Is Fig Good For Kidney Patients

Renal Diet: Fruits For Kidney Stone Patients

For example, if you are on a renal diet due to oxalate kidney stones, then your diet would consist of foods that dont form oxalates and those that help break down oxalates.

Recent research shows that calcium levels should be particularly paid attention to, as they may not have enough calcium, rather than too much. Your dietitian will help you determine the proper amount of calcium and the form of calcium to take to bind up some of the oxalates in your diet.

Fruits allowed on a low oxalate diet include the following: cherries bananas cantaloupe plums red seedless grapes canned pears nectarines watermelon canned pineapple honeydew melon Crenshaw melon

How Meal Plans Work

The Kidney Kitchen Pro meal plan features makes it easy to collect and share a week-long meal plan featuring Kidney Kitchen recipes and other kidney-friendly foods. You can customize the meal plans based on a patients eating habits, preferences and any restrictions. You can even include both shared notes that are visible on the meal plan or private notes that only you have the ability to access. The meal plans you create can be saved, shared via email and printed.

May Help Manage Blood Sugar Levels

One dated study from 1998 in 10 people with type 1 diabetes found that having fig leaf tea with breakfast may have decreased their insulin needs. In the month they received fig leaf tea, their insulin doses decreased by about 12% .

Whats more, a more recent study found that drinks containing high doses of fig fruit extract had a lower glycemic index than beverages with no fig fruit extract, meaning these drinks would have a more favorable effect on blood sugar levels .

However, fig fruits especially dried figs are high in sugar and may increase blood sugar levels in the short term. If you have trouble managing your blood sugar levels, you should limit your intake of dried figs.

Read Also: How Do Know If Your Kidneys Are Failing

Can Cause Retinal Rectal And Vaginal Bleeding

Figs have a warm tendency, and overconsuming them may increase the risk of retinal bleeding, rectal bleeding, and slight vaginal bleeding. It may even increase the risk of hemolytic anemia .

To avoid the risk, enjoy figs in moderation and if you experience any such symptoms, discontinue eating figs and consult a doctor

Health Benefits Of Figs For Kidney Patients

Figs is a kind of a very healthy fruit. What are the health benefits of figs for kidney patients? In this article, you will have a general look. Besides, there are some precautions for you when you eat figs.

Reduce cholesterol

Figs contain Pectin, which is a soluble fiber. When fiber moves through the digestive system, it basically mops up excess clumps of cholesterol and carries them to the excretory system to be eliminated from the body. As a soluble fiber, pectin from figs also stimulates healthy bowel movements. Figs can have a laxative effect, as they are one of the most fiber-dense foods available. High amounts of fiber in your diet can benefit your overall health by preventing certain types of abdominal cancer, as well as colon cancer.

Prevent high blood pressure

People usually take in sodium in the form of salt, but low potassium and high sodium level may lead to hypertension. Figs are high in potassium and low in sodium, so they are a perfect defense against the appearance and effects of hypertension, making figs a relaxing food as well, which can settle the nerves and bring some calmness to your day.

Help cure diabetes

Prevent constipation

There are 5 grams of fiber in every three-fig serving. That high concentration of fiber helps promote healthy, regular bowel function and prevents constipation. Fiber works to add bulk and mass to bowel movements, so it not only prevents constipation, but also eliminates diarrhea and unhealthy or irregular bowel movements.

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Packaged Instant And Premade Meals

Processed foods can be a major component of sodium in the diet.

Among these foods, packaged, instant, and premade meals are usually the most heavily processed and thus contain the most sodium.

Examples include frozen pizza, microwaveable meals, and instant noodles.

Keeping sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day may be difficult if youre eating highly processed foods regularly.

Heavily processed foods not only contain a large amount of sodium but also commonly lack nutrients .

SUMMARY

Packaged, instant, and premade meals are highly processed items that can contain very large amounts of sodium and lack nutrients. Its best to limit these foods on a renal diet.

Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens are leafy green vegetables that contain high amounts of various nutrients and minerals, including potassium.

When served raw, the amount of potassium varies between 140290 mg per cup .

While leafy vegetables shrink to a smaller serving size when cooked, the potassium content remains the same.

For example, one-half cup of raw spinach will shrink to about 1 tablespoon when cooked. Thus, eating one-half cup of cooked spinach will contain a much higher amount of potassium than one-half cup of raw spinach.

Raw Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens are preferable to cooked greens to avoid too much potassium.

However, moderate your intake of these foods, as theyre also high in oxalates. Among sensitive individuals, oxalates can increase the risk of kidney stones (

Keep The Sodium Content Low

If youre buying canned fish or packaged fish or fish sticks for example, youll want to make sure its low sodium. Again, fish like sardines tend to be packed in a salty oil. You may read food labels to prevent choosing these products and increase your opportunity for healthy kidneys. Fresh or frozen fish filets are your safest option for keeping sodium and phosphorus low and improving your kidneys and preventing kidney failure.

Read Also: Can Kidney Stones Cause Constipation Or Diarrhea

How To Prepare Figs

Figs can easily be eaten fresh as a snack, or halved and tossed into a salad or sandwich for added crunch and flavor. However, there are also a number of tasty ways to bake using figs as a sweetener.

