A recent study examined the impact of high fruit and vegetable diets on chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in hypertensive patients and compared them with oral sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and standard care. Over five years, 153 hypertensive patients with macroalbuminuria were randomized to receive either fruits and vegetables, NaHCO3, or usual care. The results showed that CKD progression was slower in those receiving fruits and vegetables or NaHCO3 compared to usual care.
However, fruits and vegetables led to greater improvements in systolic blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors, even with lower doses of pharmacological treatment. The trial highlights the benefits of integrating fruits and vegetables into hypertension treatment as a primary strategy rather than just an adjunctive measure. While both dietary acid reduction methods improved kidney…
