What Foods Help Repair Kidneys? Foods To Eat & Avoid 2024
Updated on
- Written by Ellie Busby, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by
Dr G. Michael DiLeo, MD
Kidney disease is on the rise[1], with chronic kidney disease diagnosed in more than 15% of Americans. That 15% is predicted to rise because of our unhealthy “Western” diet and lifestyle. So, what foods help repair kidneys?
You can repair kidneys naturally by changing your diet. Read on to discover the best foods good for kidneys – plus the foods to avoid that promote kidney damage.
10 Healthy Foods Good For Kidneys
Here are the 10 best foods for people with kidney disease.
- Garlic
- Berries
- Kale
- Rice
- Tofu
- Egg white
- Flaxseeds
- Buckwheat
- Coffee
- Olive oil
10 Healthy Foods For People With Kidney Disease
What you eat can slow kidney damage and boost kidney function, so people with kidney damage or failure need to follow a special kidney repair diet, also known as the “renal diet”[2].
Your kidneys’ job[3] is to balance fluids and filter waste products from your blood into your urine. Kidney disease means the kidneys can’t filter the blood properly anymore, leading to an imbalance of electrolytes – minerals with an electric charge – and toxic waste products in your blood.
So, the most important kidney repair foods to eat are low in the minerals that challenge an impaired kidney, e.g., sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. On the other hand, some of the most kidney-healthy foods are plant-based, such as fruits and vegetables, that lower the risk[4] of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease – the most common risk factors for kidney disease.
There are various stages of kidney disease[3] but, whatever stage you’re at, eating more of these kidney healthy foods can boost kidney function.
Garlic
Garlic can be a good flavor replacement for salt. People with kidney disease tend to eat too much table salt[5] (i.e., sodium chloride) – even more than the recommended 2.3 g salt per day[6] (one teaspoon) recommended for healthy people (with good kidneys).
Too much salt is bad for your kidneys – the more sodium in your blood, the more work your kidneys do to filter it out. A high-sodium diet is also linked to high blood pressure, a risk factor for kidney disease; and from there, heart disease and stroke.
Eating less salt lowers blood pressure[7] in kidney disease, improves kidney function, and even improves the response to medications for kidney disease[5].
Try seasoning your food with dried garlic for some extra flavor, avoid table salt, and choose low-sodium foods.
Berries
Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and cherries all feature the kidney-friendly diet.
Lots of fruits (bananas, avocados, oranges, and raisins) are high in potassium, while berries are low-potassium red superfood fruits you can safely eat on a daily basis.
Berries are also a good source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols[8]. These are natural plant chemicals that have lots of health benefits, including protecting us from chronic diseases that increase the risk of kidney failure.
Kale
Many leafy greens are high in potassium and out of bounds if you have kidney disease.
That’s a problem because leafy greens are an important part of a balanced diet as they’re a rich source of micronutrients, fiber, and antioxidants.
Luckily, kale is a low-potassium kidney-friendly food to add to your shopping list. It’s also one of the most calcium-rich foods and is high in vitamin C, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
However, kale does contain some potassium, so we don’t recommend eating it raw. Boiling kale can reduce the potassium content by more than half.
- Raw kale[9]: 348 mg potassium per 100 g
- Boiled kale[10]: 144 mg potassium per 100 g
Rice
Rice is low in potassium, and brown rice is a good source of gut-healthy fiber, too. New research suggests fiber is more important for kidney health (and everything else!) than we used to think.
People with kidney disease tend to have dysbiosis[11], which is when your gut microbiome – the bacteria in your digestive tract – becomes “imbalanced.” Harmful bacteria can take up home in your gut and produce toxins, which further impact kidney health.
Conversely, a healthy gut microbiome boosts kidney function by producing protective compounds such as short-chain fatty acids. Eating more whole-grain rice can increase levels of short-chain fatty acids[12].
Tofu
The more protein you eat, the harder your kidneys have to work to filter out the phosphorus and byproducts of protein metabolism. So, in general, a kidney-friendly diet is a lower-protein diet.
However, you have to get some protein, and a great plant-based alternative to meat for those with kidney disease is tofu.
Why is plant-based better than animal-based protein? Good question. Both plant-based and animal-based proteins contain phosphorus, but the phosphorus in plant-based protein is bound up differently, as ‘phytates’[13], which humans can’t break down.
So, a plant-based diet[14] can help keep phosphate levels low while improving the gut microbiome, which consequently produces fewer kidney-damaging toxins. As some beans and lentils can be high in potassium, tofu is a great alternative.
Egg White
Not all animal proteins are out of bounds, though. One animal protein safe for kidney disease is egg white.
