ESRD FOOD GUIDELINES
Food Guidelines* for People With ESRD
*Based on sodium, potassium and phosphorus mg per serving per food ingredient.
When you have end stage renal disease
(ESRD), it’s important to pay careful attention
to your diet and limit your maximum daily
intake for the following:
• Sodium: 2000 mg per day
• Potassium: 2000 mg per day
• Phosphorus: 1000 mg per day
Here’s a basic list of foods you can consider
when shopping for your kidney-friendly meals.
Remember, though, this is a general guideline,
so be sure to speak with your dietitian for food
choices that are customized for your particular
meal plan.
Foods to choose
Foods to limit
Food items selected based on
low-sodium, low-phosphorus
and low-potassium content per
serving size.*
Food items selected based on sodium,
phosphorus and potassium content
per serving size.*
BREADS
SERVING SIZE = 1 PIECE
i.e., 1 slice bread, ½ bagel, 1 muffin
Bagel (½)
Blueberry Muffin (small)
English Muffin (½)
Wheat Bread
White Bread
Boxed Bread Stuffing Mixes
Coffee Cake Croissant
Danish Pastry
Doughnuts (cake type)
Pancakes
Toaster Pastries
Waffles
CEREALS/GRAINS
SERVING SIZE = ½ CUP COOKED
Unless otherwise specified
Bulgur
Couscous
Dry Cereal – Plain (3/4 cup)
Hot Cereal (not instant)
Pasta
Quinoa
Rice
Rice Noodles
Boxed Rice Mixes
Canned Ravioli and Spaghetti
Cereal Bars
Granola
Granola Bars
BEVERAGES
SERVING SIZE = 1 CUP
Club Soda
Coffee
Ginger Ale
Iced Tea
Lemonade
Milk – Almond, Rice
Soy Milk
Tea – Green, Herb, Black
Water
Coconut Milk
Coconut Water
Colas
Flavored Water
Fruit Punch
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ESRD FOOD GUIDELINES
DAIRY
SERVING SIZE = ½ CUP
Unless otherwise specified
Cottage Cheese (1% milk fat,
no sodium)
Cream Cheese (1 tbsp)
Greek Yogurt
Yogurt
Cheese
Cottage Cheese – Regular
Milk – Chocolate, Regular, Buttermilk
DESSERT
SERVING SIZE = 1 PIECE or
1 SLICE
Unless otherwise specified
Cake – Angel Food
Frozen Novelties (ice pops)
Frozen Yogurt
Fruit Pies
Gelatin Desserts (½ cup)
Graham Crackers (2 squares)
Lemon Meringue Pie
Sherbet (½ cup)
Vanilla Wafers (8 wafers)
Cake – Frosted
Cheesecake
Cookies/Brownies
Ice Cream (½ cup)
Pecan Pie
Pudding (½ cup)
Pumpkin Pie
FRUITS
SERVING SIZE = ½ CUP or
1 MEDIUM SIZED FRUIT
Unless otherwise specified
Apples
Applesauce
Apricots (canned)
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Clementines
Cranberries (fresh and dried) (2 tbsp)
Cranberry Juice
Fruit Cocktail
Grapefruit (pink and white)
Grapes
Lemons
Limes
Mandarin Oranges (canned)
Peaches (canned)
Pears (canned)
Pineapple
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon
Apricots (fresh)
Bananas
Dried Fruits
Fruit Juices (except cranberry)
Kiwi
Mangoes
Melons (honeydew and cantaloupe)
Oranges
Papayas
Peaches (fresh)
Pears (fresh)
Rhubarb
Starfruit (AVOID)
PROTEIN SOURCE
SERVING SIZE = 3 oz
Unless otherwise specified
Beans – Kidney, Black, Navy (½ cup)
Beef/Veal
Chicken
Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans (½ cup)
Egg Substitute (1/4 cup)
Eggs (2)
Fish
Hummus – Plain (2 tbsp)
Lamb
Bacon
Crab
Deli Meats
Ham
Hot Dogs
Lobster
Sausage
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ESRD FOOD GUIDELINES
PROTEIN SOURCE (continued)
SERVING SIZE = 3 oz
Unless otherwise specified
Nut Butters (peanut, almond,
cashew) – Natural (2 tbsp)
Pork
Soybeans (½ cup)
Tofu
Turkey
Shrimp
Smoked Meats
VEGETABLES
SERVING SIZE = ½ CUP COOKED
without salt
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Fresh Greens – Spinach, Collard
Leeks
Lettuce (green, red, iceberg)
Mustard
Okra
Onions
Peppers (sweet green or red)
Snap Beans (green and yellow)
Sprouts
Summer Squash – Zucchini
Turnips
Artichokes
Beets
Brussels Sprouts
Cooked Greens – Spinach, Collard,
Mustard, Turnip
Kale
Mushrooms (shiitake, white)
Peas (fresh, canned, frozen)
Potatoes (white, sweet)
Pumpkin
Succotash
Tomatoes
Turnip Greens (fresh)
Winter Squash
MISCELLANEOUS
SERVING SIZE = 1 TABLESPOON
Butter (unsalted)
Canola Oil
Fresh Herbs
Ginger
Half and Half
Heavy Cream
Honey
Jams and Jellies
Ketchup (low-sodium)
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
Olive Oil
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Safflower Oil
Sour Cream
Vegetable Oil
Vinegar
All Canned Soup
Coconut Oil
Gravy – Canned, Mix
Lard
Mustard
Olives
Palm Oil
Pickles
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 27
http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list
*Foods with less than 1.1 mg sodium per gram and less than 1.5 mg phosphorus per gram.
© 2016 Fresenius Medical Care, All Rights Reserved.
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