\nA higher intake of plant-based protein could reduce your risk of chronic kidney disease, a new study finds.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nThe kidneys are critical organs, filtering the blood to remove toxins, control blood pressure, and regulate blood chemicals. But for a significant portion of the population, these filtration organs face certain obstacles.\n<\/p>\n \nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 15% of American adults\u2014about 37 million people\u2014live with chronic kidney disease.<\/span> This condition is defined by a gradual loss of kidney function over time, which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, anemia, and other serious health outcomes.\n<\/p>\n \nNew research published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases<\/em> suggests that a higher intake of plant-based protein could reduce the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD).<\/span> In the study, people who ate more plant-based protein were less likely to experience CKD over a nearly 10-year period than those who ate more animal protein.\n<\/p>\n \nResearchers have long known that the type of protein we eat can significantly impact the health status of our kidneys.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cThere has been accumulating evidence that animal protein consumption may have detrimental effects on vascular health, potentially contributing to the development of kidney disease,\u201d Seung Hyeok Han, MD, PhD, co-author of the study, told Health<\/em>.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \nAccording to Han, preclinical studies have indicated that animal protein might trigger more inflammation than plant-based protein\u2014a potentially relevant factor in kidney health. \n<\/p>\n \nDespite this, neither the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines nor the National Kidney Foundation\u2019s Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines explicitly address the best source of dietary protein for people with CKD.\n<\/p>\n \nThe latest KDOQI clinical practice guideline says, \u201cthere is insufficient evidence to recommend a particular protein type (plant vs animal) in terms of the effects on nutritional status, calcium or phosphorus levels, or the blood lipid profile.\u201d<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nThese factors led Han and his team to study how choosing plants over animals for dietary protein could enhance kidney well-being.\n<\/p>\n Getty Images \/ Natalia Gdovskaia<\/p>\n <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n \nNumerous studies have established the benefits of shifting your eating habits in a plant-forward direction. A plant-based diet has been linked with improved heart health, lower weight, reduced risk of some cancers, and more.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nHan and his colleagues began their study with the theory that protein from plants offers several advantages over animal protein for the kidneys.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201c[These include] a lower acid load, reduced saturated fat content, rich fiber content, and antioxidant properties, among others,\u201d Han said.\n<\/p>\n \nThe research team tracked over 117,000 participants in the U.K.\u2019s Biobank study, a large wellness research cohort. Subjects had no history of chronic kidney disease and their glomerular filtration rate (the chief indicator of kidney function) ranged from early-stage kidney disease to healthy levels.\n<\/p>\n \nHan and his team examined the association between plant-based protein intake and the development of chronic kidney disease, following up with participants, on average, after 9.9 years.\n<\/p>\n \nThe more plant-based protein people ate, the less likely they were to experience the disease. People with higher levels of plant protein in their diets also had healthier blood pressure, BMI, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \nThe study did note, however, that people who consumed more plant protein were also more likely to maintain other healthy behaviors, such as not smoking and being physically active. They also had fewer co-morbidities.\n<\/p>\n \nThese additional factors somewhat muddy the waters of whether plant-based protein is directly responsible for healthier kidneys.\n<\/p>\n \nStill, the positive effects of plant-based foods affected all groups in the study.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cThis beneficial association [of plant-based protein on kidney health] was also evident in individuals with hypertension, diabetes, higher BMI, and higher inflammation level,\u201d Han said.\n<\/p>\n Kidney Disease Diet: 8 Foods That May Be Beneficial<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> <\/p>\n \nA variety of factors might explain why plant-based protein could promote well-running kidneys. For one thing, a diet with more plant protein is more likely to include vegetables.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cDiets rich in vegetables and low in animal protein contain higher levels of specific amino acids like glutamic acid, cystine, proline, phenylalanine, and serine,\u201d Han said.\n<\/p>\n \nThese differences in amino acid content might help the kidneys by alleviating their nitrogen load and reducing acid production.\n<\/p>\n \nVeggies and other plant-based proteins also have the advantage of containing more fiber than animal proteins.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cDietary fiber plays a crucial role in changing the composition of gut microbiota, leading to reduced circulating cholesterol levels and inflammation in the body,\u201d Han said.\n<\/p>\n \nNephrologist Silas Norman, MD, MPH, co-medical director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at the University of Michigan and chair of the American Kidney Fund\u2019s board of trustees, agreed that plants\u2019 cholesterol-lowering effects increase their health factor.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cSimilar to this study, we\u2019ve seen it suggested in various studies over time that plant-based diets might result in better blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which can ultimately impact kidney disease risk,\u201d he told Health.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n \nAnother possibility behind plant-based protein\u2019s impact on kidney health is inflammation.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cOne remarkable finding from our study was the significant correlation between higher plant protein intake and improved metabolic profiles and reduced inflammation,\u201d Han said.\n<\/p>\n \nHe pointed out that, compared to animal proteins, plant-based proteins contain higher levels of antioxidants and lower levels of saturated fat. Both of these nutritional elements can reduce overall inflammation, a key risk factor for kidney disease.\n<\/p>\n <\/span> <\/p>\n \n\u201cBroadly, all of us with or without kidney disease might benefit from a plant-based diet to help improve our overall health,\u201d Norman said.\n<\/p>\n \nIn other words, you don\u2019t have to be at risk of kidney disease to benefit from eating more plant foods. But people with known risks for CKD (such as diabetes or high blood pressure) may especially benefit from swapping animal proteins for plant ones.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cThere\u2019s certainly growing evidence in the literature demonstrating the benefits of plant-based proteins in the management of CKD, and this study aligns with these other findings,\u201d Ryan Woolley, MSPH, RDN, director of public education at the American Kidney Fund, told Health<\/em>.\n<\/p>\n \nIf you\u2019re new to plant protein, start small. Try implementing Meatless Monday or substitute half the ground meat in casseroles or tacos with a plant alternative like tofu, beans, or lentils. Or, reserve animal protein meals for when you\u2019re dining out, making primarily plant-forward meals at home.\n<\/p>\n \nAs much as possible, just focus on plant-based changes around minimally processed protein choices\u2014such as soy foods, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils. These are better options for kidney health than highly processed faux meats or frozen dinners.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cUltra-processed plant-based proteins such as meat substitutes or prepared vegetarian products are typically high in phosphorus, potassium, and sodium,\u201d said Woolley. \u201cThose with kidney disease may need to limit their consumption of these nutrients, as the kidneys may not be working as well as they should to filter these from the body.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Diet High in Added Sugars May Increase Kidney Stone Risk<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" New research found that a higher intake of plant-based protein could reduce a person\u2019s risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). According to researchers, preclinical trials indicate that plant-based protein results in less inflammation than animal protein\u2014inflammation is a potentially relevant factor in CKD. Experts recommend people implement small, sustainable habits like Meatless Monday into their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17346,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[410,1237],"tags":[116,1238],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17346"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17346"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17346\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.health.com\/thmb\/JScLaQYI9uey12RIUJASkBQ3j3g=\/1500x0\/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()\/GettyImages-1366913823-30f60a3a8c6247fb995638158b06ced6.jpg\")
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\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n A Link Between Plant-Based Protein and Kidney Health <\/span> <\/h2>\n
How Plant-Based Protein Could Boost Kidney Function <\/span> <\/h2>\n
What This Research Means for People at Risk of Kidney Disease <\/span> <\/h2>\n