Tips for Tasty, Dialysis-Friendly Summer Meals on the Grill

WALTHAM, Mass.— August 8, 2012 - For most Americans, summertime means carefree cookouts and celebrations featuring delicious and bountiful food. However, for the nearly 400,000 Americans who are on dialysis due to kidney failure, unique dietary restrictions limit their food and fluid options, and their ability to fully enjoy summertime meals.

But dialysis patients don’t have to give up the foods they love to follow a healthy renal diet. To help them enjoy flavorful, healthy meals, Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), initiated a partnership with celebrity Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr., star of Food Network’s “Big Daddy’s House.” In collaboration with FMCNA dietitians, Chef McCargo has developed a list of helpful summer food selections and grilling tips for people with restricted diets due to kidney failure.

To control their levels of potassium, people on dialysis have to limit their intake of many foods that are generally considered healthy, such as oranges and tomatoes.  They also have to restrict their consumption of dairy products, nuts and dried beans to prevent excess phosphorus buildup, as well as salt and saturated fats. Too much liquid can lead to a buildup of excess fluid and other health complications.

“Even with the dietary limits placed on them by kidney failure, there’s no reason dialysis patients can’t enjoy the satisfying flavors of healthy, low-fat foods cooked on the grill,” said McCargo. “The following simple tips can help patients and their families prepare tasty, yet healthy meals that keep them feeling their best.”