It’s never too late to change the diet, says Rakesh M from Mysuru. He changed his food habits to keep his kidneys healthy after his mother was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Rakesh adopted a few changes in his diet and avoided foods that are harmful to the kidneys. ‘What foods are bad for kidneys,’ was one of the questions the family had when his mother was diagnosed with CKD in 2020.
Rakesh, 35, a software engineer said that his entire family changed their diet, not just him. “We saw how my mother suffered and had to be admitted to the hospital when her creatinine levels were high. After speaking to the doctors, we realized the mistakes we were making on a regular basis with food. Earlier we would eat meat every two days. We have now stopped eating meat regularly. We rarely eat it unless there is a special occasion,” he said.
Dr Ravindra Mukkunda, consultant Nephrologist, Sparsh Hospital, Bengaluru, says there are no foods that affect the kidney directly, but he adds a warning. “The food we eat is the root cause for two main health complications; diabetes and hypertension, which affects the kidney. There are several foods that indirectly affect the kidney and it’s important to know them and avoid their excessive consumption,” he said.
Six foods bad for kidneys and must be avoided
1. Meat and processed meat
Meat is high in protein and processing it every day burdens the kidneys, making it difficult to eliminate waste. Excess meat is harmful for the kidney. “Daily consumption of non-vegetarian foods can strain the kidneys. Processed meat is also not safe as it contains preservatives, which can damage the kidney”, says Dr Sanjiv Saxena, Chairman and senior nephrologist, PRSI-Ayu Health Network of Hospitals, Delhi.
He added that consuming protein supplements for muscle building will also impact the kidney.
2. Salt
Rakesh and his family switched to a low salt diet. They have been avoiding products that contain high salt and sodium. “Reading labels of all food products has become a habit and we cut on things that have high salt or high sugar content,” he said.
Excess salt consumption will increase the blood pressure which indirectly affects the kidneys, says Dr Mukkunda. “It is advised to consume 2 gms of salt per day and anything more than that is excessive,” he said.
Dr Saxena added that a high amount of salt results in water retention, leading to kidney damage.
3. Carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks contain high sugar which results in excess body weight leading to other complications, says Dr Mukkunda indirectly affecting the kidneys. “It is important to check the levels of sugar content before buying the product and it’s safe to opt for sugar free drinks,” he suggested.
Carbonated drinks also cause high uric acid that affects the kidney in the long run, said Dr Saxena.
4. Dairy products
Dairy products contain a lot of phosphorus which can harm the kidney and heart, says Dr Saxena.
Phosphorus is an essential mineral unless one has renal issues. “Once a person is detected with renal disorder, several food and fluid consumption become restricted, including a strict NO to phosphorus rich food,” says Mukkunda.
Rakesh recalls the doctors advising his father not to consume dairy products excessively as it increases the calcium levels which can burden the kidneys and form kidney stones. “During one of the tests, the calcium levels were slightly high and when consulted with the doctors, they suggested limiting the dairy consumption but thankfully he had no kidney related issues,” he said.
“Consuming dairy products will not affect everyone but affects those with kidney diseases due to the high phosphate levels,” adds Dr Mukkunda.
5. Caffeine
Consumption of caffeine products in excess may result in hypertension, said Dr Mukkunda. “What is considered excess can be safe for some. It differs from person to person. Consuming 400 milligrams of caffeine, which is roughly around 4 cups of coffee, is considered as safe,” he said.
Dr Saxena adds that caffeine causes hypertension or high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries and blockage of arteries).
6. Medicines and drugs
“Daily use of painkillers, unnecessary use of antibiotics and anti-acid medications (PPIs, used for treating heartburn and acid related problems) or use of long-term medications without physician’s supervision will harm kidneys. One must consult their physicians before starting or changing medicines,” says Dr Saxena.
Dr Mukkunda further clarifies that only a certain group of painkillers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines are harmful if taken continuously for weeks while others are safe for kidneys. However, they should not be taken without doctor’s supervision.
