Protein Management
Lesson
Let’s start by making one thing clear: protein is good for you.
Without protein, your body won’t function the way it’s supposed to. It’s needed for most bodily process, especially for growth, maintenance, and repair. It also plays a major role in building up muscle and fighting infection.
But here’s the catch—
Whenever your body breaks down protein from food, a waste product
called urea is produced. High levels of urea can cause fatigue and poor
appetite.
Too much protein in the body can also cause a buildup of creatinine,
another by-product of metabolism as protein is used up. Creatinine,
whether you’re aware or not, is one of the key determinants of kidney
damage.
Your kidneys work to remove these by-products from your system.
That means, the more protein you eat, the more work your kidneys
have to do.
And that’s basically the reason why we recommend a low-protein diet.
By consuming an adequate amount of protein, you give your kidneys a lighter workload. This will help you slow down your kidney’s deterioration, if not maintain the level of kidney function you still have.
Now that you understand why it’s important to control your protein intake, let’s explore the how.
1. Know your daily protein limits.
The National Kidney Foundation suggests that protein intake for people with kidney condition can be limited to 37-41 grams a day.
But, there is actually a way to calculate your daily protein limit. In the
case of pre-dialysis (CKD Stages 1-4), you’ll need between 0.6 - 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
So, for example:
Jane weighs about 132 pounds. To get her approximate weight in
kilograms, let’s divide her weight by 2.2, so…
132 lbs ÷ 2.2 = 60 kg
Now that we have her body mass, let’s see how much protein she’s
allowed daily by multiplying her body mass with the limits indicated
above:
60 kg × 0.6 g/kg = 36 grams
60 kg × 0.8 g/kg = 48 grams
That means Jane is only allowed about 36-48 grams of protein daily.
See? It’s fairly easy to find your daily protein limit. Your nephrologist
or dietitian might also recommend a lower value, depending on other
factors. Whatever the case, stick to your protein limits, and you’ll be
able to give your kidneys the care they deserve.
2. Keep your diet balanced.
Almost all foods contain protein, but there are two general types of
sources you can choose from:
a. High-value proteins refers to protein you get from animal
sources like the following:
Item | Sodium | Protein | Potassium | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Beef (ground) | 66 | 18.59 | 295 | 171 |
Pork (fresh) | 54 | 28.47 | 364 | 240 |
Shrimp | 119 | 20.10 | 264 | 214 |
Chicken (without | 45 | 22.50 | 334 | 213 |
Milk (whole) | 105 | 7.69 | 322 | 205 |
USDA values per 100 g
These are easier for your body to use, but can also be rich in fat and
cholesterol. They are often also high in phosphorus, so you might
have to limit your intake of them.
You might have also noticed that some of the items in the list above
are also in the low-sodium list. This just means that, though these
foods may be low in certain nutrients, you’ll still have to be careful
about them, as you can easily go overboard with these food items.
b. Low-value proteins refers to protein you get from plant sources.
Vegetables, cereals, beans, bread, rice, and pasta or noodles are some
good examples.
Item | Sodium | Protein | Potassium | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tofu | 7 | 8.08 | 121 | 97 |
Pasta (cooked) | 1 | 5.80 | 44 | 58 |
Rice (white, cooked) | 1 | 2.69 | 35 | 43 |
Cauliflower | 30 | 1.92 | 299 | 44 |
Almond Milk | 189 | 1.05 | 176 | 24 |
USDA values per 100 g, Almond Milk values from 1 cup (262 g) serving
To maintain a healthy diet, it’s important to strike a good balance between these two.
Since they’re usually high in fat, high-value protein should only make
up around 70% of your total protein intake. The rest (30%) should come
from low-value proteins—so don’t forget your grains and vegetables!
3. Practice portion control.
Controlling your portions is a very handy technique in keeping your
protein intake within your limits. Here are some handy tips to get you
started:
FOR SANDWICHES:
- Slice your meat very thinly. This way, the flavor is spread out and the portions look larger.
- Cut your bread more thickly. This will help you feel fuller even with less meat.
- Try breads with a more distinct taste, like rye or sourdough, to add more flavor.
- Fill up your sandwich with other ingredients, like lettuce, cucumbers, parsley, alfalfa sprouts, water chestnuts, celery, or even apples, instead of protein sources.
FOR SOUPS:
- Use low protein milk substitutes when cooking cream soups. Or stay away from them altogether.
- Add relatively low protein ingredients like pasta or rice to make our soup more hearty and filling.
FOR MAIN DISHES:
- Have grains and vegetables as the main dish more often, and use high-value proteins like meat as side dishes.
- Eat more kebabs. Add more fruits and vegetables and use smaller pieces of meat.
- Adjust your casserole recipes. Use smaller amounts of protein than the recipe calls for, and increase the starch (pasta or rice) to make up for it.
- Mix protein with rice and pasta often. Pasta with ground meat and fried rice recipes are good examples.
- Chef salads are great for you. Just toss lettuce and fresh veggies with small strips of egg and meat, and you’ve got a quick and tasty meal.
- Use cheeses with stronger tastes, like Parmesan or Romano. That way, you’ll only need a small amount to get a good flavor.
- Increase your servings of pasta, rice, and bread. Cutting down protein from your diet can cause you to eat less calories than usual. Make up for the difference by eating more of these relatively low protein foods.
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