The 13 Foods That Could Save Your Kidneys and Your Wallet
Despite being so important, kidney health often does not get the attention it deserves. According to the CDC, more than 1 in 7 adults in the US are living with chronic kidney disease, and many are unaware they have it. That is why daily care and early prevention matter so much.
Looking after your kidneys now can help them keep doing their job for years to come, and a few small, consistent habits can make a big difference.
Don't miss any of CNET's unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome.
Fortunately, you don't need to make dramatic lifestyle changes to support kidney health. Incorporating a handful of nutrient-rich superfoods into your regular meals can make a significant difference. These foods help reduce inflammation, support healthy blood flow, and ease the load on your kidneys so they can keep doing their job. If you're looking to give your kidneys the boost they need, these 13 simple additions to your diet are a great way to start.
Your diet and gut health also play a major role in your wellness, especially when it comes to keeping your kidneys healthy. There are 13 superfoods you should keep in mind when considering natural ways to give your kidney health a boost.
Read more: 6 Important Blood Tests You May Need for Your Overall Health
Best Meal Delivery Services
See at Cnet
13 superfoods for kidney health
1. Cabbage
This nutrient-dense vegetable is low in both potassium and sodium while packing in fiber, vitamins C and K and more.
Plus, cabbage is versatile. You can use it in salads and slaws, but you can also use it as a wrap for tacos, sandwiches and more.
2. Fatty fish
Fish delivers protein, and when you choose a fatty fish like tuna, salmon or trout, you're also getting omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats may help reduce fat levels (triglycerides) in the blood and may also lower blood pressure, according to the National Kidney Foundation.
If you have CKD, you may need to keep an eye on the phosphorus and potassium levels of the fish you choose. The National Kidney Foundation has a chart you can use to determine levels in specific types of fish. Although, it's best to consult with your doctor.
3. Bell peppers
Like cabbage, bell peppers pack in lots of good nutrients with low levels of potassium. With them, you get vitamins B6, B9, C and K, plus fiber. They deliver antioxidants too.
You can slice them and eat them with dips or roast them and add them to dinner.
4. Cranberries
Cranberries help to prevent urinary tract infections. These usually stay in your bladder, they can travel up to your kidney, making kidney problems worse. Fortunately, regularly consuming cranberries can help you avoid this unwelcome situation.
Plus, cranberries have antioxidants that can help fight inflammation, and they can boost your heart and digestive health. It turns out, these tart berries aren't just for the Thanksgiving table.
5. Blueberries
We've talked about some of the best foods for kidneys, but you can take it a step further. The question is: What foods help repair kidneys? Blueberries deliver.
With high levels of antioxidants and loads of vitamin C and fiber, blueberries are all-around healthy. They can also help to reduce inflammation and support bone health, reversing some of the issues that can come with CKD.
6. Dark, leafy greens
There are plenty of reasons to turn to dark, leafy greens like spinach or kale. They deliver so many nutrients that they can help you get key vitamins and minerals, plus immunity-boosting benefits.
Be advised that greens can come with a decent amount of potassium. If you have CKD, talk to your doctor before adding more of these to your diet.
7. Olive oil
Rich in antioxidants and healthy fatty acids, olive oil can boost your overall wellness. A study from Harvard University found that olive oil may lower cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia and some types of cancer.
Beyond all this, it can help you add flavor to dishes without turning to salt or butter. To get more antioxidants, choose unrefined or cold-pressed olive oil that's virgin or extra virgin.
8. Garlic
Another antioxidant-rich, inflammation-fighting food, garlic also contains a specific compound called allicin. For people with CKD, allicin — an active compound found in garlic — worked just as effectively to help protect kidney health as a prescription drug. If you're looking for the best foods for your kidneys, garlic has to make the list.
Plus, it's an excellent way to add flavor when you're skimping on salt.
