up regular tofu, add a spicy seasoning(without salt), and quickly saute to top rice orpasta, or use as a filling for a taco or burrito orto top a pizza crust.Beans and nuts are good sources of high-quality protein.However, they can be high in phosphorus andpotassium, so the amounts served need to be carefullycalculated. Try to use dried beans or beans frozen withoutsalt. Canned beans, even lower sodium beans, areusually high in sodium.A way to balance potassium intake is to includeneeded protein (which may be high in potassium)and then to select fruits and vegetables that are lowerin potassium.SodiumSome vegetarian foods can be very high in sodium.Here are suggestions for avoiding excess sodiumon the menu:Avoid using ready-to-eat foods, such as frozenmeals, canned soup, dried soups, or packagedvegetable broths.Use miso very sparingly.Use lower-sodium soy sauces very sparingly, as thereis still a lot of sodium in these soy sauces.Limit soy- and rice-based cheeses.Amino acid preparations, such as Bragg's LiquidAminos, can be very concentrated in protein, potassium, and phosphorus; if the patient wantsto include these types of products, they will needto be calculated into the daily intake.Read the labels for vegan meats (such foods as tofuhot dogs and veggie burgers) or other canned orfrozen soy products.Read the labels for seasoning mixtures to avoidexcess sodium.PotassiumPotassium may not need to be strictly restricted unlessthe function of the kidney decreases to less than 20percent. Routine blood testing is the best way to knowa patient's potassium requirements. Approximatelytwo-thirds of dietary potassium comes from fruits,vegetables, and juices. The easiest way to limit potassiumwould be to limit fruit and vegetable selectionsbased on the level of potassium in the patient's blood.Higher Potassium FoodsTextured vegetable protein (TVP)Soy flourNuts and SeedsCooked dried beans or lentilsCooked dried soybeansTomato products (sauce, puree)PotatoesRaisinsOranges, bananas, cantaloupe, or honeydew melon14 cup2 Tbsp14 cup1/3 cup1 cup14 cup12 cup14 cup12 cupA common limitation is five servings of fruits andvegetables per day.A potassium serving size is generally:1/2 cup fresh fruit, canned fruit, or juice1 cup fresh vegetables12 cup cooked vegetablesIf a patient would like several servings of protein,alternative protein selections may be needed to keeppotassium levels from going too high. This will meanusing more tofu and seitan, rather than beans or texturedvegetable protein (TVP), at every meal. Blackstrapmolasses, spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens, and prunesare very high in potassium and may need to be limitedor avoided.PhosphorusDepending on the extent of an individua's kidneydisease, phosphorus may need to be restricted. Foodshigh in phosphorus include bran cereals, wheat germ,whole grains, dried beans and peas, colas, beer, cocoa,and chocolate drinks. For more information abouthigh phosphorus foods, see www.kidney.org/atoz/atozitem.cfm?id=101. Dried beans and peas andwhole grains are high in phosphorus, but becauseof their high phytate content, they may not causephosphorus in the blood to be elevated as much aswould be expected. Individual monitoring by thehealth care provider is necessary to determine theappropriate level of dietary phosphorus.Adequate NutritionA vegan diet can be lower in calories and higher infiber than an animal-based diet. This is great newsfor healthy patients. However, for vegan renal patients,we need to ensure that there is no weight loss or lossin nutritional status. Here are some tips