Foods that are Harmful to Kidney
The kidneys are one important organ that helps keep us alive. After every 30 minutes, the kidneys do filter waste from the blood and produce urine out of it. To fathom, they do balance fluid and electrolyte by excreting the excess out. In case your kidney function is not optimal, fluid may buildup in the bloodstream, causing you a bunch of morbidities.
Diet and chronic kidney disease
Dietary restrictions on people with kidney disease vary depending upon the stage, severity of the condition, and individual health.
To fathom, people who in the early stages of CKD need to follow different dietary rules than those with end-stage renal disease. In fact, those undergoing dialysis need to have complete diet rules curates, keeping in mind their blood reports.
Basically, a kidney-friendly diet will be prescribed by your dietician to avoid the buildup of electrolytes and chemicals in the blood.
As the kidneys cannot remove sodium, phosphorus, potassium, and protein properly, these are important components that decide a renal diet.
Damaged kidneys may have trouble filtering the waste products of protein metabolism. Therefore, in stages 1 to 4, your protein requirement would be different, and so do in ESRD. Contrary to this, when you are undergoing dialysis, your dietician may recommend more protein as the dialysis machine removes too much of it, and this depletes health.
Keep reading to know about the foods that are harmful to the kidneys.
1. Salt
Sodium results in fluid retention, which is also related to high blood pressure. And it is important to understand that high blood pressure or hypertension is the prime cause of CKD. The typical diet for kidney disease should not have more than 2200 mg sodium (about a teaspoon in the whole day). Table salt is not the only culprit, as the processed food we consume is also coated with sodium that exceeds our sodium consumption.
Common high sodium foods include:
● Canned foods such as
vegetables, soups, etc.
● Processed meats like lunch
meats, sausages
● Pickled foods like pickles,
olives, beets
● Frozen pizza
● Frozen dinners
● Chips, crackers
● Salad dressing
● Condiments like ketchup, BBQ sauce, soy sauce
2. Sugar
Sugar is yet another food not good for the kidneys. We can observe sugar to be a part of most foods, processed foods. Fruits contain natural sugar while they are also rich in vitamins and minerals our body requires to stay healthy. You may be surprised to know that bread, condiments, etc. also contain added sugar.
3.
Caffeine
Caffeine also puts a strain on your kidneys. It is found in coffee, tea, soda, etc., and results in high blood pressure instantly. High blood pressure affects the kidneys and is the main cause of CKD. Too much reliance on them can also lead to kidney stones.
4.
Sodas
Fact:
Drinking two or more sodas or carbonated drinks can increase your risk for
chronic kidney disease.
Energy drinks also elevate the risk of developing kidney stones which also puts your kidneys at risk.
5.
Meat & Dairy Products
Proteins are good for health, but a diet high in animal protein may put your kidneys at risk as they are hard to be processed or metabolize. The load on the kidneys due to meat and dairy products can aggravate CKD. Switch to a plant-based diet instead and keep your kidneys functional.
6.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
A large portion of our food contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Unfortunately, there is no strict evidence and study on the same, and we are unaware of the same. However, the studies on animals show GMO affects health largely, which includes changes in kidney function.
If
you are on kidney disease, strictly limit these foods in your diet.
● Red meat
● Butter
● Canned vegetables
● Peanuts
● Processed meats
● Avocados
● Organ meat
For
more information on diet, you can also contact us at Karma Ayurveda.
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