Patients with impaired kidney or liver function may have to learn to reduce protein intake so that ammonia or urea, toxic nitrogen metabolites, do not accumulate in the body and interfere with their general health. By reducing your protein intake, you can help reduce the workload on your kidneys and liver, while reducing stress on your body. A low-protein diet should only be carried out on the advice and supervision of a doctor.
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Part 1 of 2: Identifying Protein Sources in the Diet
Step 1. Understand why you need to reduce your protein intake
If you have kidney or liver problems, for example if you are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, you may be asked to reduce your protein intake. When digesting food, the body will produce "waste" in the form of urea. If there is a problem with kidney function, urea cannot be excreted as it should. It is this accumulation of metabolic waste that is very detrimental to your health.
- By lowering your protein intake, you can reduce the workload on your kidneys.
- But remember that protein is an important component of your diet, and you should only go on a low-protein diet when recommended and under the supervision of a doctor.
Step 2. Identify sources of high-quality protein
The first step to reducing protein intake is understanding its sources and how to consume them. We consume 2 types of protein, high-quality and low-quality protein. Animal protein is high quality protein. This type of protein intake must be sufficient to maintain a healthy body. This type of protein generally produces less metabolic waste than low-grade proteins because the amino acid components are balanced.
- Chicken, turkey, fish, red meat, eggs, and pork are good sources of high-quality protein.
- Dairy products are also a great source of high-quality protein, but are also rich in phosphorus, so you may be advised to reduce your intake of dairy products.
Step 3. Identify sources of low-quality protein
Protein contained in vegetables and plants is known as low-quality protein because it contains fewer essential amino acids than high-quality protein. Examples of this type of protein include cereals, breads, beans, pasta, rice, noodles, and dry beans.
- Sometimes, a high-quality protein rich in amino acids is referred to as a complete protein, while a low-quality protein is referred to as an incomplete protein.
- Always check the labels on food packaging for protein content.
Step 4. Evaluate your normal diet
Once you know the main sources of protein and their quality, you can begin to analyze your diet and find out what sources and how you consume them. If you have kidney or liver problems that require you to reduce your protein intake, you should always do this evaluation with a nutritionist or doctor who can guide you in designing a balanced diet. You can also use online tools to find out the picture.
- You should not stop protein intake altogether. The amount of protein that needs to be reduced will be tailored to your specific health condition.
- The amount of protein you need to consume will vary, so you should continue to check to make sure the new diet is beneficial for your condition.
- The diet that is made must still meet the body's daily nutritional needs, so it's not just reducing protein intake arbitrarily.
Step 5. Know the recommended amount of intake
How much protein you need to consume if you are diagnosed with kidney or liver problems will be determined by your doctor or nutritionist. The amount will vary from case to case, but for kidney problems you may be asked to consume 200 ml of milk, as well as 1 serving of protein per day. This serving is equivalent to 25 grams of meat (including chicken and turkey), 40 grams of fish, 1 egg, 25 grams of cheese, 25 grams of soybeans, or 75 grams of tofu, lentils, or chickpeas.
- For adult men (19-50 years) without kidney problems, the recommended protein intake is 55.5 grams daily.
- For women of the same age it is 45 grams.
- Men aged 11 to 14 years normally need 42.1 grams and women aged 11-14 years 41.2 grams.
- Men aged 15-18 years should consume 55.2 grams, and women aged 15-18 years should consume 45 grams.
Part 2 of 2: Reducing Protein in the Diet
Step 1. Save on your protein intake
One way to reduce your protein intake is to change the way you cook. For example, if you're making a chicken sandwich, instead of filling it with chicken, just use a few thin slices. Add lettuce, tomatoes and salad to balance so your bread remains filling.
- Adding vegetables to eggs or ground beef can significantly reduce the protein intake in a meal or snack.
- You can thicken your soup by including a low-quality protein like rice. In creamy soups, you can reduce milk and use substitutes with lower protein content.
- Switching from high-quality protein to low-quality protein is a great way to reduce protein intake, just make sure to stick to a healthy diet.
Step 2. Reduce your intake of high-quality protein
As part of an effort to reduce your intake of high-quality protein, you should reduce your intake of meat. This does not mean to stop eating meat altogether, but to change the composition of the dish so that the meat is only a side dish and not the main dish. You can also try tucking in meat-free days of the week.
- Consider adopting a vegetarian diet because plant-based protein sources have a much lower protein content than animal protein.
- You should always try to replace calories that would otherwise come from meat with other food sources. For example, add vegetables or cereals to make up for the reduced portion of meat. Use vegetables and whole grains as fillers and remember to eat healthy fats that are low in protein (like coconut oil, avocado, etc.).
- If you like cheese, try eating smaller amounts of stronger cheese. That way, you can still enjoy the strong cheese flavor but in smaller amounts.
Step 3. Modify the recipe
You can create new versions of recipes to reduce the protein content. One example is making a low protein chicken salad. A typical chicken salad recipe consists of 3 cups of minced chicken, with 1/4 cup celery, 1 cup red apples, 1/4 cup pecans, and 3 tablespoons mayonnaise.
- You can reduce the protein in this recipe by changing the ratio of the ingredients.
- Turn it into 1 1/2 cups of chicken and increase the amount of celery to 1 cup instead.
Step 4. Add caloric supplements to your diet, if necessary
When you reduce your protein intake, you run the risk of experiencing a lack of calorie intake. Your dietitian will take this into account and may recommend that you use caloric supplements when designing a diet for you. These supplements can be healthy fats like olive oil, salad dressing, or sunflower oil.
- Avoid adding too many carbohydrates to your diet to add calories. Healthy fats are a great calorie supplement that can nourish the body.
- You can add honey, jam, and other sweeteners to your food or drink to increase your calorie intake.
- If you have diabetes, be sure to consult your doctor before using this sweetener.
Step 5. Avoid foods rich in sodium
High sodium levels can make it difficult for the body to control blood pressure and fluid levels. This is especially important if you have kidney or liver problems. Processed foods are generally rich in salt which means they are rich in sodium. Fresh vegetables are a better choice. If in doubt, check with your doctor or nutritionist to be sure.
Step 6. Live a healthy and balanced diet
A low protein diet will be specially designed according to your body condition and health by an expert, and you must stick to it. A diet made for you is a choice that balances the need for reduced intake of high-quality protein and the body's nutritional, mineral, and caloric needs.
If you need to reduce your protein intake, your doctor may prescribe additional supplements to help provide your body with the nutrients it needs
Step 7. Continue to drink water
Unless your doctor advises you to cut back, be sure to continue to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water will help keep your body hydrated while reducing your snack intake. Sometimes, we mistake thirst for hunger, and eat snacks when we should be drinking water.
