A Caribbean diet for the management of renal failure

ABSTRACT

Dietary management is recognized as being cardinal for the conservative management of chronic renal failure. Special proprietary dietitic foods are not widely used because they may be costly, not available nor culturally acceptable. In the absence of data about the chemical composition of foods, the dietary management of renal failure is beset with difficulties. We set out to devise a therapeutic diet based upon locally available, relatively cheap and culturally acceptable foods, to fulfill the accepted goals of low protein 24 - 27 gm/d, high energy, 2,691 - 2,879, kcals/d, low sodium, 14 - 16mEq/d and low potassium, 26 - 35mEq/d. To do this, 75 raw, prepared and cooked foods were analysed for nitrogen, gross energy, sodium and potassium contents. Of the 31 recipes devised or modified, 16 were adjudged palatable by taste panels. Using the results of the chemical analyses and the recipes developed, we devised meal plans which met the therapeutic goals. Proteins of high biological value, eggs and milk, contributed 71 - 78 percent of the total daily allowance. (AU)