A Little Wine May Be Good for Your Kidneys

Dinner is on the table. You've just plated one of the MagicKitchen.com entrées, like Cod with Miso Ginger, Black Beans, and Carrots, the Sweet and Sour Chicken with Zucchini & Onion Sauté, or one of many tasty and delicious meals made with minimal amounts of sodium, phosphorous, and potassium, and just the right amount of protein.

The aroma of this freshly cooked food makes your mouth water, and you realize a glass of wine would be the perfect addition to this appetizing meal. Following a proper eating plan to protect your kidneys is an important part of managing your condition. And new research led by the National Kidney Foundation suggests that a glass of wine can be good for your kidneys too.

Researchers looked at health-related data of 5,852 people in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that people who drank a little wine (less than a glass a day) lowered their risk for chronic kidney disease by 37 percent. For the 1,031 people in the study who already had kidney disease, they found that a little wine reduces their risk for heart disease by 29 percent compared to people who didn't drink any wine.

Based on the research, it appears that drinking a little wine at dinner may complement your meal in more ways than one. In the study, researchers found that drinking less than one glass a day was enough to lower the risk for kidney disease and heart disease. But before you break open a bottle to tap into the health benefits of wine, make sure you know the risks too. Too much alcohol can be harmful to your kidneys and increase blood pressure. Stick to less than a half a glass of wine a day, and you'll protect your heart and your kidneys. Cheers!