High Meat Diets Damage Kidneys
People with even a mild kidney condition could damage them by taking up a high protein diet, a large-scale American study has found.
The research by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston found that high total protein intake, particularly animal protein, may accelerate loss of kidney function in women who had mild chronic kidney disease.
The 1,624 women involved in the study were part of the Nurse’s Health Study, which ran for 11 years.
High protein, low-carbohydrate diets are popular in Western countries, particularly as a weight-loss remedy. They are based on the theory - still unproven - that the body processes carbohydrates first and proteins last, and that ’starving’ the body of carbohydrates forces it to burn fat instead. In addition, eating protein lowers hunger and so people eat less overall.
“This study is very interesting and quite important in relation to the effects on kidney function,” said Dr Tim Matthew, medical director of the Australian Kidney Foundation. “The study is a large one, and there is some weight on the result.
While the study only looked at women, it was likely the findings would also apply to men, Matthew said.
Kidney function deteriorates by 10% for each decade we live after 40.
Many nutritionists are worried about the popularity of high protein, low-carbohydrate diets, as these are often associated with a loss of calcium, which can weaken bones. Other concerns are that a diet too high in protein may be missing out on fiber, vitamins and antioxidants from fruit and vegetables.
-Annals of Internal Medicine, ABC Science Online
Dr. Keith & Laurie Comments on High Meat Diets Damage the Kidneys
Animal protein is very hard on the kidneys, can reduce kidney function and can damage the kidneys. As this study showed from Harvard School of Public Health, diets that are high in animal protein (not plant protein) accelerate the loss of kidney function. There has never been a study that showed that plant products damage the kidney, liver, heart or any other organ when eaten in the raw, uncooked state. On the contrary, the raw vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, legumes and avocados only heal the body. In this study it was stated that kidney function deteriorates 10% for each decade one lives after age forty. This is only true for one who eats the SAD (Standard American Diet) and those who eat a high animal protein diet. This is not seen clinically in anyone on a totally living/raw plant food diet.
Why would you ever want to eat meat and animal protein that accelerates disease when you can be eating vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, legumes and avocados that actually heal disease? The choice is up to you. Choose life or death.