Can people with diabetic nephropathy eat peanuts?

Written by Pan Wu Shan
Nephrology
Updated on June 18, 2025
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Diabetic nephropathy, as the name suggests, is a renal complication caused by long-term diabetes. The typical early symptom is a significant amount of proteinuria, which can usually be detected as high protein levels during routine urine tests. If it progresses to a late stage, the substantial amount of proteinuria can lead to general edema and possibly heart failure. Currently, there is no particularly effective treatment for diabetic nephropathy. The primary approach is to control blood sugar levels, keeping fasting blood glucose below 7 and postprandial glucose below 10. Diet-wise, it's important to consume low-salt, low-fat, diabetic-friendly foods. Daily salt intake should not exceed three grams. Foods that are fried, greasy, or high in starch, such as vermicelli, sweet potatoes, taro, and potatoes should be consumed in moderation. Peanuts, which are high in oil content, can be eaten in small amounts but not excessively, as they may also cause indigestion.

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Written by Pan Wu Shan
Nephrology
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What foods should be eaten for diabetic nephropathy?

Diabetic nephropathy is essentially a complication of the kidneys caused by diabetes, characterized by a history of diabetes for at least five to ten years, with very poor blood sugar control, leading to diabetic nephropathy. The main clinical manifestation is a large amount of proteinuria. Typically, patients will have a large amount of urinary protein, even exceeding 3.5 grams, and some patients may also experience swelling in the lower limbs, among other symptoms. Currently, dietary considerations for diabetic nephropathy mainly include a low-salt, low-fat, high-quality protein diet, and a diabetic diet. Avoid eating foods high in starch, such as potatoes, peanuts, Chinese yam, taro, etc., and also avoid foods high in sugar. Cucumbers, bitter melon, celery, and tomatoes are all good options to consider.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Late-stage symptoms of diabetic nephropathy

When patients with diabetic nephropathy reach the advanced stage, they actually already have severe renal failure. Prior to this, patients generally exhibit noticeable proteinuria. Continued progression of the disease will lead to the destruction of most of the renal tissues, causing renal failure. This condition is quite serious; patients often experience significant edema, even severe generalized edema. The accumulation of a large amount of fluid in the body leads to an increase in blood volume, and both the preload and afterload on the heart increase, often accompanied by symptoms of heart failure. When patients experience heart failure, they may find it impossible to lie flat and may experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing after activity, potentially endangering their lives.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Is diabetic nephropathy with facial swelling serious?

Patients with diabetic nephropathy who experience facial swelling should not use this symptom as a basis for judging the severity of their condition. Diabetic nephropathy is divided into five stages. The condition is relatively mild during the first three stages. By the fourth stage, patients begin to exhibit significant proteinuria, and by the fifth stage, they experience severe renal failure. Conditions in these last two stages are quite severe. However, patients might also experience facial swelling during the first three stages, and while the likelihood of facial swelling increases during the fourth and fifth stages, some patients in these stages might not show obvious edema. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the severity of the condition based solely on swelling. Patients need to undergo 24-hour urinary protein quantification and blood tests to assess kidney function in order to judge the severity of their condition.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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How many years can a person with diabetic nephropathy live?

Diabetic nephropathy is divided into several stages, from mild to severe. In the early stage, patients only have an increased glomerular filtration rate and the proteinuria is not significant. As the disease progresses, the protein in the urine increases, eventually leading to renal failure and even developing into uremia. The entire process can last many years, with some patients experiencing it for up to ten years. In fact, when diabetic nephropathy progresses to its final stage, uremia, patients still have many treatment options, such as hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation, and even combined kidney and pancreas transplantation. Therefore, how long a patient can live depends on the patient's age, presence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and the choice of treatment methods, among other factors.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Treatment of Anemia in Diabetic Nephropathy

Compared to primary chronic nephritis, patients with diabetic nephropathy develop anemia earlier and more severely. The treatment for this type of anemia is divided into two aspects. Firstly, since it is anemia caused by renal lesions leading to a lack of erythropoietin, it is necessary to supplement erythropoietin, as well as iron and folic acid, which are raw materials for blood production, for the anemia caused by diabetic nephropathy. Additionally, patients with diabetic nephropathy are prone to malnutrition and should enhance nutritional support, especially by increasing the intake of high-quality animal protein.