One option is to cut figs up small and mix them into dough the way you might mix in raisins. Prepared like this, figs go great in breads, cookies, and muffins.

Fig bars can be made by cooking chopped figs over medium heat until they are soft and moist. Then, they can be pressed into a pan with other ingredients.

Another option is to cut your figs lengthwise, season with honey and cinnamon, and roast them in the oven for 40 minutes to make a sweet dessert or delicious side dish.

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Oranges And Orange Juice

While oranges and orange juice are arguably most well known for their vitamin C content, theyre also rich sources of potassium.

One large orange provides 333 mg of potassium. Moreover, there are 473 mg of potassium in 1 cup of orange juice .

Given their potassium content, oranges and orange juice likely need to be avoided or limited on a renal diet.

Grapes, apples, and cranberries, as well as their respective juices, are all good substitutes for oranges and orange juice, as they have lower potassium contents.

SUMMARY

Oranges and orange juice are high in potassium and should be limited on a renal diet. Try grapes, apples, cranberries, or their juices instead.

Processed meats are meats that have been salted, dried, cured, or canned.

Some examples include hot dogs, bacon, pepperoni, jerky, and sausage.

Processed meats typically contain large amounts of salt, mostly to improve their taste and preserve flavor.

Therefore, it may be difficult to keep your daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg if processed meats are abundant in your diet.

Additionally, processed meats are high in protein.

If you have been told to monitor your protein intake, its important to limit processed meats for this reason as well.

SUMMARY

Processed meats are high in salt and protein and should be consumed in moderation on a renal diet.

Pickles, processed olives, and relish are all examples of cured or pickled foods.

Usually, large amounts of salt are added during the curing or pickling process.

SUMMARY

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Things To Look For In Fish On A Renal Diet

Not all fish is going to be a good addition to your meal plan or renal diet. With kidney disease, as mentioned, there are some nutrients that you want to avoid. The freshest fish is the best option and an excellent source of nutrients because it wont have any additives or preservatives. Lets explore what you want to look for in a kidney-friendly diet when choosing between fish species.

Preparing Meals For A Dog With Kidney Disease

Whatever you and your veterinarian decide to go with, whether canned or dry dog food, or fresh and cooked meats, the hardest thing about having a dog with kidney disease is often not what to fix but to make sure your dog is eating regularly, Dr. Bailey says.

“Dogs with kidney disease tend to have trouble keeping weight on,” Dr. Bailey says “They tend to not have a great appetite, so I would lean towards feeding your dog a few times a day.”

She adds that you’ll also want to make sure your dog has easy access to water. That’s vital for all dogs, of course, not to mention all living creatures, but especially so if your dog has kidney disease.

If your dog has not been diagnosed with it, it may be hard for you to know for sure whether your dog has kidney disease. But at least at feeding times and every time you fill the water bowl you can feel good knowing that you’re making a difference in your dogs quality of life and possibly extending his or her lifetime by years.

“As a general statement, a lot of what you do at home has a very good chance of extending your dog’s life,” Dr. Bailey says.

“We can only make the recommendations. What you do at home definitely matters in this case. It’s kind of like going to your cardiologist. They tell you to go on certain medications, and it’s your decision whether you do it or not,” she says. “Your pet’s health is to some extent in your hands, so you want to make sure you make good choices.”

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Can Nitric Oxide Harm Kidneys

Nitric oxide has been implicated in many physiologic processes that influence both acute and long-term control of kidney function. Its net effect in the kidney is to promote natriuresis and diuresis, contributing to adaptation to variations of dietary salt intake and maintenance of normal blood pressure.

What Foods Are Bad For Kidneys

Someone with kidney disease may have a buildup of waste products in their blood. A doctor may recommend that individuals change what they eat to help manage the condition and support kidney function.

The kidneys are a pair of essential organs situated on either side of the spine at the bottom of the rib cage.

They perform many crucial functions for health, including filtering waste products and excess fluid from the body and removing it through urine.

The kidneys also play a critical role in regulating the bodys mineral balance, and they produce a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production.

Kidney disease means that the kidneys are damaged and do not function properly. Poorly controlled diabetes can also

include age, high blood pressure, heart disease, alcohol use disorder, and carrying the hepatitis C virus. A recent study also found that African American people are about five times more likely to develop end stage kidney disease than white people.

When a person has kidney disease, they may have excess waste products in their blood. A doctor may suggest a change in diet to help manage the condition and support kidney function.

This article looks at which foods to avoid or limit with kidney disease. It also provides an overview of the renal, or kidney-friendly, diet.

Typically, a specialist kidney dietitian will work with people with kidney disease to tailor a diet to their needs.

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Eating Figs During Pregnancy And Nursing Stage

Figs contain essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals that help in maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

They lower our blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of gestational diabetes.

Folic acid in figs promotes brain development in the fetus and reduces the risk of birth defects like neural tube defects and spina bifida.

However, there are not many studies regarding the safety of figs during pregnancy and the nursing period.

For a safe side, have a word with your doctor before eating figs during pregnancy and nursing and ensure there is no risk involved.

