This soda treats Chronic Kidney Disease

We usually think of soda as something unhealthy—especially for your kidneys.

A new study published in the American Journal of Medicine found that a specific type of soda can slow down (even stop) chronic kidney disease.

They also identified a specific group of food that does it even better, plus lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular health.

The researchers based their study on years of evidence suggesting that acid-producing diets, typically high in animal products, can harm the kidneys.

On the other hand, diets rich in fruits and vegetables are alkali-producing, meaning they reduce the amount of acid the kidneys have to process.

Accordingly, they hypothesized that reducing dietary acid could protect the kidneys while simultaneously improving heart health.

To test their hypothesis, they conducted a five-year, randomized controlled trial—the gold standard of scientific research.

They looked at 153 patients with high blood pressure who also had macroalbuminuria, a condition characterized by very high levels of protein in the urine, which is a sign of major kidney damage.

These patients were divided into three groups:

- a fruit and veg group that added 2–4 cups of fruits and vegetables to their daily diet

- a baking soda group that took baking soda tablets to reduce the acid in their diet

- the usual care group that received standard medical care without any dietary intervention.

After five years, the results were clear:

1. Both the fruits and veg group and the baking soda group had a slower decline in kidney function. On average, the decline in kidney function was about half that of the usual care group.

2. Only the fruits and veg group showed a significant reduction in blood pressure compared to the other groups.

3. Participants who increased their intake of fruits and vegetables also showed improved cardiovascular risk indicators compared to the other two groups.

Therefore, unlike baking soda, which helped protect the kidneys but didn’t offer the same cardiovascular benefits, fruits and vegetables achieved all three goals: protecting the kidneys, lowering blood pressure, and reducing cardiovascular risk.

Given that high blood pressure is one of the main causes of kidney disease, this diet might even protect your kidneys so that chronic kidney disease never hits you at all.

If you’re not a big veggie fan, then the baking soda option might be a good choice.

Your best option, however, is to completely heal your chronic kidney disease using simple lifestyle changes, as explained here — just like thousands of readers have already done…