Christmas is approaching! You must be looking forward to the big dinner party on Christmas. A fancy dinner will be prepared for the families. Do you have any idea about the dinner? Yes, turkey is essential. But recently, a young lady consulted me that” can I eat turkey with stage 4 kidney disease on Christmas?” If you have the same question, please follow me and get the answer.

Turkey is the traditional food on Christmas. It is welcomed by both children and the older for its delicious taste and abundant nutritions. However, you must know that there are strict diet limitations for patients with kidney disease. Is turkey allowed to patients with stage 4 kidney disease?

The nutritions of the turkey.

The American nutritionists have praised turkey as “super nutritious food”. From this we can see the nutritional value of turkey.

Firstly, turkey is a high protein food. The protein in turkey is higher than in pork, beef and mutton. The protein content in every 100g turkey is as high as 30.4g. Protein is the essential nutrition to our body.

Secondly, turkey is low in fat. It is estimated that 70% of the fat in turkey is unsaturated fatty acid, which is the essential nutrition to our body. Long-term consumption cannot increase the burden of the blood.

Thirdly, turkey is low in cholesterol. The cholesterol content of turkey is the lowest among the domestic animals. It has a protective function to the high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular.

Fourthly, turkey contains rich electrolyte, like zinc, iron, phosphorus and potassium, which cannot only improve the immunity but also can prevent nervous disorder.

Can patients with stage 4 kidney disease eat turkey?

From the above you can see that turkey is not only high in protein, but also low in fat and cholesterol. So it is good for patients with stge 4 kidney disease, especially for those who are on dialysis.

However, you are not suggested to consume much if you have high serum potassium or phosphorus levels. It will increase the damage to kidneys.

You can consult your doctor or dietitian for whether you are allow to eat turkey on Christmas or how much you should consume once. If your condition do not allow you to eat turkey, please do not bothered by it. You can still have a wonderful Christmas with your families! If you have other questions, you can send me an email to renal-disease@hotmail.com or you can consult "FSGS: The Healthy Diet for Christmas" for a healthy diet suggestion.