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Eating Spinach with Chronic Kidney Disease
It’s important to first discuss spinach's nutrition information to see how it can fit into a kidney-friendly diet. Spinach is a fiber-rich vegetable packed with tons of vitamins and minerals. Because of this, some say it should be avoided if you have Chronic Kidney Disease. One of the main reasons is that spinach is high in potassium.
Spinach is not inherently bad! However, everyone with CKD has different nutrient needs, and not everyone needs to limit their potassium intake. Be sure to speak with your doctor and healthcare team and know your nutritional needs.
You Don't Have to Avoid Spinach Entirely if You Have CKD
Overall, just because spinach is high in potassium does not mean it should be avoided if you have CKD. In fact, if you need to limit your potassium intake, you can opt for raw spinach instead of cooked spinach, as raw spinach is lower in potassium.
Why is this? Imagine measuring 1 cup of raw spinach and cooking it in a pan. As you cook this spinach, it wilts and shrinks. After you cook your spinach, it is no longer equivalent to 1 cup of spinach, more like ¼ cups of spinach. Because of this, 1 cup of cooked spinach is higher in potassium than 1 cup of raw spinach.
If you prefer cooked spinach over raw spinach, be sure to measure your raw spinach before you cook it to ensure you are getting the right potassium content for your kidneys.
Lower Potassium Alternatives to Cooked Spinach
Try raw spinach in moderation or kale, arugula, bok choy, or mustard greens instead. Check out the nutritional information for spinach below to see the differences.
Nutritional Information for Eating Spinach with Chronic Kidney Disease
If you have calcium oxalate kidney stones and your doctor has told you to limit high oxalate foods, you might want to enjoy spinach in small quantities or find an alternative like arugula.
Spinach is high in oxalates and may be an issue for you. Again, it’s important you speak with your healthcare team to make sure you are making the right choices for your body.
Nutrition information for 1 cup of raw spinach:
- 7 calories
- 0.9 gm protein
- 0.7 gm fiber
- 1 gm carbohydrates
- 167 mg potassium
- 23 mg sodium
- 8 mg vitamin C
- 30 mg calcium
- 0.8 mg iron
- 23 mg magnesium
Nutrition information for 1 cup of cooked, boiled, drained spinach:
- 41 calories
- 5.3 gm protein
- 4.3 gm fiber
- 6.8 gm carbohydrates
- 839 mg potassium
- 126 mg sodium
- 18 mg vitamin C
- 245 mg calcium
- 6.4 mg iron
- 157 mg magnesium
Recipes with Spinach for Chronic Kidney Disease Diets
- Strawberry spinach salad
- Sauteed spinach (high potassium)
- Spinach mandarin salad
- Spinach ricotta frittata
- Spinach couscous risotto
- Spinach falafel wrap
The Bottom Line of Eating Spinach with Chronic Kidney Disease
Overall, spinach can be enjoyed on a kidney-friendly diet. If you need to limit your potassium intake, try enjoying raw spinach in moderation or cooked spinach in small amounts! Remember that measuring out your serving of spinach can be helpful, too.
References: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168463/nutrients