Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption may delay kidney disease and improve heart health, study finds

A new study has found that increasing daily servings of fruits and vegetables by four (about two cups) can significantly slow the progression of chronic disease. nephropathy and improve blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Research suggests that these benefits may be due in part to a person’s ability to plant-rich diet to lower the body acidity levels.

The five-year study highlights the importance of dietary changes focused on fruits and vegetables to control hypertension, a key risk factor for kidney and heart disease. Traditionally, doctors have not prioritized dietary changes for patients with hypertension unless medications fail. However, the study’s findings suggest that this approach should be reconsidered.

“Fruits and vegetables should be central to the treatment of hypertension, with medications added as needed,” said lead researcher Donald E. Wesson, MD, professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Dell Medical School at Austin. “In our study, participants who increased their fruit and vegetable intake had lower blood pressure, better kidney health and improved quality of life.” heart health“all of which required lower doses of blood pressure medications compared to those not taking them.”

The impact of acidity on the body

The study aimed to determine whether lowering the body’s acidity levels could improve markers of kidney disease. According to Dr. Wesson, digesting animal products such as meat increases the body’s acidity, while digesting most fruits and vegetables makes the body more alkaline (basic). The kidneys play a crucial role in maintaining this balance by removing excess acid from the blood and expelling it through urine. The study was designed to explore whether a diet with more plants and fewer animal products could “lighten the load” on the kidneys, thereby improving kidney and overall health.

Methodology of the study

The study involved participants with high blood pressure (but not diabetes) and severe chronic kidney disease, as indicated by high levels of macroalbuminuria. The researchers divided the participants into three groups:

1. Those who were instructed to add 2 to 4 cups of fruits and vegetables to their regular diet.

2. Those who are prescribed sodium bicarbonate twice a day as an antacid to neutralize acidity.

3. Those who received standard medical care from their primary care physicians.

Participants kept food diaries throughout the study, and those in the fruit and vegetable group reported consuming two additional cups of produce per day.

The results were significant. Both the fruit and vegetable group and the baking soda group showed improved kidney health, which the researchers attributed to reduced acidity levels. However, the group that increased fruit and vegetable intake also experienced additional heart health benefits. They saw reductions in cholesterol levels, a drop in average BMI from 28.2 to 27 (equivalent to a weight loss of about six pounds for the average American), and lower blood pressure while taking fewer medications than the other groups.

Long-term dietary changes and sustained benefits

The study’s findings reinforce the standard recommendation that people with kidney disease eat more plant-based foods. Christopher Gardner, PhD, professor of medicine and director of nutrition studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, explains that reducing acidity through plant-based foods or baking soda is beneficial for kidney health. He also suggests that participants who ate more fruits and vegetables likely improved their heart health by increasing fiber intake and reducing saturated fat.

While the idea of ​​adopting a healthier diet to treat heart or kidney disease is not new, this study provides new evidence that people can make long-lasting changes to their diet with sustained health benefits. “What’s really impressive about this study is that the follow-up lasted for five years, not just five weeks or five months,” says Dr. Gardner, who was not involved in the research. “These are long-term dietary changes that were maintained and resulted in long-term health benefits.”

Dr. Gardner also highlights a gap in medical education, noting that nutrition often receives little attention in medical schools, leaving many physicians feeling ill-equipped to advise patients on lifestyle changes such as diet. “However, it’s not a complicated strategy (eating more plants) and hopefully studies like this will encourage more physicians to incorporate this approach alongside other tools to treat and prevent disease,” he concludes.