3 Foods that Can Affect Your Kidneys in a Bad Way

It is easy to eat food without giving a thought as to how your body processes it. Most people succumb to taste before any health concerns may arise. We are products of decades of marketing campaigns and now the cycle of obesity and diabetes is off the charts, particularly in the United States. 

Your kidneys are like the Zamboni of the body. A Zamboni is that giant machine driven over stadium ice venues which clears the ice of debris and smooths it out so it can be safely skated on. Without the Zamboni, the ice would be dirty and dangerous causing all sorts of problems and a kidney that is not taken care of could result in much of the same. 

Treating your kidneys well means your body and mind will follow suit. These 3 foods that can affect your kidneys in a bad way are the top culprits. Culprits that could seriously compromise the cleansing capabilities of these organs and eventually create an atmosphere ripe for disease and discomfort. 

Diet Soda

The amount of chemicals jammed into a diet soda is short of astounding. It is a wonder people drink them at all, yet these beverages are still a popular choice, especially in the western diet. As a result, a variety of health compromises can occur, particularly if diet soda is a common part of your daily intake. However, it is the kidneys that suffer the most. 

In a study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, both located in Baltimore, Maryland, it was stated that, 

“Diet soda consumption is common in the United States and is associated with impaired glucose metabolism, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome…Diet soda consumption was associated with higher ESRD [end-stage renal disease] risk in this general population sample.”

Choose clean, untouched water or plain green tea as optimal beverages for kidney support. 

Salt

There is a large amount of sodium in a large amount of processed foods. With many Americans on the obesity scale, this sodium can be highly dangerous to the kidneys. A study of 4595 adults over a 15 year period measured creatinine levels (a compound excreted from the kidneys). The study, which was published in the Clinical Kidney Journal, (Volume 14, Issue 2, February 2021, Pages 647–655) reported,

“Thus the study results are in accordance with the idea that high salt intake could be an independent determinant of kidney function decline over time and support the need for interventional studies to investigate the renoprotective effects of dietary salt restriction.”

Cooking food yourself is the best way to maintain a healthy diet, however, if you need to consume foods on the run, check the sodium levels. Most will be high as salt can act as a ‘natural’ preservative but, over time, continued processed food consumption could be detrimental to your kidney function. Drink plenty of clean water to flush your kidneys so sodium doesn’t have a chance to cause harm.

Meat

The plant-based diet revolution is becoming more popular and for good reason, Americans eat too much meat. Do understand that you can have your meat and eat it too, you just want to try avoiding consuming meat during every meal. 

Over time, your body can break down from excessive meat consumption potentially causing many conditions mistakenly associated with aging, such as inflammation, joint pain and digestive difficulty. However, the chemical process of breaking down meat could also seriously affect your kidneys. 

The journal Nephrology reported on research by Parvin Mirmiran, PhD, of the Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences which stated that,

“The researchers contended that meat – described here as “a major source of protein in most diets” – has been demonstrated to have negative health outcomes in contrast to the “favorable effects” seen with plant-based proteins (including whole grains, nuts and legumes).”

Most people love their meat so eliminating it from the diet may not be possible. However, limiting it could help. You will never be deficient in protein as it is in literally everything you eat and it is rare someone ends up ill from low protein. Therefore, increasing plant-based choices will help support your kidneys for when they need to break down more difficult foods such as meat. Look at the Mediterranean Diet as a good gauge on how to incorporate more balanced, healthy choices. 

These 3 foods that can affect your kidneys in a bad way shows the importance of being aware of what you eat. Don’t let advertising, overstimulated taste buds, a busy schedule, or social pressures force you to make poor choices that can cause damage over time. Embrace clean foods for optimal health and especially strong kidney function.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27797893/

https://academic.oup.com/ckj/article/14/2/647/5975009

https://www.healio.com/news/nephrology/20200617/substituting-red-meat-with-alternate-dietary-proteins-may-reduce-kidney-disease-risk