top 10 worst kidney foods
There are many things that can damage your kidneys, you know… stress, drugs, bad habits, just to name a few
but they’re NOTHING when compared to the TOP 10 UNHEALTHIEST FOODS of today’s video.
The foods I’m going to show you today are LITERALLY KILLING PEOPLE every single day.
They damage your kidneys, harden your arteries, they make your bones brittle.
And I’ve ranked them from tenth to first, so you will know EXACTLY what to avoid.
And these are common foods, things people eat every day and that are dangerous for everyone, not just for kidney patients
Now the worst part: many of you will see on my chart some foods that you actually eat regulary.
If this happens, remember that it’s not your fault.
Because, you know, food brands are spending millions every day to make you think that the poison they’re selling you is healthy, yummy and even cool.
And this is true for many of the unhealthiest foods, believe me.
So, don’t get fooled and watch today’s video to learn how to tell if a food is good or bad for your kidneys and your overall health.
My name is Katherine by the way, I’ve been working with people suffering from kidney disease for 7 years now,
helping MANY OF THEM finding way to eat better for their kidneys.
If you are new here on 00kidney, welcome to our journey together to a better kidney health.
Today I’m going to present you the most up to date guide to the unhealthiest foods.
Yes, today we’re looking at the bigger picture. This is why I think this video is going to be interesting.
As you can see, there are different colors in my chart.
The foods on the upper part are “to be limited” or eaten in a moderated way.
Those in the middle are “best if avoided”
And those in the tops 3 are real kidney killers you should never eat. Especially the number 1.
The good news is that if you stop eating these foods, you can lower your creatinine and start to support your kidney health right now!
So, let’s start immediately. Our number 10 is not going to kill you… probably, but it’s something too many people eat EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Number 10
Refined grains
And we’re talking about pasta, pizza, bread, but also the healthy alternatives brands market as “whole” and “diet” and “gluten free”.
So, a quick heads up for all of you, if you care about your kidney health, limit your intake of anything made from refined and processed grains.
Like most commercial breads for example, these foods are unhealthy if eaten in large amounts.
Because the grains in these foods have been pulverized into very fine flour.
The result is that these foods are going to RAISE your blood sugar levels very quickly, ok?
And that’s bad.
And this is true for white bread, for pasta, for pizza but also for anything else made from processed grains.
In fact, this kind of products will always have a very high glycemic index.
Now, many brands make their “healthy” versions of these foods.
So, you can find whole-wheat toasts and breads, whole-grain bagels… even whole wheat pizza and pasta.
And, Yes, they’re unhealthy too.
Because they’re made from REFINED whole grains. and that’s different from real whole grains.
These grains are still stripped from fiber and essential nutrients and high in glycemic index, just like regular refined grains.
So, don’t get fooled by the marketing.
This is especially important if you have kidney disease, because many of these whole grains have too much phosphorus for you.
Also, some of these products also contain added sugar and artificial trans fats.
And that’s bad.
Now, refined grains won’t kill you, alright?
This is why it’s the number 10 of today’s top 10.
Just try not to eat them every day or even several times per day like so many people do.
Ok, this one is my weakness too, actually. Especially pasta. I know it’s unhealthy, I know I shouldn’t eat it.
And what about you, guys? What’s your food weakness? Let me know in comment section!
And talking about weakness… number 9 is deliberately marketed to exploit the weakness of many people.
Scary.
Number 9
Diet, low carb and low-fat foods
So, I’m talking about Diet yogurts… no fats dairy in general, but also Low-fat candy bars or similar food items marketed towards health conscious people or people on a diet.
Yes, marketing is the keyword here.
Years and years of aggressive marketing campaign by food brands ended up instilling in the consumer a fake sense of what’s actually healthy or suitable for a diet.
Actually, you may end up eating the unhealthiest things just when you think you are eating healthy.
Example: diet yogurt.
If we take a 0 fat yogurt and we check the label, we can see that there’s actually no fat in it.
And that may look like a good thing for someone on a diet.
The problem is that fat tastes good, and it’s not unhealthy either.
So, they artificially removed fat from the yogurt and replaced it with …. Sugar.
Or even worse, additives and sweeteners.
We can find Aspartame, for example.
It is widely used in these fake healthy foods.
And there are studies showing a correlation between aspartame and headaches, heart disease and even kidney damage.
But these additives are going to make these foods taste good, without adding calories.
A true dream for the marketing department, am I right?
Put simply, these yogurts have had its healthy, natural fats replaced with unhealthy ingredients.
