The Right Nutrition for Your Kidneys

Kidneys perform many vital functions in your body, including filtering waste and impurities from your blood, maintaining the balance of minerals and electrolytes, and supporting red blood cell production.

Keeping your kidneys healthy and functioning is an essential part of maintaining your overall health. And it probably won’t come as a surprise to know that your diet plays an important role in the maintenance of these important organs. 

What should I eat to take care of my kidneys?

The best way to take good care of your kidneys and ward off chronic kidney disease (CKD) is to prevent diabetes, hypertension, and obesity — the major contributors to CKD. When it comes to your diet, that means eating mostly whole and plant-based foods while limiting foods that are processed and high in added sugars and trans and saturated fats (basically, diet guidance we should follow anyway!). In fact, research shows a link between eating primarily plant-based foods and a decreased risk of CKD.

Once a person develops CKD — the progressive and irreversible loss of kidney function — they often need to follow a renal diet, which limits the intake of sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and (at certain stages) protein. These nutrients may do more harm than good if your kidneys aren’t operating at full capacity.

Here are some foods that are both low in those restricted nutrients and high in other valuable nutrients that may be recommended when following a renal diet:

  • cauliflower
  • blueberries
  • sea bass
  • red grapes
  • egg whites
  • garlic
  • buckwheat
  • olive oil
  • bulgur
  • cabbage
  • chicken
  • peppers
  • onions
  • arugula
  • macadamia nuts
  • radish
  • turnips
  • pineapple
  • cranberries
  • mushrooms

While a renal diet may not be able to repair your kidneys, it may help slow the progression of the disease and support your kidney health. Renal diets should be tailored to the person, so it’s important to work with a registered dietitian and your nephrologist to create a plan that’s right for you.

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