Short Answer: Lemon juice is good for CKD. Because it has vitamin C and citric acid and they can help prevent infections, anemia, and kidney stones, as well as hydrate, add flavor, and cut back on sugar.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition that affects your kidneys.
In CKD, your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should.
This can lead to various health problems, such as fluid buildup, high blood pressure, anemia, bone loss, and heart disease.
One of the key factors in managing CKD is diet.
What you consume can affect your electrolytes, minerals, and wastes, which can impact your CKD symptoms and overall health.
To effectively manage CKD, you should consume potassium, phosphorus, and sodium low foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and rice and avoid potassium, phosphorus, and sodium high foods like bananas, dairy products, processed foods, and salt.
Now, lemon juice is the juice extracted from lemons.
People usually drink it as a beverage, add it to water, or use it for cooking and baking.
Lemon juice is good for CKD because it contains vitamin C and citric acid.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can help boost your immune system and prevent infections.
Citric acid can help prevent kidney stones by increasing urine volume and making urine less acidic.
One lemon can give you about 31 mg of vitamin C, which is 34% of your daily needs.
It can also give you about 1.44 g of citric acid, which is enough to inhibit kidney stone formation.
Vitamin C can help your body produce red blood cells, which can prevent anemia, a common complication of CKD.
Citric acid can help your kidneys flush out excess calcium and uric acid, which can form kidney stones and worsen CKD.
Furthermore, lemon juice is a low-calorie and sugar-free drink and drinking it can help you hydrate, add flavor to your water, and cut back on sugar-sweetened drinks.
Hydration is important for CKD, as it can help your kidneys function better and prevent dehydration.
Sugar-sweetened drinks can increase your blood sugar and blood pressure, which can damage your kidneys and increase your risk of heart disease.
You can drink one to two glasses of lemon juice per day safely.
More than that can cause tooth erosion, stomach upset, or acid reflux.
You can also add some honey or stevia to sweeten your lemon juice, but avoid sugar or artificial sweeteners, as they can harm your health.
Also, you shouldn’t drink lemon juice if you have high potassium levels, ulcers, or gastritis, to prevent worsening your condition.
Because lemon juice can increase your potassium intake, irritate your stomach lining, or increase your stomach acid.
You can buy fresh lemons in your local market or can order them online.
Always choose lemons that are firm, bright, and heavy for their size.
Because they are more juicy and flavorful.
You can store them at room temperature for up to a week or in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing CKD effectively.
I always recommend my CKD patients to follow a CKD-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.