the
ki ney
citizen
s e n s i ti v i t y,
irritable
bowel
syndrome, and autism (2).
Chronic Kidney Disease
(CKD) did not make
the list of medical
conditions that
require
this
special diet.
This is due
to the fact
that CKD alone
does not use the
gluten-free diet for
its nutrition therapy.
Current research shows
the main nutrition
therapy goals for patients
with CKD are to control
intakes of protein, sodium,
potassium, and phosphorus
to varying degrees based on renal
failure stage and current treatment. In fact,
some gluten-free items may actually be
contraindicated in the renal diet because
of higher levels of sodium, potassium,
and, for diabetic-renal patients, its sugar
content.
Gluten-free products are made by
swapping out wheat, barley, and rye
containing ingredients and exchanging it for
an alternative grain that is naturally gluten-
free, such as rice, almond, and tapioca flour to
name a few. Unfortunately, the nutritional composition
of these substitutes varies greatly from all-purpose wheat
flour. For example, let us take a look at the nutritional content
of wheat flour versus a common alternative in gluten-free
cooking. One-fourth cup of all-purpose wheat flour contains
33.75 mg of phosphorus and 33.44 mg of potassium, whereas
one-fourth cup of almond flour contains 131.96 mg phosphorus
and 204 mg of potassium. Although the idea of switching
flours is to make food comparable, it is important to note that
the nutritional content can vary. Some gluten-free grains are
comparable while others are not.
To compare gluten-free products in terms of the renal diet,
let us look at the nutritional makeup of common products.
disease
One Thomas’™ Original English muffin contains 210 mg of
sodium, whereas a gluten-free English muffin from Glutino™
contains 440 mgs of sodium. The amount of sodium is more
than doubled in th