Whether you have chronic kidney disease (CKD) or not, everyone needs to be mindful of the amount of chocolate they eat.
Chocolate has lots of added sugar and fat, in particular the less healthy fats (saturated fats). Chocolate is very energy dense, which means it has lots of calories and can contribute to weight gain, so is best eaten in only small amounts and less often. This includes all kinds of chocolate, whether it is white, milk or dark chocolate.
For some people living with CKD, chocolate can pose an additional problem due to its naturally high potassium and phosphate content.
If you have been advised to limit these minerals, our Kidney Kitchen kidney dietitians suggest choosing a chocolate-coated or chocolate-covered option like a Kit Kat, Breakaway or Blue Riband bar, rather than a solid chocolate bar.
Kidney Kitchen also offers a chocolate recipes collection, as well as advice on kidney-friendly baking.
When it comes to food and nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all advice for people living with kidney disease. Your kidney dietitian will be able to tell you what you should be watching out for (for example, low potassium, low phosphate, high or low protein). Kidney Kitchen makes these recommendations easy to follow, with recipes that have analysed by kidney dietitians and approved by the BDA Renal Nutrition Group. So you all you have to do is enjoy the food!