9 Foods to Avoid or Limit if You Have C3G/IC-MPGN

Hot dogs are processed meats, as are bacon, sausage, and pepperoni. They are often high in sodium, Garden says, which your healthcare team may advise you to limit.

Sodium is key to your body maintaining its fluid balance. When you have C3G or IC-MPGN, however, too much sodium can prevent you from removing fluid from the body effectively and can further damage your kidneys. It also can lead to high blood pressure.

“Patients with more advanced chronic kidney disease should limit high amounts of protein, especially red meat consumption,” says Marc Richards, MD, a clinical nephrologist at Florida Kidney Physicians and director of the Florida Kidney Physicians Glomerulonephritis Center of Excellence in Boca Raton, Florida.

Pay attention to food labels, too: “The low- or lower-sodium versions of these foods often still contain phosphate additives and many have potassium chloride added to give them a salty flavor,” Garden says.

As with other foods, check the labels of these packaged foods to see what levels of sodium and preservatives they contain, says Alex Evink, RD, of Michigan Kidney Consultants in Pontiac, Michigan. Not all are bad, but not all are good.

“It is eye-opening how much the sodium content varies from product to product,” she says. “If you can read a food label and understand what you're looking for, then selecting meals and snacks becomes a lot easier.”

Processed cheese products such as cheese slices, boxed macaroni and cheese, and cheese dips can last longer in your refrigerator and pantry than fresh cheese.

“But they are usually high in sodium and phosphate additives,” Garden says.

Although nearly all foods contain some amount of potassium, those considered “high potassium” — containing 200 mg or more per serving — can be an issue if you have C3G or IC-MPGN. Your kidneys may not be able to filter out potassium effectively. When potassium builds up in your bloodstream, it can cause hyperkalemia. This condition can lead to an irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, and even death. High potassium levels also increase your risk of a heart attack.

• Bananas
• Oranges
• Potatoes
• Brown rice
• Whole-wheat bread
• Nuts

Talk to your doctor and healthcare team about how much potassium you should consume per day.

“For all patients with kidney insufficiency, I would recommend avoiding foods that are heavily processed and full of sodium as this can worsen blood pressure and leg swelling,” Dr. Richards says.

“These are sodium bombs, packing in a full day’s worth of sodium in one serving,” she says.

“It can be challenging to choose a snack, as many are packaged, processed, and contain high amounts of sodium and phosphates,” Richards says.

In addition, Garden says you should limit or avoid highly processed “protein” snacks when you have C3G or IC-MPGN.

“Most jerky, meat sticks, and some protein bars are high in salt and additives,” she says. “Doughnuts, packaged cakes, cookies, and pastries also often contain high amounts of added sugar and unhealthy fats and additives.”

“Many contain phosphate additives,” Garden says.

“Soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce, commercial salad dressings, and gravy can be very high in sodium and contain phosphate additives,” Garden says.