๐พ Grains, Soy Products & Noodles
White rice remains the gold standard staple for CKD patients โ lowest phosphorus and potassium among all grain options. Whole grains contain more phosphorus (mostly as phytate, less absorbed) but are still limited in CKD 4โ5. Most sodium in noodle dishes comes from sauces and seasoning packets, not the noodles themselves.
โ Best staple choices (lowest P & K)
White rice (all white varieties) ยท Polenta / corn grits ยท Glass noodles (mung-bean starch) ยท Rice noodles (bihon, phแป) ยท Konjac / shirataki noodles
โ Use with portion control
Corn, barley, oats (all forms), millet, sorghum ยท Udon ยท Plain refined wheat pasta
โ More restrictive in CKD 4โ5
Brown rice ยท Quinoa ยท Whole-wheat bread & pasta ยท 100% buckwheat soba ยท Large servings of oats
๐พ Grains, Soy Products & Noodles
White rice remains the gold standard staple for CKD patients โ lowest phosphorus and potassium among all grain options. Whole grains contain more phosphorus (mostly as phytate, less absorbed) but are still limited in CKD 4โ5. Most sodium in noodle dishes comes from sauces and seasoning packets, not the noodles themselves.
โ Best staple choices (lowest P & K)
White rice (all white varieties) ยท Polenta / corn grits ยท Glass noodles (mung-bean starch) ยท Rice noodles (bihon, phแป) ยท Konjac / shirataki noodles
โ Use with portion control
Corn, barley, oats (all forms), millet, sorghum ยท Udon ยท Plain refined wheat pasta
โ More restrictive in CKD 4โ5
Brown rice ยท Quinoa ยท Whole-wheat bread & pasta ยท 100% buckwheat soba ยท Large servings of oats
๐พ Grains & Cereals โ Per 100 g
| Food | Protein Raw/Uncooked (g) | Protein Cooked (g) | K (mg) | Na (mg) | P (mg) | Sugar (g) | GI | Glycaemic Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White rice (polished) | ~7.5 | ~2.7 | ~35 | ~1 | ~43 | ~0 | ~72 | Higher GI; portion control critical for diabetes; low K & Na | โ Portion Control |
| Jasmine rice (white) | ~7.2 | ~2.6 | ~29 | ~1 | ~37 | ~0 | ~68 | Similar to white rice; low K & Na; medium-high GI | โ Portion Control |
| Basmati rice (white) | ~7.8 | ~2.9 | ~64 | ~1 | ~57 | ~0 | ~58 | Lower GI than jasmine; good CKD rice choice | โ Best Rice Choice |
| Brown rice | ~7.5 | ~2.6 | ~43 | ~1 | ~83 | ~0 | ~68 | Higher P than white; more fibre; moderate GI | โ Moderate (Higher P) |
| Glutinous rice (malagkit) | ~6.8 | ~2.4 | ~30 | ~1 | ~37 | ~0 | ~86 | Highest GI; very sticky โ very poor for diabetes | โ Avoid (Very High GI) |
| Corn grits / polenta | ~8.0 | ~1.4 | ~30 | ~1 | ~76 | ~0 | ~68 | Medium-high GI; moderate P; low K | โ Moderate |
| Rolled oats | ~13 | ~2.2 | ~362 | ~2 | ~410 | ~0 | ~55 | High P & K โ limit in CKD; beta-glucan benefits glucose; borderline GI | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| Steel-cut oats | ~13 | ~2.5 | ~356 | ~2 | ~400 | ~0 | ~53 | Lower GI than rolled; still high P & K โ limit in CKD | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| Instant oatmeal | ~12 | ~2.0 | ~340 | ~2 | ~380 | ~1 | ~66 | Higher GI than steel-cut; high P & K | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| Barley (pearl) | ~9.9 | ~1.9 | ~280 | ~6 | ~221 | ~0 | ~28 | Lowest GI grain; high P & K โ limit in CKD; excellent glucose control | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| Quinoa | ~14 | ~4.4 | ~563 | ~5 | ~457 | ~0 | ~53 | High P & K โ limit in CKD; complete protein | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| Corn (boiled) | ~3.3 | ~3.3 | ~270 | ~15 | ~89 | ~3.2 | ~52 | Moderate K; moderate P; medium GI; fresh is better than canned | โ Moderate |
