Kidneys are one of the most important internal organs we have. Kidneys easily get impacted if you have diabetes, hyper tension, high blood pressure and so on. Once the kidneys stop working, slowly all the other internal organs give up as well. So today I’m here presenting top 10 food items to improve your kidney function and lower your creatinine level to lead a healthy life.
1. Cauliflower: It is one of the most easily available and nutritious vegetables. It’s mainly available round the year in almost all the parts of the world and is rich in vitamin, B, vitamin C and vitamin K. It’s anti-inflammatory and provides rich fibre too. Sodium, potassium and phosphorus are also available in cauliflowers which offers necessary nutrients for your healthy kidney function.
2. Red cabbage: Adding one cup or half cup of shredded red cabbage in your salad is a great thing to do. This is also rich in Vitamin B, vitamin C and vitamin K. As it offers good amount of fibre in your diet, it improved your bowel movement easily. It also helps to improve your gut health quickly.
3. Olive oil: Olive oil is a great source of mono-saturated fat and helps people to improve their kidney functions. Since the burning point of olive oil is quite high, that’s why use it wisely while cooking and seeing the health benefits its great to use in your daily diet. You can also add olive oil to make quick and easy salad dressings at home. The raw form of olive oil is absolutely safe to consume. Its also rich in antioxidants and quite helpful to the type 2 diabetic people.
4. Cherries and berries: Blueberries, cranberries and strawberries are very helpful to improve your kidney functions. They are rich in vitamin C and have a high level of phytonutrients which helps to reduce urinary tract infection (UTI). UTI is very common in diabetic people and in weak kidneys. You can add these cherries and berries in your diet in just raw form, or can add in smoothie bowls. In 100gms of cherries and berries you will find sodium (2mg), potassium (80mg) and phosphorus(11mg).
5. Red grapes: Red grapes are a big storehouse of nutrition in small package. Its rich in vitamin C and antioxidants known as flavonoids. It also have high resveratrol which can help you to reduce your heart problems. Its also protects us from diabetes and other cognitive decline from time to time. Its easily available round the year, so you can have a handful of red grapes everyday in your diet.
6. Garlic: Garlic is one of the widely used ingredient in cooking and high in anti-inflammatory components. The pungent taste of garlic adds a lot of flavour in the food. Its also a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium and sulphur. You can also add a bit of crushed garlic in your salad dressing to elevate the flavour and benefits of the salad. Having a clove of raw garlic everyday in empty stomach can also help you to fight cold and cough.
7. Buckwheat: Buckwheat is a great source of nutrition for the people allergic to gluten. Its high in phosphorus, iron, magnesium and fibre. If you have a sweet tooth, you can add buckwheat in your baking items to bring up some innovation in your desserts.
8. Bell peppers: Red, green and yellow bell peppers not only add colours but also elevate the nutritional value of your food. They are also rich in vitamin A and C and also offer good amount of fibre for good bowel movement. Its helpful for cardiovascular diseases and can help the cancer patients to get necessary nutrition. One small bell pepper contains sodium (3gm), potassium (156gms) and phosphorus (19mg).
9. Onions: Onions are mainly sodium-free vegetable which is highly beneficial for good kidney functions. If you are eating onions lightly sautéed in olive oil along with few cloves of garlics then it would be beneficial. You can also paste it in a blender after sautéing them to make a purée for a good salad dressing at home. Onions are also high in vitamin B and C, and helps to develop good gut bacteria due to its prebiotic components.
10. Arugula: Arugula is a great source of nutrition and belongs to the leafy vegetable kingdom. You can consume it in salad or in smoothies with some spinach and kale leaves. As it’s low in potassium and sodium, its not so heavy for smooth kidney functions. It also contains nitrates which helps to control high blood pressure, thyroid and diabetes.
Along with the above mentioned vegetables and fruits, one can also consume some macadamia nuts, radish, turnips and pineapples in small quantities to lower the creatinine level. The idea creatinine level in our body should be between 1 — 1.5, but if it’s going high then one needs to make lifestyle changes to bring it back in control. Stress and anxiety are also responsible for increasing the creatinine levels and impacts our kidney functions. So eat healthy and stay stress-free to live longer and better.