High-fiber Diet Foods For Kidneys

Your kidneys are paired organs that help keep your blood chemically balanced and clean. A balanced diet, rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, promotes kidney health and function and may lower your risk for kidney disease risk factors, such as obesity. A nutritious diet may be particularly important if you have other risk factors, such as family history of kidney conditions or diabetes. For best results, seek specified guidance from your doctor or dietitian.

Diet and Kidney Health

Although a high-fiber diet is not known to cure kidney-related conditions, it may guard against conditions associated with kidney disease and failure, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, uncontrolled diabetes and obesity. Fiber-rich foods may also help reduce kidney stone symptoms, a common urinary tract condition associated with severe pain. Because they promote fullness between meals, high-fiber foods may help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight, which lowers your risk for kidney stones and kidney disease.

Optimum Foods

A fiber-rich diet provides 21 to 25 g of fiber per day for women and 30 to 38 g of fiber for men. To increase your fiber intake, replace refined grain products with whole grains. One cup of cooked barley or whole-wheat spaghetti provides roughly 6 g of fiber. Eat more legumes, such as beans, lentils and split peas, which provide up to 16.5 g of fiber 1 cup. In addition to supplying fiber, legumes provide heart-healthy protein alternatives to fatty, fried and processed meats. Most fruits and vegetables are a good source of fiber. For example, raspberries provide 8 g of fiber in 1 cup and one medium-size artichoke provides 10 g fiber. Other fiber-rich varieties include pears, apples, broccoli and turnip greens.

Challenges

If you already have kidney disease, your kidneys may not be able to manage phosphorus and/or potassium levels in your blood. To prevent excessive levels of these minerals, your doctor may recommend limiting fiber-rich foods which are also rich in phosphorus, such as dried beans, kidney beans, lentils and split peas. Lower-phosphorus alternatives include rice, popcorn, rice and corn-based cereals and green beans. Many fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, including leafy greens, carrots, prunes and avocados, are high in potassium. Fruits and vegetables lower in potassium include apples, canned fruit, berries, plums, cabbage and mustard greens.

Evidence

In a study published in "The Journal of Nutrition" in January 2011, researchers analyzed the fiber-rich carbohydrate intake and kidney disease in 2,600 adults ages 50 and older. Participants who consumed diets rich in fiber showed a 50 percent lower risk for chronic kidney disease. Diets rich in high-calorie, nutrient-poor carbohydrate sources were linked with impaired kidney function. Examples low-nutrient, high-calorie carbohydrate sources include pastries, scones, french fries, bagels, candy and regular soft drinks.