Your doctor is likely to recommend a low-oxalate, low-sodium, low-protein diet if you have kidney disease, and this diet may also reduce your risk for developing kidney stones. The diet may seem restrictive because it limits your intake of animal proteins, chocolate and processed foods, but there are plenty of foods you can eat to keep your plan varied and nutritionally adequate. Continue to work with your doctor to maintain your health.
Most vegetables are naturally sodium-free or low in sodium; the average serving has about 2 g protein, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Low-oxalate vegetables have less than 2 mg of oxalates per serving and include cabbage, chives, radishes, mushrooms, cucumber and cauliflower. Have no more than 2 to 3 servings per day of medium-oxalate vegetables, such as artichokes, asparagus and broccoli. Avoid high-oxalate vegetables with more than 10 mg oxalate per serving, which include legumes, eggplants, starchy vegetables and most greens such as spinach.
Almost all fruits are very low-sodium, which means they have less than 35 mg per serving, or sodium-free, with less than 5 mg per serving, according to the Produce for Better Health Foundation. They have less than 0.5 g protein, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. On a low-oxalate, low-sodium, low-protein diet, you can have bananas, cherries, grapes, melon and nectarines. Avoid or limit strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, kiwis, tangerines, oranges, apples and pears.
A serving of most starches provides about 3 g protein, and unprocessed grains are naturally low in sodium. Oatmeal, cornmeal and brown rice fit into a low-oxalate, low-sodium, low-protein diet because they are considered moderate-oxalate foods with 2 to 10 mg of oxalate per serving, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Processed grains may be high in sodium, and yeast breads and grain-based desserts are top contributors of sodium to the typical American diet, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Pure fats are free from sodium and protein, and most are low in oxalates, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You can have margarine, mayonnaise, vegetable oils and low-sodium salad dressings. Palm oil, coconut oil and unsalted butter are low-oxalate, low-sodium and low-protein, but they are not healthy choices for your diet because they are high in saturated fat, which raises your LDL cholesterol levels and may increase your risk for heart disease.