This diet limits how much protein you can eat each day.
You may need to eat this way if you have liver or kidney problems. The liver helps you digest proteins. The kidneys take away the waste products of protein digestion. If these organs are not working well, they will have to work extra hard to handle the protein that you eat. If you eat more protein than they can handle, waste products will build up in your blood. This will cause fatigue and a lack of hunger.
If you have chronic kidney failure, eating this way can slow your need for dialysis for up to a year. With kidney failure, you may also need to make other changes. These may be limiting salt, potassium, phosphorous, and fluid.
Dietary protein comes from animals and plants. Animal products are higher in protein and provide us with complete proteins. Complete proteins have all of the amino acids that our bodies need to live and that we have to get from the food we eat. Plant products are lower in protein and provide us with incomplete proteins. Both types of protein should be a part of your diet.
This chart lists food by group and the amount of protein per serving. Your doctor or dietitian will let you know how many grams of protein you can have each day. You must work with a dietitian to make sure that you stay in your protein range and meet all of your nutrient needs.
1 serving = 7 grams protein
| Type | One Serving |
|---|---|
| Beef, poultry, fish, lamb, veal | 1 ounce |
| Cheese | 1 ounce or ¼ of a cup shredded |
| Eggs | 1 |
| Peanut butter | 2 tablespoons |
| Dried peas or beans (cooked) | ½ of a cup |
1 serving = 4 grams protein
| Type | One Serving |
|---|---|
| Milk, cream, and yogurt | ½ of a cup |
| Ice cream | ¾ of a cup |
1 serving = 3 grams protein
| Type | One Serving |
|---|---|
| Bagel (varies), 4-ounce | ¼ of a bagel (1-ounce) |
| Bread (white, pumpernickel, whole wheat, rye) | 1 slice |
| Broth-based soup | 1 cup |
| Cooked beans, peas, or corn | ½ of a cup |
| Cooked cereal | ½ of a cup |
| Crackers | 4 to 6 |
| English muffin, hot dog bun, or hamburger bun | ½ |
| Pasta | ½ of a cup |
| Rice | 1/3 of a cup |
| Potato | 1 small or ½ of a cup mashed |
| Sweet potato or yam | ½ of a cup |
| Tortilla | 1 small |
| Unsweetened, dry cereal | ¾ of a cup |
1 serving = 2 grams protein
| Type | One Serving |
|---|---|
| Cooked veggies | ½ of a cup |
| Raw veggies | 1 cup |
| Tomato or veggie juice | ½ of a cup |
1 serving = 0.5 grams protein
| Type | One Serving |
|---|---|
| Canned fruit | ½ of a cup |
| Dried fruit | ¼ of a cup |
| Fresh fruit | 1 small or 1 cup (like cut up or berries) |
| Fresh juice | ½ of a cup |
Pure fats and sugars do not have protein. But, foods made mostly of fat or sugar, such as cake, cookies, ice cream, snack chips, and fried foods are high in calories and low in nutrition. There are some fats that are healthy in small amounts, such as olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts.
Here are some diet tips:
Eat Right—Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
http://www.eatright.org
National Kidney Foundation
http://www.kidney.org
Dietitians of Canada
http://www.dietitians.ca
The Kidney Foundation of Canada
http://www.kidney.ca
Enjoy your own recipes using less protein. National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii website. Available at: https://kidneyhi.org/enjoy-your-own-recipes-using-less-protein. Accessed July 26, 2021.
Nutrition care manual. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website. Available at: https://www.nutritioncaremanual.org. Accessed July 26, 2021.
Patient education: Dietary and fluid compliance for patients on hemodialysis. EBSCO Nursing Reference Center website. Available at: https://www.ebscohost.com/nursing/products/nursing-reference-center. Accessed July 26, 2021.
Last reviewed July 2021 by
EBSCO Medical Review BoardDianne Scheinberg Rishikof MS, RD, LDN
Last Updated: 7/26/2021