Are Cashews Bad for CKD? (Expert Answer)

Short Answer: Cashews are bad for CKD. Because they have sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and fat, and they can worsen your kidney function, cause complications, and trigger allergies.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition that affects your kidneys, which are the organs that filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood.

In CKD, your kidneys gradually lose their function over time.

This can lead to various health problems, such as high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutrition, nerve damage, and heart disease.

One of the key factors in managing CKD is diet.

What you consume can affect your blood sugar, blood pressure, electrolytes, and waste levels, which can impact your CKD symptoms and overall health.

To effectively manage CKD, you should consume low-sodium, low-potassium, low-phosphorus, and high-quality protein foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

You should avoid high-sodium, high-potassium, high-phosphorus, and low-quality protein foods like processed foods, salted snacks, nuts, seeds, beans, chocolate, and cola drinks.

Now, cashews are the seeds of the cashew tree, which is native to Brazil.

They have a mild buttery flavor and an oily mouthfeel.

People usually eat them as a snack, use them in recipes, or process them into cashew cheese or butter.

Cashews are bad for CKD because they contain high amounts of sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, which can worsen your kidney function and cause complications.

Cashews are also high in fat, which can increase your risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.

One ounce (28 grams) of roasted and salted cashews can give you 181 calories, 12 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein, 181 mg of sodium (8% of your daily needs), 187 mg of potassium (4% of your daily needs), and 168 mg of phosphorus (13% of your daily needs).

Sodium can raise your blood pressure and damage your kidneys.

Potassium can cause irregular heartbeat and muscle weakness if your kidneys cannot remove it from your blood.

Phosphorus can cause calcium to leach from your bones and deposit in your blood vessels, leading to bone loss and hardening of the arteries.

Furthermore, cashews are a type of tree nut, and tree nuts are bad for CKD.

Because, they can trigger allergic reactions in some people, which can cause swelling, itching, hives, and difficulty breathing.

That’s why I suggest you limit your cashew intake to avoid these possible complications.

Stick to no more than one ounce (28 grams) of unsalted cashews per week to minimize the effects on your kidneys and heart.

Also, you shouldn’t eat cashews if you have a nut allergy or a history of kidney stones to prevent anaphylaxis or kidney obstruction.

Because, cashews contain a substance called oxalate, which can bind with calcium in your urine and form kidney stones.

You can buy fresh cashews in your local market or order them online.

Always choose unsalted, unroasted, and organic cashews to avoid added sodium, oil, and pesticides.

Because, these can harm your health and the environment.

You can store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management, and essential medical care is key to managing CKD effectively.

I always recommend my CKD patients to follow a CKD-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being and enjoy a longer and healthier life.