Cabbage Does Not Cause Kidney Failure, Chinese Doctors Debunk Online Rumors
Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A Chinese medical clinic debunks online rumors claiming cabbage causes kidney failure and dialysis.
- Doctors state that high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are the primary causes of chronic kidney disease.
- They advise individuals with kidney issues to boil cabbage and avoid the cooking water to reduce potassium intake.
Online rumors falsely linking cabbage consumption to kidney failure and dialysis are being debunked by a Chinese medical clinic. Changsheng Tang Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic stated that cabbage itself does not harm the kidneys. Instead, the clinic emphasized that the main culprits behind chronic kidney disease and the need for dialysis remain uncontrolled high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Cabbage itself does not cause kidney failure, and the public does not need to panic due to online rumors.
Other significant risk factors identified include chronic glomerulonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, kidney stones, improper long-term medication use (such as painkiller abuse), and excessive intake of high-fat, high-salt, and processed foods. The clinic also addressed concerns about food pairings, stating that common dietary combinations, like cabbage with melons or seaweed, do not harm healthy individuals' kidneys.
The main causes of chronic kidney disease and dialysis are still high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, as well as chronic glomerulonephritis, improper medication use, and high-fat, high-salt diets.
For those already suffering from chronic kidney disease, the clinic offered practical advice: boiling cabbage and draining it before consumption, and avoiding the soup, can help reduce potassium intake. Regarding anticoagulant medication, the clinic clarified that patients do not need to avoid all green vegetables, including cabbage. Maintaining a stable daily intake is key, rather than complete avoidance, to ensure medication effectiveness and prevent nutritional imbalances.
The correct concept is not to 'completely avoid' but to maintain stable intake.
From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, cabbage is considered neutral in nature and sweet in taste, benefiting the spleen and stomach. It is also believed to strengthen bones and support kidney function. Its richness in Vitamin K and calcium, coupled with being a low-oxalate vegetable, further supports bone health. The clinic urged the public to critically evaluate online health information, especially alarming content, and focus on managing chronic conditions, maintaining a balanced diet, and adopting healthy lifestyle habits for overall kidney protection.
Facing online health information, we should maintain the habit of verification, especially for content that causes panic, which should be viewed with caution.
Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.