Can patients with uremia eat cherries?

Cherries are a very common fruit in our lives. Not only do they taste great, but they are also rich in various nutrients, such as carotene, vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, etc. It is a very enjoyable thing to eat cherries when you have nothing to do. However, patients with uremia have a lot to pay attention to in their diet, and many patients worry that cherries will affect their condition. So, can patients with uremia eat cherries? Let’s take a look below.

Cherry is also known as oriole peach and cherry bead. It belongs to the Rosaceae family and the genus Prunus. It has a cultivation history of more than 3,000 years in our country. Cherries ripen before all other fruits. Not only are the fruits sweet, but the trees are also elegant. They have been loved by people throughout the ages. Cherries attract thousands of tourists and eaters with their unique beauty and elegance, and have won the reputation of "the first fruit of spring."

Although cherries are good, patients with uremia should be careful. Cherries are high in potassium, which cannot be underestimated. Every 100 grams contains 258 mg of potassium, which is not a small amount for patients with uremia. Due to impaired renal excretion function, patients with uremia also have impaired water and electrolyte regulation functions. Cherries contain a large amount of potassium. After taking them into the body through diet, healthy people can regulate the kidney function and excrete excess potassium. However, patients with uremia lose their renal metabolism, and excessive potassium accumulates in the body, causing hyperkalemia, which seriously damages myocardial cells, causing heart rhythm disorders, and in severe cases even cardiac arrest and death.

The water content of fruit is as high as 90% to 95%. Patients who need to control their fluid intake should not eat too much fruit. Patients with uremia should be alert to the symptoms of hyperkalemia: when the patient has hyperkalemia, heaviness and weakness in the lower limbs, irregular pulse, low blood pressure, and bluish and cold skin may occur. Examination will reveal changes in the electrocardiogram, such as tall and peaked T waves. Hyperkalemia is a very serious complication that can lead to cardiac arrest and requires timely treatment.