14-04-2023
Diet For Kidney Stones

The risk of developing kidney stones (specifically calcium oxalate stones) may increase if you consume foods high in oxalate, as oxalate is a component of the most prevalent type of kidney stone.

The body's and urine's acid levels may increase if an individual consumes an excessive amount of animal proteins in their diet, such as beef, fish, and poultry. High levels of acidity promote the development of calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. The creation of uric acid from the breakdown of meat further increases the risk of developing calcium and uric acid stones.

Foods To Include In Diet

  • Eat magnesium citrate rich foods such as pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, peanut, black beans, avocado, brown rice, and potato.
  • Include vitamin B complex from broccoli, brussel sprouts, leafy vegetables, chickpeas, kidney beans, liver, peas, mushrooms, eggs, meat, and fish.
  • Opt for zinc-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, almonds, cheese, oats, cashews, milk, rock oyster, meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds, and nuts.
  • Consume vitamin A rich foods such as leafy vegetables, tomato, red bell peppers, orange and yellow vegetables, cantaloupe, mangoes, fish oils, milk, and eggs.
  • Choose vitamin E rich foods such as sunflower, safflower, and soybean oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut, pumpkin, red bell pepper, asparagus, mangoes, and avocados.
  • Include vitamin C rich foods such as guava, sweet yellow peppers, black currants, cantaloupe, mustard spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lemon, papaya, and oranges.

Foods To Avoid

  • Limit foods with high oxalate content: Chocolate, spinach, many berries, wheat bran, nuts, beets, tea, and rhubarb should be eliminated from your diet intake.
  • Limit calcium intake: Calcium can block other substances in the digestive tract that may cause stones. Get calcium from low-oxalate, plant-based foods such as calcium-fortified juices, cereals, breads, some kinds of vegetables, and some types of beans.
  • Reduce sodium intake: Eating more sodium increases your chance of developing kidney stones. Sodium is present in numerous canned, packaged, and fast foods, as well as in various condiments, seasonings, and meats.
  • Avoid animal-based protein: High protein intake causes the kidneys to excrete more calcium, leading to more stone formation. Avoid beef, chicken, pork, organ meats, eggs, fish, shellfish, milk, cheese, and other dairy products.
  • Herbs: Aloe vera juice, taken at levels that do not produce a laxative effect, can prevent stone formation and reduce the size of a stone during an acute attack.

Recommendations

  • For pain relief, drink half a fresh lemon juice in 8 ounces of water every half an hour until the pain subsides. Alternate between lemon juice and apple juice.
  • Drink at least 3 quarts of quality water daily to maintain good kidney function.
  • Increase consumption of foods rich in vitamin A as it is beneficial to the urinary tract and helps to discourage the formation of stones.
  • It is recommended to use only distilled water for drinking and cooking purposes.
  • Minimize the consumption of animal protein.
Doctor
Dr. Karuna Chaturvedi
H.O.D
Dietetics Department
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