9. Onions
From the same family as garlic, onions give you another excellent and salt-free way to add flavor (bonus points if you saute them in olive oil). Onions also deliver important nutrients like vitamins B6 and C, manganese and copper.
They also contain quercetin, a chemical that can help your body fight cancer, and organic sulfur compounds that can reduce your risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
10. Cauliflower
Cauliflower brings the crunch, paired with plenty of vitamins C, B6, B9 and K, along with fiber. It also contains compounds your body can use to neutralize certain toxins, a big help when your kidneys aren't doing their best filtration work.
Cauliflower does contain some potassium and phosphorus, though, so while it makes the list of foods good for kidneys, people with CKD may want to moderate their intake.
11. Egg whites
Egg whites are specifically recommended for people with kidney problems. They give you a way to increase your protein levels -- which can be important with later-stage CKD, especially if you're on dialysis.
12. Arugula
Arugula is packed with nutrients your body needs like magnesium, iron, calcium and vitamins A, B9, C and K. Plus, it's antioxidant-rich and has glucosinolates, which can help your body protect itself against a range of cancer types.
You can eat arugula raw (it's a great salad base), but you can also sprinkle it over whatever you're whipping up. It's great on pizzas, in omelets and with pasta, for example.
13. Apples
Apples deliver the cancer-fighting quercetin and fiber that can help to keep your cholesterol and blood sugar at healthy levels. They've got plenty of antioxidants.
Better yet, they're easy to work into your diet. Leave a bowl of apples on your counter and you'll have a kidney-healthy, grab-and-go snack whenever you need one.
Solve the daily Crossword
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
24 minutes ago
- Fox News
Doctors divided over new diet trend that has babies licking butter and gumming ribeye steak
Some parents are swapping puréed fruits and vegetables, oatmeal and yogurt for butter, bone broth, sardines and chicken liver as part of a controversial new "carnivore baby" trend – but experts are urging caution. As carnivore and protein-packed diets gain popularity among adults, many of whom are rejecting ultra-processed foods, some are passing them on to their kids. Some doctors are even sharing that they feed their babies meat-forward meals, The Wall Street Journal recently reported. Facebook groups are catering to carnivore families and parents are sharing tips on school lunches – rotisserie chicken, pork rinds and hard-boiled eggs among them. Meanwhile, others seek insight on trying to conceive while eating only meat. Dariya Quenneville, a mother in Ontario, Canada, told the publication that she started feeding her daughter raw egg yolks and puréed chicken liver as soon as she could eat solid foods and then moved on to sardines, bone broth ice pops, leg of lamb, beef heart and tongue. Lorraine Bonkowski, a registered dietitian from Michigan, and her one-year-old daughter are both on carnivore diets, Bonkowski told The Wall Street Journal. The little girl licks butter off a spoon, gets a bottle full of bone broth and uses her four teeth to gum ribeye steak. Bonkowski said she introduced fruit to her daughter's diet because her baby was getting constipated from all the meat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends feeding children over 12 months a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and dairy products. While the carnivore trend has been firing up – U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently shared that he follows it – others have been pushing it for years. In 2021, Dr. Robert Cywes, a Florida-based pediatrician, and his wife, Janae, said in a YouTube video that they started giving their son meat at 4 months old. His first real meal, they said, was a ribeye steak. "From a functional perspective, from a milestone perspective, he's right on target," Cywes claimed at the time. Dr. Shawn Baker, the Washington-based author of the book "The Carnivore Diet," boasted in a YouTube video last year that his baby ate a carnivore diet for six months, was walking at 10 months old and grew to be "strong and tall." "The first food for a baby, when it was ready to wean off the breast, was meat." Some doctors claim the practice has been used for centuries. "This is actually the original way that humans fed their babies 100 years ago, 500 years ago, 5,000 years ago," Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician in Tennessee, told Fox News' Dana Perino on "America's Newsroom." "The first food for a baby, when it was ready to wean off the breast, was meat … gnawing on a bone," Berry said. Meat ensures that babies get certain nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and amino acids, he added, slamming puffs and other kids' snacks as "junk." However, Berry did recommend moderation by pairing meat with whole foods like berries. Fox News' senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said introducing kids to meat gets them plenty of protein and iron, yet without fruits and vegetables, the diet can become an "addiction." "It's a high-inflammation diet, which means later on, when you get to be an adult, you end up with heart disease, you end up with cancer, you end up with diabetes and you end up with obesity," Siegel said on "The Faulkner Focus." "This is a very bad diet to get addicted to as a kid," he said. Lauren Manaker, a registered dietitian nutritionist and mom in South Carolina, told Fox News Digital that while the carnivore diet provides "many options" that are "fantastic for babies," she said it "isn't ideal for little ones." "Babies need a variety of nutrients to grow and thrive, and a diet that cuts out or limits plant-based foods like fruits, veggies and grains can leave some big nutritional gaps," she cautioned.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Many people using OTC birth control pills previously used nothing, study finds
Two years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, new research is looking at who's switching to it and why. In the study, published Monday in JAMA Network Open, researchers used survey data from 986 people, ages 15 to 45, in 44 states who obtained the over-the-counter pill either online or at a pharmacy. They found that a significant portion of users shifted to the over-the-counter pill from a less-effective method of birth control or from using no contraception at all. Of those surveyed, they found a 31.8 percentage point increase in use by people who previously used no contraceptive method. A 41 percentage point increase was seen in those who switched from a less-effective method, like condoms or emergency contraception. Opill, the over-the-counter, progestin-only pill from drugmaker Perrigo, provides an option for obtaining oral contraceptives without needing to first see a health care provider. Allowing people to access the pill without a prescription was done in hopes of reducing barriers to access, according to the FDA's news release at the time of approval, which noted that almost half of the 6.1 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended. The new research "is one of the first studies to show that over-the-counter birth control pills are reaching the very people they're meant to help — those who face the greatest barriers to care," lead author Dr. Maria Rodriguez, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, said in a news release. Those accessing the over-the-counter pill were more likely than prescription users to be uninsured, younger (ages 15-20) and living in rural areas, according to the study. The most common reason people gave in the survey for choosing the OTC pill was that it didn't require an appointment, followed by those who said they didn't have a regular physician. "At a time when pregnancy is becoming even more dangerous in the United States — especially for people of color, those with low incomes, and those living in rural communities — our findings underscore that OTC contraception is a powerful tool for reproductive autonomy," Rodriguez said. Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan on the Trump-Putin summit, sanctions and more Laufey on creating her own sound A robotics activist's remarkable crusade Solve the daily Crossword
CNN
30 minutes ago
- CNN
Taking GLP-1s for weight loss? Here's why strength training is key
Before beginning any new exercise program, consult your doctor. Stop immediately if you experience pain. More than 15 million Americans are now losing weight with GLP-1 drugs. The medications — drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro that were originally created to treat type 2 diabetes — have been shown to produce superior weight loss effects with little risk, according to a 2023 study. If you're taking one or considering it, though, it's important to remember that using the drugs to suppress appetite doesn't just contribute to fat loss. Taking them also can result in reduced muscle mass. How much is uncertain, but studies have indicated that anywhere between 15% to 60% of the weight people lose is lean muscle mass — meaning that if you shed 50 pounds, you will potentially be losing 7.5 to 30 pounds of your lean muscle. 'Many patients underestimate their weakness when on these drugs until it shows up functionally, like when they're going up the stairs,' said Dr. Peter Wenger, an affiliate clinical assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Wenger is also a family medicine and sports medicine physician in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, who regularly works with people on GLP-1s. If you're on a GLP-1 weight-loss program, it's important to formulate a weekly exercise routine that includes strength training to protect your health and your physical independence. Strong muscles are key to maintaining sturdy bones and preventing falls, and they are important for long-term metabolic health. Exercise and strength training to stave off too much muscle loss are especially critical if you're 65 or older. 