Why do people with kidney failure have to eat thoroughly boiled vegetables?

Stage 4 chronic kidney failure is determined when the glomerular filtration rate decreases, in the range of 15-29 ml/min/1.73 m2 of skin. At this time, the kidney’s blood filtration function declines sharply, does not work effectively, and cannot eliminate many toxins and excess substances from the body.

Potassium is an important electrolyte, involved in controlling the activities of the nervous and muscle systems, regulating heart rate, and balancing water and electrolytes. Safe blood potassium levels are between 3.5-5.5 mmol/l. Potassium is added to the body through food and drinks.

Vegetables and fruits often contain high levels of potassium. Impaired kidney function cannot eliminate excess potassium from the body, leading to hyperkalemia, causing patients with kidney failure to have difficulty breathing, chest pain, arrhythmia, and death.

People with stage 4-5 chronic kidney failure who eat vegetables need to boil them thoroughly until soft, only eat the vegetables, do not use boiled water. If you are more careful, you can boil it twice and still discard the broth. Because when boiled thoroughly, the amount of potassium mixed into the boiled water does not cause the patient to have hyperkalemia when eating. However, patients should limit eating some vegetables and fruits that are too rich in potassium such as water spinach, spinach, amaranth, banana, coconut…

People with chronic kidney failure who are at risk of increased potassium should also avoid foods and drinks such as mangoes, grapes, dried fruits, and coconut water.