Kidney stones in the urinary tract are formed in several ways. A kidney stone is a hard mass that forms from crystals in the urine. Drinking enough liquid, mainly water, is the most important thing you can do to prevent kidney stones. Passing a kidney stone is often described as one of the most painful things a person will ever experience. Fortunately, dietary changes as laid out in the kidney stone diet can help prevent kidney stones from forming or recurring. If you’ve had a kidney stone, ask your doctor which it was. That’ll help you know which foods to avoid.
- Calcium Oxalate Stones: Many people get this type than any other. It forms when calcium in your pee combines with oxalate, a chemical that’s naturally in many foods. Take care of
High-oxalate foods: Many plants contain oxalate, but some foods have much more than others. Try to limit:
Spinach
Rhubarb
Almonds and cashews
Miso soup
Grits
Baked potatoes with skin
Beets
Cocoa powder
Okra
Bran cereals and shredded wheat cereals
French fries
Raspberries
Stevia sweeteners
Sweet potatoes
Salt: If you eat a lot of sodium, which is an ingredient in salt, that raises the amount of calcium in your urine. That can produce stones. So limit canned foods, packaged meats, fast foods, and condiments in your diet.
Vitamin C: Having too much of vitamin c can make your body produce oxalate. So don’t take more than 400 mg a day.
2. Calcium Phosphate Stones: These stones form when calcium in the urine combines with the mineral phosphorus. But care for
Animal protein-rich foods:
Organ meats, like chicken or beef liver
Milk, cheese, and other dairy products
Eggs
Seafood
Foods that can make urine more alkaline are:
Fresh fruit juices (except orange, cranberry, and nectarine)
Vegetable juices
Molasses
Processed foods: Phosphorus is a common additive and preservative. So limit fast foods, bottled colas, frozen foods, and luncheon meats.
Sodium: Aim for no more than one teaspoon of table salt a day.
3. Uric Acid Stones: These stones contain uric acid, a substance the body produces as it breaks down chemicals in food. You get these if your pee is too acidic.
Animal protein: Eating too much red meat, poultry, eggs, and shellfish makes your body make more uric acid and it can rob your system of citrate, a substance that helps keep away kidney stones and maybe keep existing ones from growing.
To get enough protein, have meat swap with
Beans, dried peas, lentils, and peanuts
Soy milk, soy butter, and tofu
Nuts, like almonds, walnuts, and cashews
Sugary drinks: Drinks like lemonade, limeade, and fruit juices are naturally high in citrate that helps keep kidney stones at bay.
Alcohol: It can make uric acid levels in your blood go up.
4. Cystine Stones: Cystine stones tend to be larger than other types. These come from a condition that runs in families. It makes a natural substance called cysteine to leak into your urine. Some issues are
Too little water: Drink lots of water to help discourage cystine from forming stones.
Too much acid: Cystine stones grow more easily in acidic pee. So for this type of stone, curb your hunger for meat and eat more fruits and vegetables, which have lower acid levels.
Sodium: Once again, try not to overindulge on French fries, canned soups, packaged meats, and other salty foods.