About KidneyFoods

I didn't build this website as a developer. I built it as a patient.

At 29 years old, my life changed in a single day.

I was working, studying, living normally — when I suddenly discovered my kidneys had failed. The cause was IgA nephropathy. There were no warnings. No time to prepare. I was rushed into emergency dialysis through a catheter in my neck, in critical condition, without truly understanding what was happening to me.

What followed was 7 years and 3 months of life measured in three sessions a week.

Three times a week, every week, the hospital became a second home. I came to know everyone there — the security guards, the orderlies, the nurses, the doctors. I left my job. I left the university I was studying at. I put my life on hold and focused on one thing: surviving.

Those years were filled with things I wouldn't wish on anyone. The strict food restrictions. The nausea. The back pain. The sleepless nights. The surgeries — a catheter in my neck, then my chest, then a fistula in my left arm, then surgery to remove my parathyroid gland. The crushing financial weight of treatment that never stops.

And through all of it, my mother never left my side.
Through every moment I was irritable, exhausted, and barely myself — she was there.
I would not be here without her.

Today, I am one of the lucky ones. I have received a kidney transplant.

And with this second chance, I wanted to do something that mattered. Something that could reach every person sitting in a dialysis chair right now, every family member searching the internet at midnight trying to figure out what their loved one can eat tomorrow.

That's why KidneyFoods exists.

Not to make money. But to make your life — and the lives of the people you love — a little easier. To help you eat well, stay longer with your family, keep doing the things you love, and live as fully as any person with kidney disease possibly can.

This is free. It will always be free. Because that's the whole point.

If it helps even one person, it was worth building.

— From a fellow kidney patient, with love 🙏

1,287
foods tracked
6
food categories
1
kidney transplant recipient

Built and maintained by one person — for you.

Our Mission

Managing CKD through diet is complex. Nutritional information online is often scattered, inaccurate, or not specific to kidney disease. KidneyFoods brings together verified data from trusted scientific sources into one easy-to-use tool — free for everyone, forever. We focus on the three minerals that matter most for CKD patients: phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.

Data Sources

USDA FoodData Central fdc.nal.usda.gov

Primary source for all nutritional values including calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. Data is laboratory-analyzed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and updated regularly. We use the Foundation Foods and SR Legacy datasets.

National Kidney Foundation kidney.org

CKD dietary guidelines, safe/limit/avoid classifications, and daily mineral limit recommendations (phosphorus ≤1,000 mg, potassium ≤2,000 mg, sodium ≤2,300 mg for Stage 3–4 CKD) are based on NKF guidelines and reviewed by registered renal dietitians.

KDOQI Clinical Practice Guidelines kidney.org/professionals

Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) nutrition guidelines inform our CKD stage-based recommendations, protein intake targets, and nutrient thresholds shown in the Meal Calculator.

Open Food Facts openfoodfacts.org

Nutritional data for packaged and processed foods is supplemented by Open Food Facts, a free, open-source database compiled from product labels worldwide. Licensed under ODbL 1.0.

Medical Disclaimer

All information on KidneyFoods is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dietary advice. Nutritional needs vary significantly between individuals with CKD depending on disease stage, lab values, medications, and other health conditions. Always consult your nephrologist or a registered renal dietitian before making changes to your diet. The CKD ratings shown (Safe / Moderate / Limit / Avoid) are general guidelines based on Stage 3–4 CKD and may not apply to your specific situation.

Support the project

If KidneyFoods has helped you or someone you love, consider supporting it. Even a small monthly contribution keeps the servers running and the data up to date. See how →