| Millet | ~11 | ~1.9 | ~195 | ~5 | ~285 | ~0 | ~71 | High P; high GI; limit in CKD | โ Limit (High P) |
| Sorghum | ~11 | ~2.6 | ~350 | ~6 | ~287 | ~0 | ~62 | High P & K; medium GI | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| White bread (standard loaf) | ~9 | ~9 | ~115 | ~491 | ~96 | ~5 | ~75 | Very high Na (salt in baking); high GI; choose low-sodium bread if available | โ Limit (High Na & GI) |
| Whole wheat bread | ~13 | ~13 | ~248 | ~400 | ~212 | ~4 | ~71 | High Na; high P; high GI; lower GI than white but still limited for CKD | โ Limit (High Na & P) |
| Soy Product | Protein As Sold (g) | Protein Cooked (g) | K (mg) | Na (mg) | P (mg) | Sugar (g) | GI | CKD Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silken tofu / taho (soft) | ~4โ6 | ~4โ6 | ~121 | ~9 | ~97 | ~0 | ~45 | Softest texture โ excellent for elderly with swallowing difficulty; lowest P of tofus; safest soy choice for CKD | โ Best Soy Option |
| Firm tofu (calcium-set) | ~15โ17 | ~16โ18 | ~121 | ~13 | ~190 | ~0 | ~45 | Calcium-set tofu higher in P (from calcium sulfate); rinse before use; edible in moderate portions | โ Portion Control |
| Firm tofu (nigari/magnesium-set) | ~14โ16 | ~15โ17 | ~150 | ~7 | ~120 | ~0 | ~45 | Lower P than calcium-set; boil briefly and discard water reduces K slightly | โ Portion Control |
| Soy milk (unsweetened, unfortified) | ~3.0โ3.5 | โ | ~118 | ~51 | ~52 | ~1 | ~34 | Check label for phosphate additives; unfortified preferred; unsweetened essential for diabetes | โ Safe (check label) |
| Soy milk (commercial, fortified) | ~3.0โ3.5 | โ | ~118 | ~51 | ~120 | ~1 | ~34 | Fortified with calcium phosphate โ P may double; check label carefully | โ Check Label |
| Edamame (boiled, unsalted) | ~11 | ~11 | ~436 | ~6 | ~161 | ~2 | ~18 | Higher K and P than tofu; moderate protein; low GI; limit to ยฝ cup per serving | โ Moderate |
| Tempeh | ~18โ20 | ~17โ19 | ~412 | ~9 | ~266 | ~0 | ~55 | Fermented soy; slightly higher P than firm tofu; fermentation may improve mineral availability | โ Limit in CKD 4โ5 |
| Natto (fermented soy) | ~17โ18 | ~17 | ~729 | ~4 | ~174 | ~0 | ~15 | Very high K; โ warfarin interaction (vitamin K2); avoid if on anticoagulants | โ Limit / Drug Risk |
| Miso (white/shiro) | ~10โ12 | โ | ~210 | ~3,728 | ~130 | ~2 | ~30 | Extremely high Na โ 1 tbsp (~18 g) โ 670 mg Na; use as tiny flavouring only | โ Extreme Na |
| Miso (red/aka) | ~12โ14 | โ | ~220 | ~4,063 | ~170 | ~2 | ~30 | Higher Na than white miso; limit to ยฝ tsp only; avoid in hypertensive CKD | โ Extreme Na |
| Soy sauce (standard) | ~8 | โ | ~435 | ~5,717 | ~130 | ~1 | ~0 | One of the highest-sodium condiments; 1 tbsp โ 879 mg Na; avoid in CKD | โ Avoid |
| Tofu skin / yuba | ~17โ22 | ~16โ20 | ~138 | ~6 | ~182 | ~0 | ~45 | Moderate K and P; lower Na; good CKD-friendly protein source in small portions | โ Moderate |
โ Sodium Warning Most sodium in noodle dishes comes from soup bases, sauces and seasoning packets โ not the noodles themselves. Always cook noodles in plain, unsalted water. Discard seasoning packets entirely.
