A Study on the Potassium Leaching Practices Among  Practising Dieticians of Chennai Hospitals

Ms. Yasmin. A; Mrs. Varalakshmi Rajam. S

Volume : II, Issue : II, November - 2012

A Study on the Potassium Leaching Practices Among Practising Dieticians of Chennai Hospitals

Ms. Yasmin. A, Mrs. Varalakshmi Rajam. S

Abstract :

Leaching of vegetables is recommended to renal patients in order to reduce the food mineral load. The dietitians provide guidance to patients on ways to reduce potassium consumption. An opinionnaire was administered to the dieticians of various hospitals in Chennai to know about the custom of counselling renal patients on potassium restriction. It was apparent from the study that among 80% of the dieticians who recommended leaching procedure, 75% of them did not specify the time duration for leaching of vegetables and 70% of them did not specify the amount of water used for leaching process but most of the dieticians (65%) agreed that leaching of vegetables by proper cooking method ings about a significant variation in the serum potassium level of renal patients. Thus there is a need to set a universal protocol for the dietitians regarding suitable method of leaching potassium rich vegetables.