These 11 Foods Will Keep Your Kidneys Safe And Healthy: Include Them In Your Diet

Our bean-shaped kidneys are a natural body filter. They help the body pass wastes in the form of urine. It plays a crucial role in maintaining overall fluid balance, filtering and regulating minerals from blood. Kidneys also help in creating hormones that can promote bone health, produce red blood cells (RBCs) and regulate blood pressure. Due to various reasons our kidneys can get adversely affected. Poor kidney health can lead to kidney failure, formation of kidney stones, kidney cysts, etc.

Our diet plays a crucial role, when it comes to maintaining good kidney health. The food we eat can affect the filter system of kidneys. This is because certain components might affect the kidneys like excessive oxidisation of fats and cholesterol. Excessive oxidisation creates a molecule called free radicals. Anti-oxidant rich foods can help in fighting these free radicals, thus helping out your kidneys.

Add these 11 anti-oxidant rich foods in your diet and keep your kidneys healthy:

2. Cauliflower: This vegetable is a good source of folate and vitamin-C. The fibre content of cauliflower can be beneficial for the kidneys as well.

Also read: 5 Dietary Habits That Can Prevent Kidney Stones Forever

3. Cabbage: This coleslaw ingredient is a good source of phytochemicals, a chemical compound which can break up free radicals before they can damage the kidneys. Cabbage is also rich in vitamin B6, vitamin-C, vitamin-K, fibre and folic acid.

4. Garlic: A daily clove of garlic helps lower cholesterol levels and inflammation, which are in turn beneficial for the kidneys.

5. Onions: A significant part of Indian cooking, onions are rich in flavonoids (called quercetin). This powerful antioxidant can help reduce chances of developing a kidney disease.

Also read: Here's Why Many Kidney Transplants Fail

6. Grapes: Flavonoids in grapes (resveratrol) can prevent inflammation and reduce oxidisation. This can then help in keeping our kidneys healthy.

7. Apple: An apple a day can keep the doctor away as it is known to reduce cholesterol levels, protect one from heart diseases and can also help prevent constipation. The high fibre and anti-oxidant content of apples help improving kidney health.

8. Strawberries: Strawberries are rich in vitamin-C and manganese. But they feature here due to their anthocyanin content. It's a powerful anti-oxidant that helps in preventing oxidative damage to the kidneys.

9. Cherries: Cherries too make to this list due to its phytochemical and anti-oxidant content that s pro healthy kidneys.

Also read: Heavier, Taller Kids Likely To Develop Kidney Cancer: Study

10. Egg whites: A healthy protein, egg whites can provide the essential amino acids. The low phosphorus content of egg white makes it an ideal kidney healthy food.

11. Olive oil: The oil you use for salad dressing is a kidney friendly food. Olive oil has monosaturated fats, which help prevent oxidisation. It has oleic acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties. The rich polyphenol and anti-oxidant content can help preventing oxidisation, thus being beneficial for the kidneys.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.