Glass & Starch Noodles (Lowest Mineral Load)
Glass & Starch Noodles (Lowest Mineral Load)
| Noodle | Protein Raw/Uncooked (g) | Protein Cooked (g) | K (mg) | Na (mg) | P (mg) | Sugar (g) | GI | CKD Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spaghetti (white, dried) | ~12โ13 | ~5โ6 | ~223 | ~1 | ~189 | ~0.6 | ~46 | Low GI; moderate P; very low Na if cooked plain; good CKD noodle | โ Good Choice |
| Fettuccine / linguine | ~12โ13 | ~5โ6 | ~220 | ~1 | ~188 | ~0.6 | ~46 | Similar to spaghetti; low GI; low Na if plain | โ Good Choice |
| Macaroni / elbow pasta | ~12โ13 | ~4โ5 | ~215 | ~1 | ~185 | ~0.5 | ~47 | Low GI; low Na; moderate P | โ Good Choice |
| Fusilli / penne | ~12โ13 | ~5โ6 | ~215 | ~2 | ~188 | ~0.6 | ~45 | Low GI; low Na; moderate P | โ Good Choice |
| Whole-wheat pasta | ~14โ15 | ~5โ6 | ~263 | ~4 | ~234 | ~0.5 | ~42 | Lower GI than white pasta; higher P & K โ moderate choice | โ Moderate (Higher P) |
| Egg pasta (fresh) | ~13 | ~6 | ~130 | ~20 | ~160 | ~0.5 | ~50 | Moderate P; low Na; low-medium GI; egg adds phosphorus | โ Moderate |
| Misua (fine wheat noodle) | ~10โ11 | ~3โ4 | ~100 | ~900 | ~100 | ~0.5 | ~48 | Extremely high Na when dry โ rinse well and soak before cooking; use sparingly | โ Limit (Very High Na) |
| Ramen / la mian (fresh) | ~9โ10 | ~4โ5 | ~120 | ~450 | ~100 | ~0.5 | ~58 | High Na โ discard seasoning packet; medium GI | โ Limit (Na from seasoning) |
| Udon | ~8โ9 | ~3โ4 | ~110 | ~250 | ~100 | ~0.5 | ~55 | Moderate Na (lower than ramen); medium GI | โ Moderate |
| Wonton wrappers | ~9 | ~9 | ~70 | ~630 | ~100 | ~0.5 | ~55 | High Na; P moderate โ fill with low-sodium filling only | โ Limit (High Na) |
Rice-Based Noodles
| Noodle | Protein Raw/Uncooked (g) | Protein Cooked (g) | K (mg) | Na (mg) | P (mg) | Sugar (g) | GI | CKD Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bihon (dry rice stick / thin rice vermicelli) | ~6โ7 | ~0.9โ1.2 | ~35 | ~8 | ~55 | ~0.1 | ~40 | Very low Na; very low P; low K; low GI โ excellent CKD noodle | โ Best CKD Noodle |
| Phแป rice noodles (medium) | ~6 | ~1.0โ1.5 | ~40 | ~8 | ~58 | ~0.1 | ~40 | Very low Na; low P; low GI โ similar to bihon | โ Best CKD Noodle |
| Rice stick (flat, wide) | ~6โ7 | ~1.0โ1.5 | ~35 | ~8 | ~55 | ~0.1 | ~40 | Very low Na; low P; low GI โ excellent CKD noodle | โ Best CKD Noodle |
| Glutinous rice noodles | ~5 | ~1.0 | ~30 | ~5 | ~40 | ~0.1 | ~48 | Low Na & P; higher GI than regular rice noodles | โ Moderate (GI) |
| Corn noodles (maize) | ~4โ5 | ~1.0 | ~40 | ~2 | ~60 | ~0.2 | ~52 | Low Na; moderate P; medium GI; gluten-free | โ Moderate |
Wheat-Based Noodles
| Noodle | Protein Raw/Uncooked (g) | Protein Cooked (g) | K (mg) | Na (mg) | P (mg) | Sugar (g) | GI | CKD Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass noodles / sotanghon (mung-bean starch) | ~0.2โ0.5 | ~0.1โ0.3 | ~35 | ~7 | ~18 | ~0 | ~39 | Lowest P & K of all noodles; low GI; excellent CKD choice; negligible protein | โ Best CKD Noodle |
| Sweet-potato glass noodles (dangmyeon) | ~0.2 | ~0.1 | ~25 | ~5 | ~12 | ~0 | ~30 | Very low P & K; low GI โ excellent CKD noodle | โ Best CKD Noodle |
| Konjac / shirataki noodles | ~0.1 | ~0.1 | ~11 | ~10 | ~5 | ~0 | ~0 | Virtually zero K, P, Na, calories; safest noodle for CKD & diabetes | โ Safest CKD Noodle |
| Soba (100% buckwheat) | ~14 | ~5 | ~460 | ~4 | ~300 | ~0 | ~46 | High P & K despite low GI โ limit in advanced CKD | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| Soba (wheat-buckwheat blend) | ~11โ12 | ~4โ5 | ~390 | ~4 | ~250 | ~0 | ~48 | High P & K; check buckwheat % on label | โ Limit (High P & K) |
| Egg noodles (Asian, dried) | ~12โ14 | ~4โ6 | ~100 | ~15 | ~150 | ~0.5 | ~50 | Moderate P; low Na; medium GI; egg adds P | โ Moderate |