Kidneys are constantly separating nutrients in your blood from waste. They eventually eliminate the waste through urination. When your kidneys decrease in their ability to remove waste, your risk of developing problems -- such as kidney disease -- increases. According to the National Kidney Foundation, 1 out of every 9 American adults have kidney disease and millions more are at risk due to diseases such as diabetes. With these risks, including foods in your diet that can help improve the health of your kidneys is valuable.
Herbs and Spices
Using herbs and spices to flavor food instead of salt can help improve the health of your kidneys. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse -- or NKUDIC, high blood pressure is one of the causes of kidney disease. By limiting your intake of sodium, you can lower your blood pressure.
Avoid flavoring foods with salt and do not buy prepackaged foods that contain a significant amount of sodium. Stick to herbs and spices that do not contain sodium.
Raspberries
According to DaVita website, raspberries contain healthy flavonoids and a phytonutrient called ellagic acid, which helps prevent more damage to cells from free radicals. Adding raspberries to your diet can help improve your kidney health by providing you with a rich assortment of healthy nutrients and reverse some cell damage.
Fluid
Having enough fluid -- especially water -- in your diet can help improve the health of your kidneys. However, if you are in kidney failure, your doctor may want you to limit your fluid intake. Talk with your doctor about including fluids in your diet and how much fluid is right for you, as certain types of kidney problems may benefit from fluid, such as urinary tract infections, and other problems may require limited amounts of fluid to improve.
Plant-Based Protein
Limit your intake of animal-based proteins and switch to plant-based proteins. According to the NKUDIC, when your kidneys are impaired, they do not effectively remove protein from waste in your blood and have to work extra hard to try to get the protein out; therefore, in these cases, eating a diet that limits protein intake is often recommended by doctors to decrease the amount your kidneys have to work.
Eating plant-based proteins will reduce the amount of protein you consume, because they are generally lower in protein levels. Try adding beans, nuts, seeds, tofu and peanut butter to your diet.
Fatty Fish
Eating fatty fish can help to decrease your cholesterol levels by adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Lowering your cholesterol can help improve the health of your kidneys, as high cholesterol is associated with kidney failure.
Cranberry Juice
Drinking cranberry juice can help prevent bladder infections or help improve them if they have already developed. According to DaVita, cranberries help keep the bacteria that causes bladder infections from sticking to the wall of your bladder. If you are at a higher risk of bladder infections, drink a glass of cranberry juice every day or if you suspect an infection is developing.
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