Adding Calories and Protein for Patients with Poor Appetite

As renal dietitians, we know that our patients often have a hard time eating enough protein or sometimes eating enough calories to spare the protein for it’s essential tasks.  

Anyone who has worked in a hospital or skilled nursing facilities knows about kcal packing meals: adding butter, sugar, cream and corn syrup to anything they can.  This always bothered me as these foods, while doing a great job at adding more calories and fat, also added alot of inflammation, and not a lot of nutrients.  I often wondered if kcal packing not only increased inflammation, but also used up precious vitamins and minerals processing empty calories- further promoting inflammatory protein energy wasting :/

Because of that, I put together this handout, which provides healthy ways to add more calories, protein AND nutrients- without adding lots of extra food.  Extra food may overwhelm those with poor appetites, but hiding extra nutrients and calories can make it easy to improve the nutrition status of those with poor appetites.

This handout provides flexibility for the dietitian and patients to find foods they are eating and add a little something extra- like adding unflavored protein powder to pudding or jello, or stirring an egg white into oatmeal while it is cooking or adding small pieces of  cooked chicken to a homemade vegetable soup.  There are also examples of common foods with higher protein versions like protein bars instead of granola bars, or protein water instead of juice or regular water.  This handout also provides tips on ways to eat just a little more that can all add up to make a big difference.. 

This handout is a great companion to the handout on improving appetite and dealing with taste changes.

Download it today from the KidneyRD Library!