Why? Another substance that can damage kidneys is a toxin called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). Our gut bacteria produce TMAO as a byproduct of breaking down substances in animal foods, such as choline and L-carnitine. Our kidneys then have to filter it out.
Studies show that red meat and egg yolks are the worst foods for increasing TMAO levels[15], while egg whites don’t increase TMAO levels. In general, vegetarians have lower levels of TMAO[16] compared to meat-eaters.
Flaxseeds
Flax, also known as linseeds, are high in healthy fats such as omega-3, which may slow the progression of kidney disease.
Supplementing omega-3 reduces the risk of end-stage renal disease[17] and lowers the risk of proteinuria, the presence of protein in the urine – a sign of kidney malfunction.
Omega-3s may also lower blood pressure, improving the function of blood vessels and reducing the risk of kidney disease patients dying from heart disease[18].
Buckwheat
While many whole grains tend to be high in phosphorus, buckwheat is an exception. As well as being low in phosphorus, buckwheat is high in nutrients such as B vitamins, magnesium, and gut-healthy fiber.
Eating more prebiotic whole grains like buckwheat supports good gut bacteria such as Bifidobacterium[19], strengthening the gut barrier and reducing constipation risk. More efficient bowel movements mean you eliminate more urea and potassium[20], reducing the load on your kidneys.
Coffee
New research suggests your morning coffee might boost kidney health.
Studies show drinking coffee lowers kidney disease risk[21] and increases kidney filtration rate – especially in people with type 2 diabetes[22].
One metabolite of coffee[23] called “glycochenodeoxycholate” may be responsible for most of the positive impact of coffee on kidney function.
However, not all studies agree, and the positive effect of coffee on kidney health still needs to be confirmed[24]. One study suggests that the beneficial effects of drinking coffee on kidney health may be limited to women[25].
Olive Oil
Research suggests extra-virgin olive oil can improve kidney function due to the high levels of healthy fats and plant polyphenols.
In one study, consuming 40 ml of olive oil per day for nine weeks improved a range of biomarkers for kidney function[26], including filtration rate and uric acid levels, as well as lowering cholesterol and inflammation levels.
Olive oil also has anti-atherogenic effects, which can lower the risk of high blood pressure[27] and cardiovascular disease[28] – two common comorbidities with kidney disease.
Olive oil, especially “extra-virgin”[29] (which is cold-pressed and not processed), is an important constituent of the Mediterranean diet, which studies show can reduce mortality rates[30] in those with kidney disease.
Foods To Avoid
As well as eating certain foods to help repair your kidneys, you’ll also need to avoid foods that promote kidney damage.
Packaged Foods
You should avoid packaged foods, such as ready meals and savory snacks, to keep your salt intake in check. Even canned foods can have a lot of added salt.
Go for as many fresh foods as possible so you’re in control of how much salt you add.
Low-Sodium Salt
Low-sodium salt seems like a good idea for those with kidney problems, but it isn’t.
In low-sodium salt, some of the sodium is replaced with potassium, which, as we’ve learned, is just as bad for those with reduced kidney function.
High-Potassium Foods
High potassium levels[31] are common in those with kidney disease because the kidneys can’t efficiently filter excess potassium into the urine.
The foods highest in potassium are
- Salmon
- Beans
- Avocado
- Potatoes
- Squash
- Milk
- Bananas and plantains
While you don’t have to avoid all high-potassium foods, make sure you keep your portions small.
Red And Processed Meat
A high-protein diet rich in animal foods may increase the risk of chronic kidney[32] disease in older adults. Red and processed meat[33] are especially problematic.
Firstly, eating too much meat increases your “acid load,” meaning your kidneys have to produce neutralizing compounds[34] and filter out the excess ammonium (a byproduct of protein metabolism).
Secondly, animal proteins are high in phosphorus, again giving your kidneys the extra task of balancing your phosphate levels.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
Studies suggest a link between regularly consuming drinks with added sugar[33] and kidney disease.
However, even low-sugar drinks might be bad for your kidneys. Even sugar-free colas can be problematic in those with kidney disease because they’re high in phosphate (used as a preservative)[35] and potassium.
Refined Carbohydrates
Eating too many refined, white carbohydrates such as white bread or white rice increases the risk of metabolic syndrome[36], a common risk factor for kidney disease.
The Bottom Line
Kidney disease is one of the biggest killers in the Western world – and one of the most avoidable chronic diseases. You can improve kidney function significantly with a healthy diet and lifestyle modifications.
When it comes to what foods help repair kidneys, it’s all a matter of which foods make your kidneys work harder. The best foods for your kidneys are plant-based foods. The worst foods for kidney function are meat, processed foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
We recommend following a plant-focused diet such as the Mediterranean diet, rich with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and – in moderation, of course – coffee.
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Written by:
Ellie Busby, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
