The Best Superfoods for Your Kidneys (Part 2)

In this week’s post, we’ll be looking at more kidney-friendly superfoods. Hopefully, you got a chance to check out part one in this blog series earlier this month (check it out now if you haven’t!). March happens to be National Kidney Month here in the US and these are the foods you want on your grocery list (especially if you are living with chronic kidney disease).

Any renal dietician will tell you that a well rounded diet is crucial when it comes the health of the kidneys. These superfoods are excellent sources of the antioxidants and nutrients that can help prevent renal impairment and future complications. If you’re already on a diet plan for your kidneys, we still recommend checking out the foods on this list. There are likely a few that you can add to your diet.

(Please be sure to consult your doctor and dietitian before making any change to your renal diet plan.)

1) Apples

We all know that old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Given their natural anti-inflammatory properties, apples really can do just that. The health benefits that you can gain from eating apples include:

• Reducing bad cholesterol
• Combating constipation (apples are a great source of fiber)
• Reducing your risk of cancer
• Protecting against heart disease

Looking for the best way to add apples to your kidney-friendly diet plan? We recommend:

• Eating them the old fashioned way (raw!)
• Adding them to cooked dishes (check out this excellent recipe for an apple-onion omelet!)
• Can also gain some of these benefits in ciders and apple juice (just remember some brands are better than others)

2) Cranberries

Did you know that cranberries can help prevent future urinary tract infections? By increasing the acidic level of urine, cranberries prevent more bacteria from clinging to the inside of your bladder. Clinical studies have also shown that they have anti-cancer properties. These natural properties protect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from ulcer-causing bacteria and promote improved digestive health.

What’s the best way to add cranberries to your renal diet plan? This kidney health superfood tends to be more popular around the holidays, but there are several ways you can get more of it in your diet. We recommend:

• Drinking more cranberry juice
• Adding dried cranberries to your cereal or salad

(There’s also cranberry sauce, which can be pretty good– check out this recipe list for some tasty cranberry sauce ideas!)

3) Blueberries

Did you get a chance to see our recent list of weight loss superfoods? These tasty blue berries (HA!) actually get that pretty color because they are naturally rich in an antioxidant compound called anthocyanidin. Blueberries are also:

• Very nutritious
• Anti-inflammatory
• Great sources of vitamin C and fiber
• Good for your bones

There are plenty of ways to implement them in your diet, including:

• Eat them fresh or dried
• Add them to your cereal in the morning
• Add them to a nutritious fruit smoothie
• Add them to some of your favorite baked treats
• Drink blueberry juice

4) Raspberries

These tasty berries are rich in ellagic acid– a special compound that actually neutralizes free radicals in the body. Similar to blueberries, raspberries also get their color from antioxidants, except these are called anthocyanins. Clinical trials have supported the raspberries’ ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation.

As a kidney superfood, raspberries are an excellent source of:

• Vitamin B and C
• Fiber
• Manganese

Just like blueberries, raspberries are excellent on their own, in a kidney-friendly fruit smoothie or on top of your favorite cereal.

5) Cherries

With an abundance of antioxidants and phytochemicals, cherries are great if you’re concerned about your kidney health or your heart (or both!). They can be eaten daily and can effectively combat inflammatory symptoms related to chronic kidney disease.

Here are our dietary recommendations for CKD patients:

• Eat cherries on their own as a snack
• Make a delicious cherry sauce that can be added to lamb or pork dishes
• Opt for a cherry-based dessert like cherry pie or cherry crisp

You really can’t go wrong by adding these kidney-friendly superfoods to your next grocery store list. There are still some more foods worth mentioning in a list like this, so we hope you’ll tune in for part 3 of this series!

National Kidney Month may only last for 31 days, but protecting these vital organs is a year round project.