When your kidneys begin losing their ability to function properly, treatment often focuses on medications and managing complications. But what if something as simple as changing what's on your plate could make a meaningful difference? A 10-year clinical trial suggests that a food-based approach may offer significant benefits for people with chronic kidney disease, including fewer hospital visits and a reduced need for dialysis.
Researchers followed 108 adults with stage 3 chronic kidney disease and metabolic acidosis, a condition in which excess acid builds up in the blood. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either base-producing fruits and vegetables, sodium bicarbonate or usual care.
Over 10 years, the fruit-and-vegetable group experienced just 14 hospitalizations and 20 emergency department visits, compared with 64 hospitalizations and 88 emergency visits among those receiving usual care. Only four participants in the dietary group required dialysis, compared with 16 in the usual-care group. Sodium bicarbonate did not show the same improvements in these outcomes.
The findings highlight the potential of using whole foods as part of a targeted approach to managing kidney disease. Certain fruits and vegetables provide compounds that help counter the body's acid load, potentially supporting kidney function and reducing complications over time. The dietary approach also achieved these benefits without increasing overall costs.
Although the trial was relatively small and the findings were presented at a scientific meeting, its decade-long follow-up offers encouraging evidence that nutrition deserves greater attention in kidney care. People with chronic kidney disease should work with their care team before substantially increasing certain fruits and vegetables, since potassium levels may need to be monitored.
SOURCE:
SciTechDaily, October 26, 2026