Be aware of kidney-damaging foods

Taking care of your heart is common advice, but you don’t often hear, “Take care of your kidneys.” The importance of these two amazing organs is often overlooked. They’re a vital powerhouse, keeping your body healthy by filtering toxins and excess fluid from the blood. They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and your blood healthy. If they start to fail, harmful waste builds up in your body and can harm other organs.

"Damage to the kidneys is often irreversible, so people who don't take care of their kidneys could face significant health risks which result in dialysis or even a kidney transplant," says Sally Brozek, a registered dietitian at Piedmont.

To avoid drastic lifestyle changes, Brozek highlights everyday habits that harm vital organs and should be reduced or eliminated.

Salt

Sodium overload leads to increased blood pressure, which strains the kidneys. The average American consumes about 3,300 mg of sodium daily—well above the recommended 2,300 mg limit for healthy adults.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75% of Americans’ sodium intake comes from processed and restaurant foods.

Other common high-sodium foods that may be lurking in your pantry or refrigerator include:

• Canned soups
• Processed meats like lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages
• Frozen pizza
• Frozen dinners
• Snack foods like chips, crackers, pretzels
• Condiments like ketchup, BBQ sauce, soy sauce
• Salad dressing
• Pickled foods like pickles, olives, beets
• Canned vegetables

Sugar

It doesn't take having a sweet tooth to indulge in sugar. Sugar is in most foods—both natural and processed—so it’s easy to consume more than you realize. Fruit is a source of natural sugar, which offers many vitamins and minerals our bodies need. It’s foods with added sugars, however, that tend to be low on the nutritional value scale. It may surprise you that condiments, bread, and other snack foods contain added sugar, too.

Sodas

Drinking two or more sodas daily, regular or diet, may raise the risk of chronic kidney disease, according to the American Kidney Fund. Carbonated and energy drinks have both been linked to the formation of kidney stones.

Meat & Dairy Products

Diets high in animal protein from meat and dairy can damage the kidneys because they’re harder to process. This places a heavy burden on the kidneys, making it hard for them to eliminate waste products. A high-protein diet may cause or exacerbate existing kidney problems. In addition, studies show many health benefits to moving away from an animal-based diet towards one based on plants. Colorful plant foods are nutritional powerhouses and can prevent chronic disease.

Caffeine

Caffeine found in coffee, tea, soda and foods can also place a strain on your kidneys. Caffeine is a stimulant that can cause increased blood flow, blood pressure and stress on the kidneys. Excessive caffeine intake has also been linked to kidney stones.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

A large percentage of our processed foods contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Unfortunately, the long-term health effects of GMO crops on humans remain unknown due to the lack of studies. However, studies on animals indicate that serious health effects are linked to GMOs. These include changes in major organs like the kidneys.

Avoiding all these foods is nearly impossible. Brozek recommends eating a varied diet and limiting processed foods.

"Once you lose kidney function, it becomes very involved and very costly to make up for damage to these important organs. They are vital to keeping your body toxin-free."

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