Should People with PKD Eat Tuna

Eating a healthy diet plays a major role in preserving kidney health as well as managing Polycystic Kidney Disease. Then, can patients with PKD eat tuna?

Tuna can be any of various fishes within the Tuna family, such as bluefin, yellowfin, and albacore, etc. It represents a staple of the American diet, and can be consumed as a steak, grilled, fried or broiled then served rare; or made into wraps, sandwiches or salads. Eating a healthy diet plays a major role in preserving kidney health as well as managing Polycystic Kidney Disease. Then, can patients with PKD eat tuna?

PKD diet

Patients with PKD need to have a kidney healthy food that contain the following nutritions. A serving of the food product must:

* Be low in potassium (<200 mg);

* Be low in phosphorus (less than or equal to 100 mg);

* Be low in fat (less than or equal to 3g);

* Be low in cholesterol (less than or equal to 20 mg);

* Be low in sodium (less than or equal to 140 mg);

Besides, people with PKD are recommended to consume 0.6~0.8g of protein for every kilogram of body weight.

Tuna nutrition facts

It contains medium- to high- content of potassium, significant high in protein, and a lot of phosphorus. Specific amount varies with the type a person chooses.
Potassium contained in yellowfin, bluefin, and albacore is 484 mg per cooked 3-oz, 275 mg per 3-oz, 201 mg per 3 oz respectively.

A 100 g serving of bluefin contains 23.3 g of protein, while equivalent servings of skipjack or yellowfin contain 22 and 24.4 g of protein, respectively.

The fish also contains a lot of phosphorus but not very much calcium--18mg per 3 oz. of cooked yellowfin.

From the above information, we can known that tuna is not appropriate for people with PKD, so patients with the disease are suggested to limit or avoid eating it.