A light diet is beneficial for kidney health, so some people believe that a light diet means no salt and no oil. Is that really the case?
A light diet = No salt
When many patients hear "light diet," their first impression is that it must be "bland," so they equate it with a no-salt diet. Indeed, some kidney patients have been known to not use a single grain of salt. In fact, a light diet does not mean no salt, but rather consuming it in moderation. Controlling salt intake doesn't mean eliminating it entirely; it's about developing a "salt-control" mindset.
A light diet = No oil
Most patients mistakenly believe that a light diet, being low in oil and salt and bland in taste, means avoiding oil at all costs to protect the kidneys. This is not the case. Cooking oils also vary, and they are quite nutritious, especially plant-based oils. Long-term avoidance of cooking oil can lead to deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins and insufficient energy intake, which is not a good thing for patients with kidney disease.
A light diet = Eating vegetarian and no meat
Others believe that a light diet means consuming less meat and only eating vegetables and fruits. Consequently, some kidney patients have started pursuing an extreme "light diet," abandoning all animal-based foods and subsisting solely on vegetables and fruits. What they don't realize is that for kidney patients, an exclusively vegetarian diet can lead to protein deficiency, which is a very dangerous condition. As a fundamental building block of the body, a lack of protein can lead to a series of physical ailments such as listlessness, decreased physical strength, and a weakened immune system. Long-term deficiency poses a greater threat to health—severe malnutrition—which can lead to a series of complications and加重 the burden on the kidneys.