There are many varieties of tomatoes, and they are available in stores year-round.
Why Are Tomatoes a Superfood?
• Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, beta carotene/
vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber and
antioxidants
• Tomatoes are low in calories and high in fiber;
1 cup of cherry tomatoes has 27 calories with
about 1 ½ to 2 grams of fiber
• You can also grow tomatoes in your garden
or in pots
• You can eat them raw or cooked: add raw
tomatoes to salads or sandwiches, use
cooked tomatoes as a side dish or to make
tomato sauce
Tomatoes and Kidney Disease
The amount of potassium you can have each day
will depend on your stage of kidney disease or the
type of dialysis you receive (see below).
CKD/TRANSPLANT
Most people with early-stage CKD or a kidney
transplant do not have to limit tomatoes because
of potassium. If your laboratory results show
higher levels of potassium, your doctor or kidney
dietitian may talk with you about how much to eat.
HEMODIALYSIS (3 TIMES/WEEK)
Potassium can be a concern depending on the
amount you eat. For example, 1 or 2 slices of raw
tomato has a much smaller amount of potassium
than a cup of cooked tomatoes.
DAILY HOME AND NOCTURNAL HEMODIALYSIS/
PERITONEAL DIALYSIS
These types of dialysis can remove more
potassium, so you may need to eat more
potassium rich foods. Tomatoes are a good way to
add extra potassium to your diet and decrease the
need to take an additional potassium pill.
KIDNEY STONES
Eating tomatoes will not have an effect on forming
kidney stones.
TOMATOESTOMATOES
KIDNEY-FRIENDLY SUPERFOODS
For more information, contact the National Kidney Foundation
Toll-free help line: 8 55.NKF.CARES or email: nkfcares@kidney.org
The National Kidney Foundation wishes to thank its Council on Renal Nutrition (CRN) for the development of this fact sheet.
© 2021 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. 03-10-8343_HCB
This content is provided for informational use only and is not intended as medical
advice or as a substitute for the medical advice of a healthcare professional.
KIDNEY.ORG
Recipe
MARINARA SAUCE
MAKES: 4 SERVINGS
2 tsp of garlic (minced)
1 tsp dried oregano
2 pieces of bay leaves (dried)
3 cups of crushed tomatoes
1 small onion (chopped)
3 cups of tomato sauce
2½ Tbsps. of olive oil
½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
¾ tsp of salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Over medium heat, add the olive oil and the chopped onion. Cook
until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the
crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices, and salt and pepper to
taste. Once the sauce starts boiling, simmer at low temperature for
at least one hour. After one hour, add the parmesan cheese to the
sauce. Serve on top of a whole grain pasta with a side green salad.
Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.
This is a low protein recipe. Add the protein from pasta for total
amount of protein.
NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:
Calories ........................... 198
Protein ............................. 3.75 g
Vitamin A......................... 1895 IU
Potassium ....................... 920 mg
Dietary iber .................... 4.4 g
Total saturated fat .......... 0
Cholesterol .................... 0
LOWER IN POTASSIUM AND PROTEIN VERSION
Instead of 3 cups of tomato sauce, use 2 cups of
chopped bell peppers. Per serving:
Calories: 166
Protein: 2 g
Potassium: 417 mg
HIGH IN PROTEIN VERSIONS
One pound of ground turkey adds 20 g of protein, 169 calories, total
fat 9.4 g, saturated fat 2.6 g, and cholesterol 89.5 mg per serving.
One pound of grass-fed ground beef adds 215 calories, 21.5 g of
protein, total fat 14 g, saturated fat 6 g, and cholesterol 69.5 mg
per serving.
Recipe Tips
• Marinara sauce is an easy way to use lots of tomatoes (see recipe below). If you need o to reduce
potassium, use half the tomatoes an add more bell peppers, shredded carrots, etc
• In salads or sandwiches, use 2-3 slices of tomato or a few sliced cherry tomatoes if restricted