'People 65 and above are already at risk of sarcopenia,' said Dr. Viral Shah, an endocrinologist and director of diabetes clinical research at the Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function. 'If those people lose even 10% to 15% of lean mass, it's still significant because they have low mass to begin with.' But lost muscle mass isn't good for anyone, no matter your age. 'Even when you're relatively young, you feel so much older because you lose muscle mass so rapidly on these drugs,' Wenger said. Wenger and other experts share tips on how to safely build muscle strength while using a GLP-1. Before you rush to the gym and start pumping iron, be aware that while on a GLP-1, you may experience a reduced appetite and nausea, especially during the dose-adjustment phase at the start of your treatment. You may also feel fatigued and dizzy. As a result, your strength training should begin with a lower intensity than the average person, and your progression to heavier weights should be more gradual. 'We recommend shorter sessions to accommodate nausea or fatigue,' Wenger said. 'We also focus on complex dynamic movements like squats and dead lifts more than machines, as they teach coordination in using different body parts simultaneously.' Ideally, a professional will develop an individualized exercise plan for you. If that's not possible, Shah's general recommendation to his GLP-1 patients is to do resistance exercises three times per week and aerobic exercise another three days. Regular movement is definitely important, said Stan Ward, senior personal training manager at fitness club Equinox, who is based in Plano, Texas. 'Movement can be very productive for your energy levels, even if it's low-level movement like walking or biking,' Ward said. 'And make sure you're getting adequate sleep. That's commonly overlooked.' Experts emphasize the importance of taking in enough protein every day, which is key to building muscle. Specifically, Shah said people on GLP-1s need about 1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of weight. For someone weighing 150 pounds (68 kilograms), that equals 68 to 81.6 grams of protein daily. The timing of your protein intake, along with the necessary carbohydrates, is also important. 'Because people on GLP-1s have reduced appetites and sometimes nausea, that can lead to underfueling,' Wenger said. 'They will often not eat for extended periods of time. But if you don't plan your meals around your workouts, that can contribute to even more muscle loss.' This is because your body needs nutrients both to fuel your workouts and, afterward, to replenish your energy stores and repair muscle tissue. Wenger recommends eating an hour or two before exercising since GLP-1s slow digestion. 'Eating too close to a workout may lead to bloating, nausea and cramping,' Wenger said, 'particularly with moderate to high-intensity training.' Liquid snacks such as smoothies are best, he said, as they're better tolerated than solid food. After your workout, refuel within 30 to 60 minutes, which is when your muscles will be ready to take in nutrients. 'If your appetite is low, a protein shake or small snack with protein and carbs, such as Greek yogurt with fruit or chocolate milk, can be more manageable than a full meal,' Wenger said. All this planning may sound like a lot of work, but there is good news, Ward said. 'It can be hard to see you need to put some thought into this, when the medication is doing all of the work,' Ward said. 'But those who never used to exercise, or exercise regularly, can really see significant gains in their bodies.' Since the use of GLP-1s for weight loss is a new practice, more studies will be needed to determine how to best help the people using them, Shah said, especially when it comes to specific recommendations for exercise, nutrition and the building of lean muscle mass. 'We do not have good data to say 'X' type of exercise or amount is going to give the best results,' Shah said. Until then, make sure to incorporate strength training into your weekly exercise regimen — even if you're not on a GLP-1. 'Studies have shown your longevity and quality of life are all tied to muscle,' Ward said. 'And if you increase your muscle mass, you'll burn more calories, even at rest. So improving your muscle mass should be part of any training program. If I could find a way to shout this from the mountaintops, I'd love it.' Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer who specializes in hiking, travel and fitness. Sign up for CNN's Fitness, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide will help you ease into a healthy routine, backed by experts.