Smart Snacking Choices For The Dialysis Patient

Hungry? Not sure what to eat when you get the munchies? The following are some ideas on what to eat in between meals to help you maintain your nutritional well being without all that extra potassium and phosphorus. Each smart snack contains less than 130 milligrams of potassium and less than 80 mg of phosphorus. Check with your renal dietitian on the number of servings that are appropriate for you.

SMART SNACK SERVING SIZE

Plain bagel with 1 tbsp. cream cheese	½ bagel
Rice or Corn Chex cereal	1 cup
Oatmeal or cream of wheat	½ cup
Shortbread cookies or sandwich cookies
Doughnut, plain without nuts or chocolate	1 doughnut
Dry cereal, ready to eat	1 ounce

• 1 pkg. frozen strawberries
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 6 oz. frozen liquid non-dairy creamer, thawed and
• ½ cup sugar.

Recipe Preparation:

• Break strawberries into chunks.
• Place all ingredients in blender. Cover and blend on high speed until smoothabout two minutes.
• Pour into refrigerator tray. Cover and freeze.
• When almost frozen, put back into blender. Blend for one minute on high. Freeze until firm.

Portions:

• One serving: ½ fruit, one fat, and three sweet exchanges

Nutrient Information:

• 17-oz. canned fruit cocktail, drained
• 19-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups non-dairy whipped topping
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows and
• 12 maraschino cherries.

• Mix ingredients together in large bowl
• Refrigerate and

• One serving: one fruit and two sweet exchanges.

Nutrient Information:

• 10 mg phosphorus and
• 10 mg sodium.

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Potatoes And Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are high in potassium, which can be a concern for people with kidney disease, especially those with late stage kidney disease.

For example, a medium baked potato contains 610 mg of potassium, and a standard baked sweet potato contains 541 mg of potassium .

However, potatoes and sweet potatoes can be soaked or leached to significantly reduce their potassium content.

In one study, boiling small, thin pieces of potatoes for at least 10 minutes reduced their potassium content by about 50% .

In another study, soaking potatoes after cooking them reduced the potassium content by as much as 70%, resulting in potassium levels suitable for people with kidney disease .

While these methods may lower the potassium content, potatoes and sweet potatoes are still high in carbs, so its a good idea to eat them in moderation if you have diabetes.

Summary

If you have kidney disease and diabetes, limit your intake of potatoes and sweet potatoes, as theyre high in potassium and carbs. However, boiling them can significantly reduce their potassium content.

Kidney Dialysis Food Lists

Food High in Potassium :One serving is about 1/2 cup or as statedBREAD & STARCHES:VEGETABLES:FRUITS:DAIRY PRODUCTS:MISCELLANEOUS:* very, very high in potassium.Foods Moderate in Potassium :One serving is about 1/2 cup or as statedBREAD & STARCHES:VEGETABLES:POTATO PRODUCTS:FRUITS:DAIRY PRODUCTS:MISCELLANEOUS:Foods Low in Potassium :One serving is about 1/2 cup or as statedBREAD & STARCHES:VEGETABLES:FRUITS:DAIRY PRODUCTS:MISCELLANEOUS:

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How Can I Keep My Potassium Level From Getting Too High

• You should limit foods that are high in potassium. Your renal dietitian will help you plan your diet so you are getting the right amount of potassium.
• Eat a variety of foods but in moderation.
• If you want to include some high potassium vegetable in your diet, leach them before using. Leaching is a process by which some potassium can be pulled out of the vegetable. Instructions for leaching selected high potassium vegetables can be found at the end of this fact sheet. Check with your dietitian on the amount of leached high potassium vegetables that can be safely included in your diet.
• Do not drink or use the liquid from canned fruits and vegetables, or the juices from cooked meat.
• Remember that almost all foods have some potassium. The size of the serving is very important. A large amount of a low potassium food can turn into a high- potassium food.
• If you are on dialysis, be sure to get all the treatment or exchanges prescribed to you.

May Promote Healthy Skin

Figs may have some beneficial effects on the skin, especially in people with allergic dermatitis or dry, itchy skin as a result of allergies.

One study in 45 children with dermatitis found that a cream made from dried fig fruit extract applied twice daily for 2 weeks was more effective at treating the symptoms of dermatitis than hydrocortisone cream, the standard treatment .

Whats more, a combination of fruit extracts including fig extract was shown to exhibit antioxidant effects on skin cells, decrease collagen breakdown, and improve the appearance of wrinkles in a test-tube and animal study .

However, its difficult to determine if these positive effects came from the fig extract or one of the other extracts being studied. More research is needed to determine figs effects on skin health.

Summary

Figs have a variety of potential health benefits. They may improve digestion and decrease constipation, help manage blood fat and blood sugar levels, and kill cancer cells. However, more research in humans is needed.

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If youre on a blood thinner, you should keep your intake of figs and other vitamin-K-rich foods consistent from day to day to decrease your risk of complications .

Finally, some people may be allergic to figs. If you have an allergy to birch pollen, you may be more likely to have a fig allergy as well. Fig trees also contain natural latex, which some people may be allergic to .

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