The Atkins diet popularized the trend of the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that has swept the nation. Breakfasts of steak, eggs and bacon with no toast have invaded kitchens around the United States. Protein, however, is not the easiest substance for the body to process in large amounts. In fact, there are certain health conditions that require the body take in less protein in order to help the body to continue to function properly.
Why a Low Protein Diet?
A low-protein diet is typically prescribed if you have kidney disease or if your kidneys are not functioning properly for any reason. This is not to say that there should be no protein. Protein is quite important for the body as it regulates upkeep, repair and growth of every part of your body. It is important to have sources of protein in any diet. When the protein is digested, a waste product called urea results. When a kidney is not functioning properly, urea builds up in the blood stream which can lead to a loss of appetite and fatigue. According to the National Kidney Foundation, with a low-protein diet, you can reduce the workload on the kidneys allowing the healthy part of the kidney to not have to work overtime.
What Should You Eat?
The goal here is to consume the amount of calories you need while eating less protein (40 grams or less usually) than you usually do. The main portions of your meals should consist of fruits and vegetables, followed by nuts, grains and beans, followed in a distant third by meat and dairy. It is difficult but not impossible to get a full day's recommended amount of calories (2,000 calories) with mostly fruit and vegetables, but it will take a very large amount of these items to do it. This is why one of your greatest assets in the process will be healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. While nuts still have some protein and some like walnuts, almonds and cashews are a great source of calories and healthy fat, vegetable oils are very low in protein and have the ability to add a great deal of protein-free calories to your diet. While the National Kidney Foundation recommends adding more candy, sweeteners and canned fruits to your diet, this seems a bit of a cop out. A little bit more effort could replace those calories with fresh salads and natural fruit smoothies. Make sure to measure all milk products you take in, using the protein calculator in the Resources below. Also, slice the meat that you eat very thinly so that it will seem like there is more protein in the sandwiches that you eat, a sort of mental trick to get you through the diet. There are also low-protein foods manufactured with the companies Dietary Specialties, Med-Diet, Inc., and Ener-G Foods that can help you lower the protein in the products that you love the most.
What Should You Stay Away From?
Meat and dairy are the highest protein foods you can eat. Make sure to lower your portions of chicken, beef, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt and cheese. Peanut butter is also high in protein, and as a spreadable product, it can often be overused. Be careful of these foods so as to be kind to your kidney as it tries to recover, recommends Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology.
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