If you want carbohydrates at dinner, prioritize whole-grain options and moderate portions (for example, salted oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, legumes).
If you need “something sweet,” choose fruit or plain, unsweetened yogurt with cinnamon, or an unsweetened herbal tea.
2) Excess salt and salty ultra-processed foods (the most “hidden” culprits)
Salt isn’t just in the salt shaker. It’s often hidden in processed bread, instant soups, sausages, snacks, dressings, bouillon cubes, very salty cheeses, and ready-made meals.
The World Health Organization recommends less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day (equivalent to less than 5 g of salt).
The problem is that a dinner of ultra-processed foods can bring you close to (or exceed) that limit without you even realizing it.
Practical Change for Today
Cook with herbs and spices (garlic, onion, pepper, oregano, rosemary, turmeric) instead of “fixing” with salt.
Check labels: if a product has a lot of sodium per serving, it’s best to save it for special occasions, not for dinner.
If you already have kidney disease, be careful with potassium-based salt substitutes: they may not be suitable.
3) Red Meat and Processed Meats at Dinner (Higher Load, Lower Quality)
It’s not about “banning” them, but about understanding the impact: red meat and, especially, processed meat (sausages) are associated with a higher risk of chronic kidney disease when consumption is high and frequent.
In addition, processed meats often combine:
