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The best diets for kidney stones include plenty of fruits and vegetables, low sodium, and limited animal protein. Limiting salt helps control blood pressure and reduces leakage of calcium from the kidneys to the urine.
Lemons and limes contain citrate which prevents the formation of kidney stones. Also, avoiding cola beverages can help decrease the risk of stone formation.
Calcium
Kidney stones, a common condition, are caused by the buildup of chemicals in your urine, including calcium, oxalate, and phosphorous. These substances are usually harmless, but they can bind together to form a solid stone that blocks your kidneys.
In this situation, a diet rich in foods that contain calcium is often recommended to help prevent these kidney stones from forming. Milk, cheese, yogurt, and green leafy vegetables are all good sources of calcium.
Avoid eating a lot of red meat, poultry, eggs, and shellfish. These proteins can increase the amount of uric acid your body produces and can steal citrate from your urine, which is a chemical that helps prevent kidney stones.
The best way to get enough calcium is through a variety of low-fat, high-fiber fruits and vegetables. Bananas, strawberries, oranges, pears, and grapefruit are all good options.
Fruits and veggies also provide potassium, which is important to prevent calcification in your kidneys. Eating a few servings of low-fat dairy each day can also be helpful, as it supplies the potassium your body needs to absorb more calcium from other foods.
You should also drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. This is especially important if you’re prone to developing kidney stones, as dehydration can make them more likely to develop and grow.
Another key aspect of a healthy, kidney-friendly diet is to limit your intake of sodium. This is because excessive dietary sodium can lead to excess calcium in your urine, resulting in kidney stones. So try to eat less salty foods and drinks, like French fries, canned soups, packaged meats, and cola drinks.
In addition to limiting your intake of these salty foods, be sure to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight or supplements to help your body absorb calcium. Talk with your doctor about how much vitamin D you need each day and what supplements are safe for you to take if you’re prone to developing stones.
Having a high-calcium diet that reduces your intake of animal protein, oxalate, and sodium is the best way to protect your health and keep kidney stones from developing. Getting the right amount of calcium isn’t impossible, but it can be a bit tricky.
Oxalate
Oxalate is a mineral found in most foods. It is mainly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and passed out of the body in the urine.
Kidney stones form when calcium and oxalate combine in large amounts, which can occur in certain conditions or diseases. People who are at risk for oxalate stones should limit oxalate-rich foods, such as spinach, beets, rhubarb, and buckwheat flour.
Many doctors advise high-calcium diets to help reduce oxalate. This is because calcium binds to oxalate in the stomach and intestines, which prevents it from entering the bloodstream and moving into the kidneys where it can be formed into stones.
Another benefit of a high-calcium diet is that it can also improve kidney function. This is particularly important for people with idiopathic hypercalciuria, or bone disease, which can lead to kidney stones.
If you have recurrent kidney stones, talk to your doctor about the best way to manage them. They may recommend a low-oxalate diet or a combination of oxalate-reducing, high-calcium, and sodium-reducing diets.
In addition to a high-calcium diet, your doctor will probably recommend drinking lots of fluids, especially water. They also might suggest low-oxalate beverages, such as lemonade and tea.
A high-calcium diet should include foods that are rich in calcium, such as milk and yogurt. This will help your body absorb oxalate, which will help keep you from having kidney stones.
Some people have oxalobacter formigenes, which is a type of bacteria in your gut that metabolizes oxalate. But certain factors can deplete this bacteria, including antibiotic use and certain gastrointestinal disorders.
Your doctor might suggest taking a probiotic to restore the balance of bacteria in your gut. They may also recommend eating foods that are high in fibre, such as oat bran, beans, whole wheat breads, and cereals.
It is also a good idea to drink plenty of water and low-oxalate beverages, such an apple juice, to maintain healthy urine pH levels. Acid levels in your urine promote the formation of oxalates and can lead to kidney stone formation.
The best diet for preventing oxalate stones is a combination of the three factors discussed above. However, every person is different and your dietary needs will vary depending on the condition or disease that you have.
Animal Protein
There are many different foods that can contribute to kidney stones, so you’ll need to consult with your doctor if you want to know which ones to avoid. Kidney stones can be painful and uncomfortable, and can lead to kidney failure if they’re left untreated. Fortunately, changes in your diet can help prevent and treat kidney stones.
The best diet for preventing kidney stones is one that limits phosphorus and salt intake. It’s also important to get plenty of potassium. These nutrients help reduce the risk of uric acid and cystine stones.
Animal protein is a great source of protein, but it’s not the best option for preventing kidney stones. Red meat and other sources of animal protein contain high amounts of purines, which are natural chemical compounds that can increase the risk of uric acid stones.
If you have a family history of uric acid stones, talk with your doctor about cutting back on the amount of animal protein in your diet. They can tell you which types of protein to focus on and what to avoid.
A study published in 2020 found that a higher intake of plant proteins can reduce the risk of developing kidney disease, while higher intakes of red meat and processed meat may increase the risk. The researchers concluded that a combination of a low-salt diet and a plant protein intake is the most effective approach to reducing the risk of kidney disease.
While it’s true that high levels of protein can increase your risk of kidney stone formation, the relationship between animal protein and kidney stones is complex. Studies have shown that dietary patterns that include lower protein intake and higher potassium have been associated with decreased stone formation.
However, it is still recommended to avoid high levels of animal protein. If you need to increase your protein intake, try eating beans, nuts, and legumes, quinoa, soy, and other plant proteins that are rich in essential amino acids.
The best diet for preventing kidney stones is a low-salt, high-potassium plan. It should also contain lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods are also high in fiber, which helps keep the body healthy.
Sodium
Sodium is a mineral that helps your body function properly. It conducts nerve impulses, maintains the balance of fluids in your body, and regulates the heart rate. It also helps keep your bones strong.
You need about 500 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily to help maintain these functions. You can get this amount by eating a variety of foods, such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and salt.
When you eat too much sodium, you can develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.
One of the best ways to avoid a high intake of sodium is to read the labels on food products. Look for the Percent Daily Value (%DV), which tells you how much sodium is in a serving of food.
Many processed foods contain a lot of sodium, such as canned soups, fast food, and prepared meals. It’s important to read the label on food products and to cook from scratch as much as possible.
A diet low in sodium can help prevent kidney stones. It is recommended to limit your total sodium intake to 2,300 mg a day, especially if you have a history of kidney stones.
It is also recommended to eat foods that are low in purines, such as plant proteins and fruits. Eating large amounts of animal protein, such as red meat, pork, chicken, and eggs, increases your uric acid levels. Uric acid is a chemical that can cause kidney stones.
Kidney stones are small, hard crystals of calcium or oxalate that can form in the kidneys. They can be painful and a health risk.
The best way to avoid getting kidney stones is to eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of water. Symptoms of dehydration, such as nausea, vomiting, and an urgent need to go to the bathroom, are common in those with kidney stones.
Another symptom that is common in those with kidney stones is the presence of blood in their urine. This can be a sign that the stone has broken loose and is traveling down the urinary tract.