Chef McCargo and Fresenius Medical Care Suggest Five Diabetes and Dialysis-Friendly Holiday Dishes
Try
These Recipes and Tips to Meet the Dietary Needs of People with Diabetes or
Kidney Failure
WALTHAM,
Mass. – Nov. 25, 2014 – Planning a holiday meal
that everyone can enjoy takes special effort when guests or family members are
among the 430,000 Americans with kidney failure who depend on dialysis. Their
diets require lots of high-protein foods, while limiting their consumption of
foods containing sodium, potassium and phosphorus. In addition, many people
with kidney failure also have diabetes, and their need to additionally control
carbohydrate intake can make meal planning even more complicated.
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of
chronic kidney disease and kidney failure, which eventually requires some type
of renal replacement therapy. So in recognition of National Diabetes Month this
November, Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the nation’s leading
network of dialysis facilities, asked celebrity Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr., along
with its own staff dietitians, to select an assortment of healthy recipes to
consider as part of the holiday menu.
“Dialysis patients do need to pay attention
to their diets, and steer clear of dried fruit, pumpkin, potatoes, and some of
the other traditional holiday treats,” says Chef McCargo, star of Food
Network’s “Big Daddy’s House.” “But if they follow these recipes, they can
enjoy amazing holiday meals without compromising their health.”
The dishes described below are kidney and
diabetes friendly, and should be safe for both groups of patients when consumed
individually and in the suggested portions.
Five Diabetes & Dialysis-Friendly
Holiday Recipes
- Appetizer: “Buffalo Chicken Salad Stuffed Cucumber Cups.” This recipe mixes shredded chicken breast with a tangy dressing of mayonnaise, blue cheese, lemon juice, garlic, chives and hot sauce. A two- cucumber-cup serving contains 23 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbohydrates, and 270 mg sodium.
- Main dish: “Spicy Honey Glazed Pork Chops.” This holiday favorite contains 28 grams of protein, 15 grams of carbohydrates, and only 69 mg sodium per serving.
- Side dish: “Carrot and Ginger Mash.” A perfect complement for the spicy pork chops, this dish is a great substitute for mashed potatoes, but with just 6 grams of carbohydrates, 36 mg sodium and 166 mg of potassium per serving.
- Dessert: “Peaches and Cream Bread Pudding.” This rich blend of baked eggs, cream, unsweetened peaches and angel food cake contains just 11 grams of carbohydrates, 78 mg of phosphorous and 110 mg sodium.
- Brunch: “Mini Frittatas.” These savory muffin-tin egg frittatas contain onions, asparagus and Gruyere cheese topped with cream cheese and chives. Each serving contains 10 grams of protein, and only 3 grams of carbohydrate and 130 mg sodium.
“We are committed to giving patients
delicious dishes with bold flavors,” says Robin Russell, lead dietitian for FMCNA’s
North Texas region. “But it’s important to remember that too much of a good
thing can be as harmful as eating the wrong things.” She suggests that dialysis
and diabetes patients consider balance – both visually and nutritionally – when
filling their plates. Here are a few tips:
Balance colors: Greens, oranges and browns
look beautiful together on a holiday plate. A blend of colors can also help you
to balance nutrients like protein, potassium, phosphorus, sodium and
carbohydrates.
Balance textures: Mix crisp and crunchy
with smooth and creamy items to avoid too much fried food, mashed potatoes,
rice casseroles or dairy.
Balance flavors: Choose an assortment of
foods that are sweet, savory and tart. A variety of flavors can complement each
other, as well as balance nutrients.
Balance portions: Leave space between
foods. Over-filled plates usually lead to an over-stuffed body. Too much food
also can lead to dangerous blood levels of sugar, potassium and phosphorus,
sodium and excess thirst.
For a complete list of Chef McCargo’s
dialysis-friendly recipes, as well as fitness tips, videos and other
information about staying active and maintaining a healthy diet on dialysis,
visit FMCNA’s Healthy Lifestyles website. To find a dialysis facility near you,
call toll free at 1-866-4-DIALYSIS (1-866-434-2597).
About
Fresenius Medical Care North America
Through its leading network of more than
2,150 dialysis facilities in North America and vascular access centers,
laboratory, pharmacy and affiliated hospitals and nephrology practices,
Fresenius Medical Care provides renal services to hundreds of thousands of
people throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. It is also the
continent’s top producer of dialysis equipment, dialyzers and related
disposable products and a major supplier of renal pharmaceuticals. For more
information about the company, visit www.fmcna.com; for information about
patient services, visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com.
FMCNA has launched a company-wide program
to provide flu shots to its 230,000 patients and staff this season, at no cost
to the recipients. FMCNA will also donate $1 for every patient and employee
vaccinated through this program to be allocated among charities supporting
renal patients, and to the FMCNA CARES employee emergency relief fund. Flu is a
contagious respiratory illness carried by airborne viruses and spread by
sneezing and coughing. For vulnerable segments of the population, such as
people with CKD and kidney failure, their condition and the demands of their
life-sustaining treatment, leave them at greater risk for complications related
to influenza. For more information on flu prevention, visit www.slugthebug.com.
About
Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr.
Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr. competed on and won
season four of “The Next Food Network Star” in 2008, beating out thousands of
culinary hopefuls for the ultimate dream job – his own Food Network show. “Big
Daddy’s House” premiered in 2008 and continues to be a success. On “Big Daddy’s
House,” Aaron shares his passion for big, bold flavors and fun, family cooking,
bringing a down-to-earth vibe and warm smile to the kitchen. He recently
published his first cookbook, “Simply Done, Well Done.” Whether cooking for his
children, relatives, friends, or even himself, big food and big fun reign
supreme. FMCNA and Aaron have been working together since 2011 to encourage
dialysis patients to get back in the kitchen by developing dishes with big,
bold flavors that they can enjoy, while still adhering to the restrictions of
their dialysis diets.
About
Fresenius Medical Care North America