Hot sauce is ok for the kidneys when consumed in moderation, although hot sauce is also bad for the kidneys when consumed in excess.
However when hot sauce is consumed in moderation, the hot sauce can benefit your kidneys and overall health.
The reason why hot sauce can be bad for your kidneys is due to the high sodium content in the hot sauce, which strains the kidneys when consumed in excess or when you have kidney failure.
If you have kidney disease or kidney failure you should either avoid hot sauce or only consume hot sauce in moderation.
Many brands of hot sauce are loaded with salt, which is sodium chloride, which is added to the hot sauce to enhance the flavor of the hot sauce as well as preserve the hot sauce.
But too much sodium, makes your kidneys work much harder and can also raise your blood pressure and worsen kidney disease or kidney failure.
Artificial preservatives, dyes and flavors can also be found in some brands of hot sauce, which are not good for overall health, especially when you have kidney issues.
But hot sauce when consumed in moderation also has some health benefits like protective effects and lower risk of chronic kidney disease.
A study has found that people that eat more chili and hot foods including hot sauce have lower odds of having chronic kidney disease.
And the capsaicin in hot sauce and spicy foods, which is the compound that makes the peppers hot, may also protect your kidneys, protect your heart, lower and improve blood pressure and slow disease progression.
When consuming hot sauce, it's best to choose low sodium hot sauce like hot sauce that has less than 140 mg of sodium.
Choose hot sauces with vinegar, peppers and spices and avoid excess sodium, dyes and preservatives.
And even the low sodium versions of hot sauce should be used in moderation as the excessive heat from the hot sauce can also cause digestive upset.