While your food choices can affect how hard your kidneys have to work when you live with FSGS, certain snacks can absolutely fit into a kidney-friendly diet, says Beverly Garden, RD, a kidney nutrition expert based in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
Your healthcare team may also recommend limiting potassium, phosphorus, and protein, though your ideal targets for these nutrients depend on your kidney function, lab results, medications, and whether you’re losing protein in your urine, says Garden. Work with your care team to understand your targets and the best food choices for you.
Apples
“Remember, a food low in potassium can become high if you consume a large amount, so stick to smaller, snack-sized portions,” says Dowling.
Cucumber Slices
Fresh vegetables are kidney-friendly, as they’re usually very low in sodium and packed with vitamins and minerals without being too high in potassium, Dowling says. A serving is 1 cup raw or a half cup cooked, she says.
- Cucumber slices
- Broccoli florets
- Carrot sticks
- Celery
- Sliced bell peppers
A homemade kidney-friendly dip with sour cream and no-sodium herbs and spices can help turn your veggies into a more filling snack, says Garden.
Store-bought hummus can work well as a dip because it provides fiber and healthy fats, but choose lower-sodium varieties and watch portions. Rather than eating directly from the container, measure out one serving (about 2 tablespoons) to keep tabs on your sodium and potassium intake.
To make fruits and cut vegetables even more accessible, wash them as soon as you get home from the grocery store and portion them into grab-and-go containers, says Garden.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
“[Eggs] can be boiled several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week,” says Garden.
Ask your nephrology care team about your daily protein and phosphorus targets, says Dowling.
Unsalted Popcorn
The secret to keeping popcorn kidney-friendly is how it’s prepared. “For packaged options, check the nutrition label and ingredient list for sodium content and the presence of phosphate additives,” Garden says.
Unlike the phosphorus naturally found in whole foods, which the body doesn’t absorb completely, phosphorus additives used in processed foods, such as packaged popcorn, are absorbed almost entirely and can raise phosphorus levels quickly, says Dowling.
Dr. Babu recommends looking out for ingredients with “phos” in the name, which usually means added phosphorus, such as:
- Calcium phosphate
- Phosphoric acid
- Sodium phosphate
Homemade Trail Mix
Homemade trail mix, when made with the right ingredients, can be a good source of fiber and healthy fats, says Garden, and it’s relatively easy to customize.
- Unsalted pretzels
- Unsalted popcorn
- Unsalted nuts
- Unsalted seeds
- Dried low-potassium fruits such as dried apples and cranberries
- Low-sodium cereals without phosphate additives, such as Kellogg’s Special K Red Berries or bite-sized shredded wheat
Check with your dietitian for appropriate portions of nuts and seeds if you’re limiting potassium or phosphorus, she says.
Once you’ve mixed your ingredients, portion the trail mix into small containers or snack bags, Garden suggests. It makes grabbing a snack quick and easy, and helps prevent accidentally eating more than intended.
Unsalted Rice Cakes
Choose plain rice cakes with no salt added to limit sodium, Dowling recommends. One commonly available option is Quaker Salt-Free Rice Cakes.
By themselves, plain rice cakes are pretty simple, but they’re easy to upgrade into a filling snack. Dowling suggests these toppings, which work well for an FSGS diet:
- Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on top and add fresh berries or thinly sliced apples.
- Top a rice cake with sliced bell peppers or fresh cucumbers.
Adding a thin layer of natural, no-salt and no-sugar-added nut butter introduces healthy fats and protein to the carbohydrates in a rice cake, which can help keep hunger at bay, says Garden.
Yogurt
Popsicles
If you’re buying popsicles at the grocery store, Dowling suggests looking for brands made with 100 percent real fruit juice and checking the label for these three things:
- Choose flavors made from low-potassium and low-phosphorus fruits like berries, grapes, and apples
- Ensure that there are no added electrolytes, such as sodium or potassium
- Scan the ingredient list for anything with “phos” in the name and avoid those varieties
Remember to count popsicles as part of your total daily fluid volume if your nephrologist has put you on a daily fluid limit, says Dowling.
Unsalted Pretzels
Unsalted pretzels or lower-sodium crackers can still fit into a kidney-friendly eating plan, and whole-grain versions are an easy way to add more fiber to your diet, Garden says.
Some lower-sodium options she suggests include:
- Wheat Thins Hint of Salt
- Triscuit Hint of Sea Salt
- Wasa Multi-Grain Crispbread
- Blue Diamond Nut-Thins Hint of Sea Salt
Pairing pretzels or crackers with kidney-friendly fresh fruits or a thin layer of natural, no-salt and no-sugar-added nut butter can make for a more filling snack, Garden notes.
When checking labels, the phrases below are often a place to start, says Babu:
- No salt added
- Unsalted
- Low sodium
- No phosphate additives
Reyna Franco, RDN
Medical Reviewer
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American Col...
Maggie Aime, MSN, RN
Author
Maggie Aime is a registered nurse with over 25 years of healthcare experience, who brings medical topics to life through informative and inspiring content. Her extensive nursing ba...