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The kidney is responsible for some of the most important functions in our body system. Do make sure to give it the right kind of foods to improve its health.
Type of foods to take and avoid for your Kidney health.
The health of your Kidney should be a priority. An integral part of the human body system, the Kidney is responsible for critical functions such as filtering out waste, balancing fluids, managing blood pressure and cultivating red blood soils. While immensely powerful, the health and the efficient functioning of your Kidney is often determined by the food you eat. With that in mind, here are the seven food types that can improve your Kidney health and five that might secretly be causing harm.
Seven Foods For Improved Kidney Health
Cauliflower
While packed with fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, Cauliflower is also low in potassium and oxalates that can have a positive influence on our Kidney health. For those undergoing Kidney issues, managing potassium intake is considered important. The Cauliflower, eaten with rice or potato, fits perfectly in the diet for such people.
Blueberries
Blueberries can be great even for people with compromised Kidney function with their low sodium, phosphorus and potassium content. Loaded with antioxidants, Blueberries also reduce inflammation and oxidative stress inside our Kidneys.
Garlic
Garlic is another Kidney-friendly product due to its anti-inflammatory values combined with its ability to mitigate blood pressure challenges and support cholesterol control. Unlike salt, garlic provides flavours to your meals without excessively loading your stomach with sodium. It can guard against long-term Kidney damage.
Apples
Full of pectin, Apple nourishes Kidney health by controlling your blood sugar content and cholesterol levels – the excess of which can be damaging in the long run. They’re also naturally low in potassium and help prevent Kidney-based challenges, including stones and chronic diseases.
Cabbage
Cabbage should be present in a Kidney-friendly diet because of its low potassium and phosphorus content apart from vitamins K, C, and B6. Usually cheap and easy to cook, the cabbage is full of phytochemicals, plant-based compounds that help neutralise free radicals. Having the cabbage on your eating table can act as a shield from various Kidney problems.
Red Bell Peppers
Red Bell Peppers come with dual benefits to your Kidney and the immune system. They’re rich in Vitamin C and anti-oxidants but low in potassium and don’t burden the Kidney like a few other veggies do. Add them to your diet to ensure your Kidney retains its great strength and doesn’t malfunction in the future.
Egg Whites
Unlike whole eggs that are high in phosphorus, egg whites give us protein without causing any secretive harm to our Kidney. The nature of the protein intake matters a great deal to your Kidney as it helps process it. The wrong form of protein can cause excess load and disrupt this process. Egg whites have a balanced and clean effect on our Kidney.
5 Foods To Avoid For Kidney Health
Processed Meats
Dishes like Hot dogs, bacon and deli meats might be great for your taste buds but are definitely not good for your Kidney. These preservative meat options are loaded with sodium, preservatives and phosphorus additives that can raise your blood pressure and cause damage to the blood vessels in your Kidney. It is advised to substitute these with grilled meat or plant-based alternatives.
Coloured Sodas
Rethink the dark-coloured sodas you opt for to counter the scorching summer heat as they often contain added phosphorus in the form of phosphoric acid. This form of phosphorus is absorbed even more easily by our bodies than the natural phosphorus found in different food types and causes calcification in the organs and blood vessels. In short, bad for your Kidneys.
Avocados
The presence of Avocados in the list might raise eyebrows, but while great for other health benefits, they can be damaging to your Kidneys because of the excess amount of potassium staked inside them. Each Avocado comes with around 700mg of potassium. While one toast with the Avocado spread eaten occasionally won’t cause any harm, the regular intake of the same can be extremely stressful for your Kidneys.
Canned Soups And Instant Noodles
Stop them immediately if you are suffering from a Kidney condition. They might be convenient to have but these canned soups and instant noodles that you intake are usually packed with 800–1,200mg of sodium per serving. Over time, excess consumption of sodium can have a detrimental impact on your heart health and Kidney function, increasing the risk of fluid retention and swelling.
Spinach
Here’s another surprising Kidney-harming food type. Spinach considered rich in iron and protein content is also super high in oxalates, which can contribute to kidney stone formation. It’s important to balance out your spinach intake by eating it in only fair proportions and pairing it with calcium-rich foods to reduce oxalate absorption.
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl…Read More
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl… Read More
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