Can people with diabetic nephropathy eat peanuts?

Written by Pan Wu Shan
Nephrology
Updated on June 18, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
1min 1sec home-news-image

How to reduce proteinuria in diabetic nephropathy.

A major clinical feature of diabetic nephropathy is the occurrence of proteinuria, which, if the condition continues to progress, can lead to kidney failure. Controlling proteinuria in the early stages of the disease is indeed very important. In terms of treatment, it is primarily necessary to use medications or insulin to control the patient's blood sugar, as hyperglycemia is the fundamental cause of diabetic nephropathy. Additionally, these patients often also have hypertension, necessitating the use of antihypertensive drugs to control blood pressure. When the patient's kidney function is not severely impaired, ACE inhibitors or ARBs can be the preferred choice of antihypertensive drugs, as they not only control blood pressure but also reduce proteinuria. However, if the patient's serum creatinine is significantly elevated, such as over 264 µmol/L, these drugs should no longer be used. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
48sec home-news-image

Can diabetic nephropathy cause blood in urine?

Diabetes-induced kidney damage primarily affects the glomeruli, leading to hardening and narrowing of glomerular blood vessels. Clinically, this is manifested by proteinuria, starting with small amounts of urinary protein and progressively increasing to large amounts, ultimately causing renal failure. Generally, hematuria is rare during the course of diabetic nephropathy. If a patient with diabetic nephropathy experiences hematuria, and the cause is unexplained, it is generally recommended that the patient undergo procedures such as a kidney biopsy to further clarify the cause. It is possible that the patient may have other forms of glomerulonephritis, or an ultrasound of the urinary system should be performed to rule out common causes of blood in the urine, such as urinary system stones or tumors.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
1min home-news-image

How to reduce proteinuria in diabetic nephropathy

One major characteristic of patients with diabetic nephropathy is the increase in urine protein, and some patients may even have a large amount of urine protein. The treatment of this disease is indeed quite challenging, and there are not many effective treatments available clinically. In the early stages, when the patient's serum creatinine has not exceeded 256 µmol/L, clinicians often choose ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) to reduce the pressure within the glomerulus and decrease urine protein. At the same time, it is recommended for patients to use insulin to control blood sugar. However, in recent years, there has been some progress in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, such as the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, which may help reduce urine protein. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a clinician, based on the specific condition of the patient.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
1min 1sec home-news-image

Is stage three diabetic nephropathy severe?

Stage three of diabetic nephropathy refers to patients who have persistent microalbuminuria, indicating a relatively mild state of the disease at this time. In fact, diabetic nephropathy is divided into five stages. During the first and second stages, patients generally do not exhibit specific symptoms clinically and may even test negative for proteinuria; however, an increase in kidney size and glomerular filtration rate may occur. By the third stage, patients begin to exhibit small or micro amounts of urinary albumin. The pathological damage to the kidneys at this stage is not considered particularly severe. Patients may experience hyalinization of small arteries and nodular lesions in the glomeruli. Within the staging of diabetic nephropathy, this does not constitute a particularly severe phase; however, the condition of the patients may continue to progress, leading to significant proteinuria and even renal failure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
51sec home-news-image

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.