If you have high blood pressure thanks to eating too many high-salt, on-the-go meals out of paper bags, here’s one more reason to change your eating habits. Fast food may also be hurting your kidneys. High blood pressure can damage the cells within your kidneys, called glomeruli, that filter the waste products from your blood. The saturated fats in fast food may also block off the arteries providing your kidneys’ blood supply.
Many fast food restaurants now have low-sodium options, and post the nutritional content for their menu items to help you make healthier decisions. Much of that information can also be found online. Here are some general tips for lower sodium eating on the go:
- Choose salads or plain hamburgers
- Choose grilled chicken instead of fried
- If you order a fish sandwich, ask for it without the sauce
- Opt for salsa instead of cheese or sour cream
- Order fat-free milk instead of a shake or soda
Don’t forget to skip the ketchup and fries— just one packet of ketchup contains almost 400 grams of sodium! And fast-food fries are usually dowsed in added salt before served to you. Instead, go for a side salad with olive oil or vinegar. Other salad dressings such as Thousand Island, ranch and Caesar are infamous sodium offenders.