Are There Any Foods That Can Cause Kidney Stones?

Food can eliminate or cause enlargement of kidney stones. We will therefore explain everything about this disease below.

What to know about kidney stones?

Before we move on to the information on what not to eat, learn more about these little stones that are found in the kidneys.

A kidney stone forms from microscopic particles known as crystals.

In most people, compounds in urine prevent stones from appearing, but some organisms are more vulnerable to them.

Each patient may need different treatment depending on the stone that has formed. It also depends on the size and periodicity with which they appear.

Symptoms of kidney stones are as follows:

• Pain in the lower back (under the ribs) or on the sides of the spine.
• Severe pain for periods of 20 to 60 minutes.
• Discomfort that affects the abdomen and groin.
• Blood in the urine.
• The urine dark and with a very unpleasant odor.
• Pain when urinating.
• Continued urges to go to the bathroom
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Chills.
• Fever (if there is an infection).

Diet and kidney stones

Diet may be sufficient to prevent the onset of other stones. It is also likely that the doctor advises to moderate the intake of salt and other nutrients. Here they are :

• Calcium.
• Sodium.
• Oxalate.
• Potassium.
• The proteins.

It is indeed vital, if you suffer from a calcium stone, to stop consuming salt in all its forms (also in very salty or already prepared foods).

You should also minimize your intake of calcium in each meal. 

However, be aware that this can cause other problems such as osteoporosis or loss of bone mass.

People who have suffered from an oxalate stone therefore need to reduce their consumption of all foods that contain this compound. Among them we find:

• The peanuts
• Coffee
• Beet
• Beans
• The walls
• The strawberries
• Raspberries
• Red currants
• Rhubarb
• Grapes
• Chocolate
• Parsley
• Green vegetables (especially spinach).
• Oranges
• Wheat flour
• Beer
• Beer yeast
• Tofu
• The pepper
• Nuts
• Sweet potatoes

Likewise, it has been confirmed that having a diet high in sugar can be a determining factor for stone formation.

This is because sugar interferes with the metabolism of calcium, magnesium, and minerals that are found in the body.

Also watch out for sodas and artificial juices! Although they claim to be low in calories, they nonetheless contain high amounts of sugars. They therefore do not correspond at all to the liquid that we have to drink during the day.

Faced with any type of calculation, it is therefore advisable to increase your intake of liquid. This makes it possible to prevent the formation of new stones, or the enlargement of already existing stones.

The amount of water ingested will also depend on various factors:

• Age
• The weight
• Gender
• Size
• Activities carried out
• Time of year
• Diseases (obesity, diabetes, cholesterol)

Urine with less waste concentration and more water indeed reduces the risk of stone formation.

The only way to do this is to drink lots of water. In addition to mineral water, you can also opt for herbal teas or natural juices.

An important question related to diet is the amount of protein you eat.

Several studies have indeed confirmed that animal protein sources can be bad for people who have a propensity to suffer from kidney stones. 

However, it is not a question of becoming a vegetarian overnight but of being careful about ingestion of this type of meat:

• Beef
• The chicken
• Pork
• Fish

Eggs and dairy products also contain this type of protein. So reduce as much as possible all dishes that contain a lot of milk, cheese and butter.

When it comes to vitamins, some can be good, others bad. Others also have no influence on the formation of stones in the kidneys:

• Vitamin B (including niacin, riboflavin and thiamine): it has no harmful effects on patients with kidney stones.
  Remember that vitamin B2 has the ability to make urine more yellow. It can therefore cause confusion when analyzing the color of urine during a painful episode.

• Vitamin C: Citrus fruits and several fruits and vegetables have high levels of this vitamin. Although this vitamin helps increase the immune system, it can also be a cause of the development of kidney stones.
  It is therefore vital to minimize all foods that contain vitamin C. 

Let’s talk about sodium in particular …

We have already mentioned the consumption of salt, but it is important to take advantage of these last lines to remember that it is the biggest responsible for the appearance of stones in the kidneys.

These organs must indeed work double or even triple when we ingest a large amount of salt.

When our doctor asks us to reduce our salt intake, we stop adding salt to our dishes.

Yet many of the products we buy are too high in sodium chloride and can therefore be  harmful. 

Among these foods are:

• Instant soups.
• Stock cubes.
• The cold cuts.
• Fast food.
• Filled foods.
• Baking soda.

So pay close attention to your diet. You could indeed stimulate the accumulation of kidney stones without even realizing it!