4 Low-Sodium Chips and Crackers

RenalTracker Team
August 29, 2023

I hope you enjoy reading this blog post. It has been written and vetted by RenalTracker's team of kidney experts and researchers. The same team was awarded the KidneyX Prize organized by the American Society of Nephrology and HHS for pre-dialysis solution in Washington DC in 2019.   

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The demand for low-sodium foods for CKD patients grew when they became more health conscious. Even though most patients are aware that salty snacks such as chips and crackers should be avoided, it can be difficult to find low-sodium substitutes. Fortunately, there are a lot of healthy choices available:

Popcorn (air-popped)

With only 1 mg of salt per cup, air-popped popcorn can be a delicious, healthy, and high-fiber snack. It’s so easy to prepare and can be flavorful with your favorite ingredients.

Sweet potato chips

This is a crunchy snack that’s rich in fiber, vitamins A, and C. They are also great substitutes to the traditional potato chips. since each serving only contains roughly around 45 mg of salt

Whole-grain crackers

Crackers made of whole grains, such as Triscuits, or Wasa, are great sources of fiber, and contain around 20-25 mg of sodium per serving.

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Benefits of choosing low sodium chips and crackers:

  • Decreased risk for heart disease
  • Weight control
  • Better digestion
  • Overall health benefits

According to a study on The Importance of Sodium Restrictions in Chronic Kidney Disease that was published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition, that did a crossover study on the impact of a low and high sodium diet on blood pressure, found that the study found a positive impact on BP, kidney function, and volume markers with less dietary sodium. High sodium intake resulted in increased glomerular filtration rate and urine output, which was thought to be a result of hyper filtration causing damage to the kidney. This also resulted in an increase in the extracellular/intracellular fluid ratio, proving a correlation with high sodium intake and fluid retention.

So, by adding low-sodium snacks like chips and crackers, it can be very beneficial to your kidney health. However, it’s important to remember that even if the snacks we listed above are low in sodium, it’s still best to consume them in moderation.

That being said, if you want to learn how to start a low-sodium diet, you can schedule a call with our enrollment advisor today to get started.

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