened gelatin, jam, honey, pudding, and sugary drinks). Sweets do not keep you feeling satisfied for long.
- Avoid food scents or food visuals, as they increase appetite and hunger.
- Your body will adapt and your hunger will subside as Ramadan goes on.
- Make your meal low in fat (avoid fried food and use lean meat, skinless chicken or baked fish). Foods such as samboosa should be baked, not fried.
- Be careful not to drink more than one liter of water/fluid daily after Iftar to prevent water retention that could affect their heart and lungs.
- Do not overeat.
Beverages
- Replace caffeinated drinks (tea, cola, coffee) with decaffeinated ones, as caffeine is a diuretic and depletes the body of its fluids.
- Beware of salt that may be in beverages.
Desserts
- Replace dry sweets such as baklava and lugaimat with custard and puddings, as these contain more water.
- Replace sweets with fresh fruits.
Kidney-friendly recipes are available so you can enjoy a healthy and delicious Iftar and Suhoor throughout Ramadan.