Can Patients with CKD Eat Watermelon

Can patients with CKD eat watermelon? Watermelon is a common fruit in our daily life, especially in summer. It is very pleasant to eat watermelon when we feel extremely thirsty in a hot water, so many CKD patients are eager to know if they can eat watermelon with decreased kidney function.
Actually, whether a CKD patient can eat watermelon or not depends on the following two aspects:
1. Serum potassium level

Our kidneys keep serum potassium levels between 3.5 and 5.0 mEq/L. This narrow range is essential, because high level of potassium can cause irregular heartbeats. Healthy people need not to worry about high levels of potassium because excess potassium is promptly excreted by kidney. However, impaired kidneys are unable to perform this function effectively, so CKD patients are running high risk for elevated potassium level. When levels edge above 5.0 mEq/L, nephrologists usually recommend a potassium restriction diet. For these patients, more than 1 cup of watermelon can have life-threatening consequences.
2. Swelling
CKD is an illness that can involve many symptoms like high blood pressure, bubbly urine, fatigue, fluid retention, blood urine and so on. For CKD patients with fluid retention, they need to limit fluid intake, so as to avoid the deterioration of swelling. Under such a condition, avoid eating too much watermelon is very necessary.
As potassium intake is one thing that CKD patients need to pay attention to, it is helpful for them to avoid high potassium foods like watermelon, Apricots (fresh more so than canned), Avocado, Banana,Cantaloupe,Honeydew, Kiwi, Lima beans, Milk, Oranges and orange juice, Potatoes (can be reduced to moderate by soaking peeled, sliced potatoes overnight before cooking),Prunes,Spinach,Tomatoes,Vegetable juice and Winter squash and so on.