And the same is true for many, many other low-carbs, low-fat or low anything else food items.
Now, if you want to protect your kidneys from the dangers of these fake healthy foods, my advice is to always read the labels, ok?
Because being informed and reading the labels is the best way to avoid falling for marketing tricks.
By the way, do you know anyone who thinks that eating diet foods is healthy?
Send them this video now so you share the awareness for these dangerous marketing tricks!
Wow, this was already bad, but it’s just our number 9! We’re still in the green! What can be worse?
Our number 8, for example!
8 Fried foods
If you have watched my video about the kidney killer mistakes, you may already know how hard is to fry something without making it unhealthy.
The wrong timing, the wrong oil or too much heat can turn even the healthiest vegetable into a cancerous nightmare.
By the way, watch that video if you haven’t already, ok? A lot of useful tips to cook healthy, in my opinion.
My point here is that, even if you fry your foods by yourself, with your health in mind, you still risk ending up with unhealthy junk food.
But if you eat deep fried foods at a restaurant, for example, they probably are not gonna use the good oil, ok?
And they are not going to change the oil regularly either, because they don’t generally care too much for your health.
The results? Many fried foods contain large amounts of acrylamides and other carcinogenic substances that form during cooking.
It’s not a surprise that most of the fried foods you can buy are a… crime against your kidney health.
Speaking of which, I cannot avoid to mention our number 7.
7 Fast food meals
Generally speaking, fast-food chains serve junk food.
Most of their offerings are mass-produced and low in nutrients.
Despite their low prices, fast foods may contribute to disease risk and harm your general wellness.
You should especially watch out for deep fried items.
for example One ounce of regular potato chips has 152 calories and 10 grams of unhealthy fat.
And that’s from just a couple handfuls – which barely constitutes a satisfying snack for most of us.
Now, many fast-food chains have started offering healthy options, as a result of mounting pressure.
This is why fast food meals is just number 7 in my chart.
This is the “better if avoided” category.
But, hey, if you have to go to a mcdonalds to spend 15$ for an apple that’s already sliced, a salad and some water…
maybe just stay home. Especially nowadays.
OK, we have seen our first 4 unhealthy foods.
The table is starting to tell us something.
Let’s see. Number 10 was processed grains, then fake diet foods, fried foods and, fast food meals.
There’s one thing all these have in common. They’re all processed foods.
The more the processing, the more micro nutrients you lose and the more calories you get.
That’s what makes these foods unhealthy, ok?
Now, the number 6 is different. It is in a category of its own. And it’s a really unhealthy food for people with kidney problems
Number 6,
Milk and dairy products.
Milk and cheese are not unhealthy in general, but they are really too rich in phosphorus for people with kidney disease.
And while many patients prefer to just avoid them altogether, some still eat them in small amounts.
Which is a viable option, if your phosphorus is under control.
Now, processed cheese needs a mention by itself.
Because, if cheese can be healthy in moderation, processed cheese products are nothing like regular cheese.
They’re mostly made with filler ingredients that are engineered to have a cheese-like appearance and texture.
They’re high on calories and salt and sometimes even full of phosphates and other harmful food preservatives.
So, avoid processed cheeses.
Ok, we’re in the top 5 now, so let’s see some really, really unhealthy food.
5 sauces and condiments
Not all the sauces are unhealthy, ok, but condiments like ketchup, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, Teriyaki sauce, pancake sirup and most salad dressings definitely are.
All of these are too rich in sodium, sugar or both to be part of a healthy renal diet.
Ketchup, for example, is up to 30% sugar. And it doesn’t even taste sweet because… well, just one tablespoon of ketchup contains up to 200mg of sodium.
So basically, if you eat ketchup, you’re just adding salt, sugar and a bit of tomato to your meal.
And neither of these is healthy for someone with kidney disease, or for anyone else.
And don’t even think that low carb alternatives are better, ok?
Because, as we have seen with our number 9 replacing sugar with sweeteners is never the answer.
So just avoid these sauces and you’ll be healthier.
Maybe use spices instead?
Another food that you should be avoiding altogether is our number 4.
Yes, this one is really bad I was on the fence if putting it in the top 3, actually.
Let’s see why.
Number 4
Processed meat
Deli meat. Sausages.. Hot dogs.
Yes, these may look good on the grill, but they are even unhealthier than most people think.
This is what I usually refer to when I talk about bad protein, ok?
And while a little bit of protein is recommended in the diet of a kidney disease patient, bad protein should be completely avoided by everyone.
