Looking for a Kidney Cleanse? Here Are the Best Drinks for Your Kidneys

Cranberry juice

Cranberry juice contains antioxidants, which are nutrients that help decrease inflammation in your body. The antioxidants in cranberry juice may also help to decrease your risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI). Researchers believe this is because cranberry juice’s antioxidants prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract. 

Most UTIs won’t affect your kidneys. But sometimes the infection can travel up the urinary tract and into your kidneys. This is a condition called pyelonephritis. Scientists think cranberry juice may be good for your kidneys because it can help prevent pyelonephritis. It seems to do this by interfering with bacteria that stick to the kidney walls. 

Unsweetened or low-sugar cranberry juices are the best options. Too much sugar can increase blood sugar and blood pressure, both of which can harm your kidneys. 

Carrot juice

Research shows that drinking 2 glasses (16 oz) of carrot juice a day is enough to provide antioxidant effects. Although researchers haven't looked at the effects of carrot juice on kidneys in people, animal studies show interesting results. Studies in rats suggest that carrots may help protect kidneys and prevent or dissolve kidney stones.

Beet juice

Like carrot juice, beet juice (also called beetroot juice) has antioxidant properties that benefit your overall health. But studies on beet juice and kidneys have only been done in rats. In one study, researchers looked at the effect of beet juice on rats with diabetes. The rats that had been given beet juice had healthier kidneys. The beet juice helped prevent and even reverse some of the kidney damage linked to diabetes.

There’s also evidence that beet juice may lower blood pressure. Since high blood pressure can be hard on your kidneys, this is another way that beet juice may support your kidneys. 

But it’s important to note that beet juice is high in oxalate, a natural compound that can increase the risk for calcium-oxalate kidney stones. So, if you have a history of this type of kidney stones, you may want to avoid beet juice. Otherwise, sticking to 8 oz a day isn’t likely to cause harm. 

Beet juice can also turn your pee and poop red for up to 2 days after drinking it. So, don’t be alarmed if you notice this change.

Teas

Tea is a popular drink that many people turn to for its possible health benefits. Many studies have looked at whether drinking tea plays a role in kidney health, and the findings are mixed. 

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Some research suggests that light to moderate consumption (2 to 4 cups daily) of black tea — especially with milk — may keep kidneys healthy. But other studies don’t show any benefits.

Still, we know that green tea contains catechins, antioxidants that decrease inflammation in your body, which may be good for your kidneys. 

Water

Drinking water is one of the best ways to protect your kidneys. A large study of more than 50,000 adults found that people who drank more water were less likely to have kidney problems. And people with chronic kidney disease are less likely to progress to kidney failure if they drink a moderate amount of plain water (about 4 to 8 cups per day) each day. 

The amount of water you should drink each day is different for everyone. It depends on factors like your weight, activity level, and health conditions. A good way to know if you’re well hydrated is to track how frequently you’re peeing. When you’re hydrated, you’ll likely feel the urge to pee at least every 2 to 4 hours. Also, note the color of your urine. It should be a clear, light yellow color.

Orange juice

Citrus juices, like orange juice, may help reduce the risk of kidney stones. This is because citrus fruits contain citrate, which lowers urine acidity and can help prevent stones from forming. A review of studies also found that orange juice may help prevent kidney stones because of its citrate content. But the current research isn’t strong enough to recommend orange juice specifically for kidney stone prevention in everyone. 

It’s important to note that orange juice is a particularly high-sugar beverage, so drinking it daily will add a lot of sugar to your diet.

Coconut water

Animal studies have found that coconut water may help prevent the buildup of crystals in the urine that lead to kidney stones. 

One small study in eight adults showed that drinking coconut water was linked to increased citrate in the urine. This makes coconut water a promising option when it comes to preventing kidney stones. But larger studies are needed. 

Lemon juice

As a citrus juice, lemon juice is high in citrate. So, for people who've had a kidney stone, experts often recommend drinking lemon juice daily.

One study showed that drinking 2 oz of lemon juice twice a day helped prevent kidney stones from coming back in some people with a history of kidney stones. But study participants tended to drop out after a while because it was difficult for them to drink lemon juice daily. So, lemon juice may not work for everyone. 

If lemon juice tastes too strong or tart on its own, you can add it to water to make lemon water, which may be easier to drink. 

Water

Drinking an adequate amount of water each day can help prevent kidney stones. This applies to people with and without a history of kidney stones.

Experts recommend that people with a history of kidney stones drink enough water to make at least 2 L of urine each day. You might wonder how much water you need to drink to make that much urine. It depends on factors like your weight, environment, and activity level. It can be hard to know how much urine you’re producing. But, if your urine is clear to pale yellow, that’s a good sign you’re probably well hydrated. 

Green and black tea

Drinking low to moderate amounts of green tea daily may decrease your risk of developing kidney stones, especially if you have a history of kidney stones. A study from China found that people who drink green tea regularly were less likely to be hospitalized for kidney stones. Drinking black tea wasn’t protective.

Even though black tea doesn’t seem to prevent kidney stones, it doesn’t seem to cause them either. A small study done in healthy men showed that drinking 6 cups of black tea daily for 5 days didn’t increase the risk of kidney stones.

Coffee

Coffee may decrease your risk of kidney stones. The caffeine content may be responsible. A compound in coffee called trigonelline may also play a role. Researchers have found that people who drink 1 cup of caffeinated coffee daily or up to 1½ cups of decaffeinated coffee may be less likely to develop kidney stones. 

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