Managing carbs, salt and potassium in South Asian food

Where is the hidden salt in my food?

We know that nearly 75% of salt consumed by most of the UK population comes from processed foods. For people from South Asian origin, however, more than 90% of salt consumed in this cuisine is added during cooking or at the table. For more information, see Action on Salt's advice for South Asian people about eating salt.

Many food sources already naturally contain salt. For this reason, we do not add salt to any of the recipes cooked in the Kidney Kitchen, preferring instead to use herbs and spices to add and enhance flavours.

All types of salts (rock salt, black salt and pink Himalayan salt) contain roughly the same amount of sodium and therefore need to be limited if you have CKD.

High salt consumption is linked to developing high blood pressure, and high blood pressure over a prolonged period may lead to the development of CKD.

So where is all this salt lurking in a typical South Asian diet? Think about pickles, papadums and chutneys. All of these include high levels of salt.

Treats and savoury snacks such as Sev, Chivda, Farsan, Bombay mix, and salted nuts also have a very high salt content. It is best to limit these foods, enjoying them on special occasions and only in small amounts.

Keep an eye on your carbs!

People in South Asian communities are up to six times more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than other ethnic communities. We also know that diabetes is the leading cause of CKD. Nearly 50% of all people receiving dialysis to treat their CKD also live with diabetes. You might think being diagnosed with both of these health conditions would make it difficult to eat well and enjoy your food. Do not worry. We have this covered in the Kidney Kitchen too.

All our recipes are accompanied by detailed Food Facts to help you manage the amount of carbohydrate you eat. Good carbohydrate awareness and the resulting improved blood glucose control can help you live well with CKD and prevent other complications of diabetes.

If you have been diagnosed with CKD and diabetes it is important to understand portion control. Try not to overload your plate with carbohydrates. This is not always easy because South Asian meals are often rich in carbohydrate in the form of rice, chapati, paratha, puri, dosa and idly.

You don’t need to remove carbohydrates from your diet, but healthy portion sizes (as indicated in all Kidney Kitchen recipes) help improve blood glucose levels. And for healthier alternatives, try using wholemeal flour to make your chapati and brown rice instead of white rice. These simple swaps will also help regulate blood glucose levels.

Top tips for reducing the potassium content in South Asian food (if your kidney dietitian has advised you to reduce your potassium intake)

Dry pulses/legumes/lentils (dals)

• Soak dry lentils/pulses overnight or for a minimum of ten minutes in hot water (3-4 cups of water for every one cup of dry lentils/pulses). Discard this water and rinse well before cooking. Pre-soaked and rinsed lentils or pulses can then be boiled or cooked in a pressure cooker as usual.
• Boiling lentils and discarding the water after cooking may further reduce the potassium content. This may not always be necessary, so discuss this with your kidney dietitian if you are unsure.
• Use tinned kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed beans or black beans wherever possible as tinned pulses have a lower potassium content. Remember to discard the liquid and rinse the pulses before use.

Root vegetables - potatoes/sweet potatoes/yams

• Boil your potatoes before use and discard the water. This will help remove the potassium. Tinned potatoes contain less potassium. Discard the tin’s water.
• Tinned potatoes can be a quick and easy way to add potatoes to a curry!
• If you use a pressure cooker, cut potatoes in half and pressure cook them in double the amount of water. Discard the water after cooking.

Fruit and vegetables

• Some fruits, such as jackfruit, custard apple, mango, karela, okra (bhindi), and patra leaves can have a high potassium content. There is no need to avoid these as they tend not to be eaten on a regular basis. But when you do want to include them in your meal, have a small amount eaten occasionally, as a treat. Use tinned varieties where possible.
• Eating fruit and vegetables regularly is known to slow the progression of CKD as well as having many other health benefits. Try to choose lower potassium fruit and vegetables. If you are not sure which fruit and vegetables are lower in potassium, discuss with your kidney dietitian.

Wheat, semolina, bulgar wheat and sago contain low levels of potassium so may be eaten if you have been diagnosed with CKD and advised to limit your potassium intake. On the other hand, grains such as raji, jowar, bajra and quinoa contain higher levels of potassium so are best eaten less often.