Can bilimbi fruit damage your kidneys?

Bilimbi fruit (Scientific name: Averrhoa bilimbi) is known for its nutritious contents and medicinal effects. When we check its nutrition value, it has low calories and fat, but have high content proteins and many other nutrients. But is it fully safe to take Bilimbi fruit? Can everyone take bilimbi and use it regularly?

The answer is no. Yes, you heard it right. Though bilimbi is known for its medicinal uses and used in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and cough and cold, it also has some side effects. Not everyone can take a plenty of bilimbi, though eating 1 or 2 regularly is harmless unless the doctor recommends not to take it. What’s the reason?

Bilimbi fruit can increase creatinine level if taken in excess

Many local physicians, or people who practise Ayurveda without proper knowledge (I am not saying about recognized Ayurvedic doctors) and even people who sell such medicines in the name of natural remedies can really harm you. It’s always a bad idea to relay on such people, who sell such medicines and juices in bottles. Better you can consult a doctor and take medicines.

Some people, as a part of diabetic, blood pressure or cholesterol treatment may drink concentrated Bilimbi juice on continuous days without taking advice from doctors. Some people may show tiredness, or get diarrhoea but the worst stage is increased creatinine level, which can damage your kidneys so suddenly and lead to dialysis.

What happens when bilimbi is taken in excess in concentrated form?

Whether you are healthy or not, you may not even have any health issues, yet in both cases, taking concentrated bilimbi juice without the advice of a physician is not at all recommended. When fake people make you believe this is magical juice which can reduce your weight, pressure, cholesterol, sugar level etc, they are only selling their product. But what you lose is your health. You can find such countless online videos in Youtube also.

The fruit contains high levels of oxalate. There lies the problem. If oxalate enters the human body in excess, it combines with calcium and forms calcium oxalate. It forms stones in kidney. Even if the person is normal without any health issues, this oxalate can damage your kidney leading to acute kidney injuries. Thus creatinine level will increase and at the end stage, dialysis becomes the only option. Is it really needed? Please think over it.

Bilimbi pickle

Adopt a healthy life style with a balanced food and regular exercise. And if you feel any kind of health issues, consult a physician rather than relying on fake medicine sellers. I really hope, this post will be helpful for a lot of people.

Yes, you can take 1-2 bilimbi or add to dishes. It has fiber, proteins, vitamins, iron, phosphorous, minerals, anti-oxidants etc and owns anti-inflammatory properties. But drinking bilimbi juice or eating bilimbi in excess is not at all advisable.

Image source: Pixabay