Healthy Kidney Diet

When you have chronic kidney disease or CKD, your health care provider and nutritionist will give you advice on how to plan for a healthy kidney diet. Oftentimes your doctor will only give you information about the foods that you should avoid, and very little information is given about the foods that you should eat. This gives you the impression that everything is restricted in a healthy kidney diet.

However, there are certain foods that are essential components of a healthy kidney diet. That is because they contain antioxidants and nutrients that are good for your kidneys. They also give the kidneys less workload because they are low in minerals like sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Here are some foods that you should include in a healthy kidney diet:

Red bell peppers

A half cup serving of red bell peppers only contain1 mg of sodium, 10 mg of phosphorus, and 88 mg of potassium, making it ideal for a healthy kidney diet. Aside from that, they are excellent sources of vitamins A, C, B6, folic acid, and even fiber. You can eat red bell peppers in several ways. One is through eating them raw with a dip as a snack. You may also use them as sandwich toppings and include them in salads and kabobs.

Olive oil

Olive oil is very low in potassium and sodium content. Although it contains fat, these fats are deemed to be “good” fats because they contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Moreover, it does not only help complete a healthy kidney diet, but it also lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease. They can be used as a healthy kidney diet substitute for cooking oil, and can also be used for salads and dips.

Berries

Some of the berries that are good for a healthy kidney diet include strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, and raspberries. Cranberries provide protection to the urinary bladder, while blueberries are high in antioxidant and vitamin content. Raspberries are excellent sources manganese, fiber, folate, and vitamin C, while strawberries provide heart and cancer protection. You can eat these fruits raw, or include them in salads and desserts in your healthy kidney diet.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is high in vitamin C and is also a great source of fiber. It also contains indoles, thyocyanates, and glucosinolates, which are compounds that help the liver neutralize toxic substances, hence being good components of a healthy kidney diet. A half serving of boiled cauliflower only contains 9 mg of sodium and 88 mg of potassium. You can add spices to it, such as curry powder, pepper, and turmeric, plus you can also mash it as a replacement for mashed potato.

Cabbage

Cabbage is full of phytochemicals that break up free radicals that can damage the body. It can also prevent cancer and foster cardiovascular health. In addition, cabbages are high in vitamins, C, K, B6, and folic acid, but they are low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. You can include cabbage in your healthy kidney diet in the form of coleslaw or as a side dish with cream cheese and caraway seeds.

These are only some of the foods that you can include in your healthy kidney diet. Remember that the key to your healthy kidney diet is moderation.

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Also published on Medium.