As you may already know, hotdogs, sausages, hamburgers and other types of processed meats are made from all the trimmings and leftovers of the actual cuts of meat.
When the meat processing plants remove all the good cuts from the animal, like the chops, steaks, ribs etcetera, what remains is still edible. But not really good looking or appetizing.
And the worst part is that sausages and hotdogs are even worse than they look when it comes to your health.
According to a report from BMC medicine, those who eat over 160 grams of processed meat per day, the equivalent of 2 hotdogs per day,
are 44 percent more likely to die within 12 years.
Processed meat consumption has been linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
And it’s maybe one of the worst things you can do to the health of your kidneys.
But not as bad as the number 3 of my chart.
Let’s see. What could be worse?
Number 3
Sweets!
Pastries, cookies, Ice cream, and cakes
Really unhealthy!
These foods are generally made from refined sugar, refined wheat flour, and added fats.
Shortening, which may be high in unhealthy trans fats, is sometimes added.
These treats might be tasty, but they have almost no essential nutrients, copious calories, and many preservatives.
Ice cream may be delicious, but it’s loaded with sugar.
It’s also dairy, so there’s phosphorus.
And if you eat it as a dessert, you’re usually piling it on top of your normal calorie intake.
Candy bars are incredibly unhealthy too.
They’re high in sugar, refined wheat flour, and processed fats.
What’s more, these treats will leave you hungry because of the way that your body metabolizes these sugar bombs.
Yes, this is what we call empty calories.
And, the number 2 is probably the worst source of empty calories of them all.
Let’s see, number 2
Liquid calories
Soft drinks, colas, cokes but also fruit juices are a really, really fast way to damage your kidneys.
Why? Because
If you’re drinking a cup, or 250 milliliters of a soda or a fruit juice, you’re ingesting up to 30 grams or 8 teaspoons of sugar!
And that’s a lot of calories, that will go in your blood real quick, causing a spike in insulin.
That’s the last thing you want, as we have seen.
And it’s even worse when it comes from a beverage, because it won’t fill you up or keep you feeling full, ok?
because it’s void of all good nutrients like fiber and protein.
So, you’re going to want more in a short amount of time.
And yes, this kills people.
I’m going to be very blunt here, I know, but these beverages are really dangerous.
Studies show that they can lead to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and even cancer.
Very unhealthy even for people without diabetes or kidney disease.
But if you suffer from one of these, controlling blood sugar levels is absolutely a must.
So my advice here would be… kill the sugar before it kills you.
But just don’t try to replace it our number 1.
LET’S SEE WHY!
NUMBER 1…
diet sodas!
Let’s talk about diet sodas.
These diet drinks are sugar free, so they are artificially sweetened with Aspartame or Saccharin or other synthetic substances.
Diet sodas have virtually no calories, so they get marketed towards diabetics, health conscious people, athletes and people who want to lose weight.
Seems, straight forward, right? You reduce your sugar intake and your health will benefit from this.
There’s just a problem with diet sodas.
They kill your kidneys.
How is it possible?
Diet sodas are full of tooth-eroding additives, possibly carcinogenic food colorings and artificial sweeteners.
And these additives are proven to cause risk of stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and kidney disease.
Now, if this isn’t bad enough, there are even studies showing a direct correlation between the regular consumption of diet sodas and chronic kidney disease.
The synthetic sweeteners, like Aspartame or Saccharin present in diet sodas have been proven to cause a sharp decline of kidney function in people that consumes them regularly.
So, in short, there are some big studies that have compared the kidney function of people who drank water to the kidney health of people who drank 2 cans of diet sodas per day.
After 10 years the group of people who drank diet sodas had a rate of decline of kidney function 30% faster than the group who didn’t drank diet sodas.
So, this means that if you drink diet sodas regularly, your kidneys are going to be damaged.
This is actually pretty scary, if you ask me: these beverages, marketed as “healthy”, are actually doing more damage to our health that their already unhealthy sugary counterparts.
So, this grants them the NUMBER 1 spot in my chart.
They’re not just dangerous, they’re also sold as healthy. Nothing could be worse than this.
Now, if you want to know what to actually eat instead of the unhealthy foods I’ve shown you today, this video may BE what you’re looking for.
This is all for today, thank you for watching, see you next Friday!
About the Author
Michaelw Hi, my name is Michael and in this blog I'm gonna share the story of how I got off kidney dialysis for good. Getting off dialysis isn't easy at all, and that's why I'm trying to help people as much as I can.
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