#WKD: 8 Kidney Cleansing Recipes

7. Bell Pepper Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 1 small yellow bell pepper
• 1 onion finely sliced
• 2 cloves on garlic
• 1/2 inch root ginger
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon ghee

Instructions:

1. Deseed the bell peppers and slice them thinly.
2. Heat ghee in a non stick wok. Add cumin seeds. Once the seeds crackle, add the bay leaf and cloves. Fry the spices for few seconds.
3. Add finely chopped garlic and ginger and stir fry till the raw smell goes.
4. Now add the onion slices and stir fry for 1-2 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
5. Add chopped colored bell peppers and stir fry on high flame. Cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes more. Add salt and mix.
6. Once the bell peppers turn little soft, add cooked rice and toss well.
7. Stir fry for another 1 minute or so and cook for 1-2 minutes. Put off the gas and season the rice with freshly crushed black pepper. Serve warm.

Benefits:

The star ingredient in this recipe is the red bell peppers, which are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients like Vitamins A and C. These boost metabolism and also provide the kidneys with a slew of antioxidants. Red peppers also contain lycopene which is a crucial nutrient for kidney health. What’s more, they are low in potassium. The addition of ginger and garlic increases the health benefits of this dish. Garlic contains allicin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

8. Baked Fish Balls

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of any fatty fish like salmon or tuna
• 2 medium sized potatoes, diced into small cubes
• 1 small onion or half of a big one, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander Leaves
• 1 or 2 green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 egg
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• Salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 cups water
• 4 cloves of garlic, slightly bruised
• 1” knob of fresh ginger, thickly sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 4 pods of cardamom, slightly bruised

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, ginger slices, garlic pods, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the fish and cubed potatoes.
2. Poach for 5-6 minutes till the potatoes are soft and the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Drain and let it cool. Discard the ginger slices, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and the bay leaf.
3. In a large bowl add the poached fish, chopped onions, chopped cilantro, salt, chopped chilies, garam masala and egg. Mix it well.
4. The mixture needs to sit in the refrigerator to firm up. Wrap it with a cling wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours to overnight.
5. Preheat the oven at 400F/ 200 C. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and grease it well.
6. Using an ice-cream scoop, roll out 2 inch balls from the chilled potato-fish mixture. Roll each ball in the bread crumbs to coat completely.
7. Arrange the coated balls on the greased aluminum foil lined baking tray. Spray the fish balls lightly with nonstick cooking spray or brush them with oil.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the tray midway for even cooking.
9. Serve hot with green chutney.

Benefits:

This recipe features fish, which is great for kidney health, especially fatty fish like tuna or salmon. These are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, both of which are essential for the proper functioning of the kidneys. Studies have found that omega-3 fats can reduce the chances of proteinuria, as well as other kidney issues. The fish is paired with ginger, which also has lots of antioxidants that offer kidneys protection from dehydration and damage.

Note:

While these kidney cleansing foods can be had by anyone, they are not recommended for pregnant or nursing women or children. Anyone with a history of kidney problems should consult their doctor before including kidney cleansing foods in their diet. 

For optimum kidney health,

it is also recommended to drink sufficient amounts of water and to stay away from harmful behaviors like smoking and alcohol consumption. Staying active and keeping blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol at healthy levels is important.

Those with kidney issues are also advised to stay away from foods rich in oxalates, like chocolate, red meat, dark greens, nuts and sweet potatoes.