6 Low-Sodium Foods to Improve Your Kidney Health

Food without salt is just like eating a pizza without cheese! Many of us are unaware of the fact that salt was used as preservatives initially but later it became a necessity in our foods. When it comes to the diet of a kidney patient, we may have to strike off it partially or completely from the renal diet. A low-sodium diet is like a revolution in the recovery of kidney diseases. The higher amounts of sodium can deteriorate the condition of kidneys.

Many options are available in the market to replace the food rich in sodium with the types of low-sodium food. All we require is to follow a renal low-sodium diet chart that the dietitian recommends.

Being a fluid regulator and maintaining the healthy levels of electrolytes and blood pressure, sodium might not be good under a few medical conditions. The roles of sodium are vital in the human body; from maintaining healthy cellular functions to fluid regulation. To summaries, it helps the kidneys in performing their functions.

Sodium is a mineral that is present in the food and beverages we consume throughout the day. The primary source of sodium is salt, fruits and vegetables. In India, salt is a must in our foods, we barely eat anything that is salt-free or sodium-free. It is more like a tradition than a necessity.

Fruits, vegetables, common salt, sea salt, rock salt, black salt, seafood, poultry, packed or canned foods and frozen foods are the best examples of the sodium consumption that most of us do daily.

All these examples contribute a key role in fulfilling the need for sodium in our bodies. When the kidneys are unhealthy or suffering from the diseases then the renal experts may ask you to make alterations in the intake of such food and beverages.

We can say that the low-sodium diet is one of the primary recommendations that the healthcare providers and kidney experts suggest. Restricting sodium has shown effective results by boosting the speed of recovery and reducing the risks of health complications.

The need for a low-sodium diet generates because of complications or irregular functioning of heart, kidneys and blood flow.

Generally, this type of diet is recommended during kidney failure treatment in Ayurveda to manage the symptoms, improving the blood flow and avoiding the complications that may occur during kidney diseases, heart diseases and inadequate supply of blood flow.

Now let us discuss the low-sodium foods that you can add to your cart during the Ayurvedic treatment of kidney diseases. Here we will tell you about the food and beverages that you can add to spice up the taste buds without a compromise. Here are the three lists of foods that are very low in sodium, low in sodium and sodium-free.

Here is a list of fruits & vegetables that contain sodium less than 35 mg qualify in this category. Your dietitian will recommend you either of the following food to treat the problem of kidney diseases:

• Onions
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Green Chickpeas
• Pineapple
• Parsley
• Beans
• Squash
• Okra
• Honeydew
• Mushrooms
• Grapes
• Pear

Here is a list of fruits & vegetables that contain sodium less than 140 mg qualify in this category. Your dietitian will recommend you either of the following food to treat the problem of kidney diseases:

• Bell pepper
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery
• Radish
• Sweet potato

Here is a list of fruits & vegetables that contain sodium less than 5 mg qualify in this category. Your dietitian will recommend you either of the following food to treat the problem of kidney diseases:

• Apples
• Lemons
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Cherries
• Eggplant
• Strawberries
• Guava
• Potatoes
• Peaches
• Orange
• Pear
• Mango

But having low or sodium-free foods is not enough, for healthy and wealthy kidneys you have to consider other factors as well. In the lists mentioned above, there are a few foods that you may need to avoid because of the other nutrients (potassium, phosphorus and proteins) or as recommended by your dietitian.

Many of you may have a question popping in the minds that what can be the replacement of salt? So the answer to the question is, you can use garlic. The salty flavour of garlic can enhance the dish because of the presence of sodium and its aroma.

If you are wondering that what you cannot eat delicious foods if you stop adding salt then you should stop this right away. These recipes can change the way you think, just follow the recipes and enjoy the natural flavours:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Red apples
• ½ cup Cabbage
• ½ cup Carrots (grated)
• 3 spoons of fresh pineapple juice
• ½ cup guava (without seeds)
• ½ cup strawberries (without seeds)

Procedure:

• Take a bowl
• Add in the ingredients one by one
• Mix it up
• Add lemon if you like a tangy flavour

Note: With the consent of your dietitian and kidney expert you can also add honey for taste.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of soaked green beans
• ¼ cup onion (chopped)
• ½ cup bell pepper (chopped)
• ½ tablespoon garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon virgin olive oil

Note: With the consent of your dietitian and kidney expert you can also add honey for taste.

So, this was about the low-sodium diet during the Ayurvedic treatment for kidney failure. If you are willing to know more about this topic then you can reach out to the best healthcare providers for Chronic Kidney Diseases here. Also, it is better to consult your dietitian, nephrologist and other healthcare providers before consuming either of the said information. This is just for your reference as every individual’s health concern varies from one another.