Do Plant-Based Diets Support Kidney Health?

A plant-based diet consists of eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and healthy oils while limiting animal foods like dairy, eggs, fish, meat, and poultry. It is advisable to avoid processed, canned or refined foods to make the diet as healthy as possible. 

In recent years, plant-based diets have grown in popularity. They are high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which reduce your risk of heart disease and other health issues. According to research, they may even help keep your kidney disease from worsening. The Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets are three well-known plant-based diets.

Consuming more plant-based foods like vegetables and grains rather than animal-based foods like red meat may help prevent and slow the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Vegetarian diets may help slow the progression of kidney disease while meeting nutritional requirements. High protein consumption for an extended period is known to have harmful effects on the kidney in people with existing kidney disease.

Vegetarians on dialysis should not be concerned about iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin D, or B12. Renal vitamins for hemodialysis patients should include vitamin B12 and zinc. All dialysis patients are evaluated regularly and given calcium, vitamin D, and intravenous (IV) iron as needed by their doctors.

No one diet is appropriate for everyone who has kidney disease or kidney failure. What you can and cannot eat will change over time, depending on how well your kidneys work and whether you have other health issues such as diabetes or heart disease. Hence, it is critical to consult a health professional. Check to see if a plant-based diet is suitable for you.

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