The human body was designed so that when we eat, the body absorbs nutrients from the food, which are then converted into fuel by the body. Anything the body doesn’t need is carried through the blood to the kidneys, where the two bean-shaped organs filter out excess nutrients and make urine. However, if your kidneys are not in optimal condition, some nutrients can build up and damage your kidney.
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To avoid this, a renal diet is often recommended to avoid worsening the situation. Unfortunately, three of the essential nutrients whose intake in high amounts can lead to further kidney damage/failure are sodium, potassium and phosphorus. These minerals are perfectly great for people whose kidney functioning is not reduced. However, the reverse is the case for those with kidney disease.
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Potassium, one of the trio, is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in how the muscles work. However, according to the Cleveland Clinic, when your kidneys are not working correctly, potassium often builds up in the blood and often leaves in its trail some undesirable effects, including causing changes to how the heart beats and possibly even leading to a heart attack.
Since potassium is found mainly in fruits and vegetables, as well as milk and meats, you may need to avoid some fruits and vegetables with high content of this mineral while limiting the amount of others. According to the Cleveland Clinic, some of the potassium-rich foods you should avoid if your kidneys are not in top shape include bananas, orange and orange juices, avocado, and prune juice.
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Others are tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato juice, dried beans, pumpkin and winter squash, cooked greens, spinach, kale, collards and Swiss chard, nuts and nut butters, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, bran cereals, and molasses.
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Instead of these high-potassium foods, you can opt for low-potassium varieties such as apples, apple juice, and applesauce, grapes and grape juice, berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries), pineapple and pineapple juice, carrots, kale, watermelon, asparagus, cabbage, cucumbers, white rice, noodles, and bread (not whole grain).
