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Which Foods to Eat or Avoid If You Have Kidney Stones?
2) Limit your sodium intake
Eating too much salt can cause the kidneys to excrete too much calcium in the urine, which can increase the risk of developing kidney stones. In general, the recommended amount of sodium per day is 1500 milligrams, which is equivalent to only ⅔ of a teaspoon of table salt! Canadians consume an average of 2760 milligrams each day, almost double the recommended daily intake. Although eliminating the salt shaker can be useful, it is not enough, since 77% of Canadians’ sodium intake comes from processed foods! The solution is to eliminate, or at least reduce, one’s consumption of processed foods and cook instead with fresh products. If you choose to buy packaged foods, make sure to read the labels and choose low sodium options. Opt for products that contain less than 200 mg of sodium per serving (i.e. 8% or less), and if possible less than 115 mg of sodium per serving (5% or less). Also pay attention to your serving size.
3) Reduce your intake of meat
Animal protein may increase the risk of developing kidney stones by increasing calcium excretion and reducing the excretion of citrate in the urine. If you normally eat a lot of meat, it may be helpful to reduce your intake of animal protein (meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs) and to eat vegetarian meals (soy or legume based) at least twice a week. If you have uric acid stones, it would be also be important to limit your consumption of alcohol and purines. Purines are mostly found in seafood, organ meats and game meats.
4) Limit your intake of oxalates
It may be helpful to limit your intake of oxalates only if you have calcium oxalate stones, since a diet rich in oxalates increases the urinary production of oxalates. Oxalates are found in most plant based foods, which are healthy. It is therefore not recommended to eliminate all foods that contain oxalates, but only those that are very high in oxalates, which are the following seven foods: almonds (and almond butter), peanuts (and peanut butter), rhubarb, spinach, wheat bran, beets and chocolate. For a more complete list of oxalate content of foods, see this link. It should be noted that probiotic bacteria feed on oxalates. Thus, eating foods rich in probiotics, such as kefir and certain yogurts, or taking a probiotic supplement can help reduce the amount of oxalates excreted in the urine if your microbiota is disbalanced.
5) Maintain a healthy weight
Some studies show that being overweight is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones, especially calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise can help reduce the risk of kidney stones.
6) Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help prevent the formation of kidney stones by making the urine less acidic and also due to their content in nutrients including potassium and dietary fiber. Potassium can help reduce urinary calcium excretion. Insoluble fibers can help reduce the absorption of calcium in the intestines, thus the amount of calcium excreted in the urine.
7) Pay attention to vitamin and mineral supplements
Some supplements may promote the formation of kidney stones. For example, an excess of vitamin C is converted into oxalates, thus increasing the urinary production of oxalates. Consult your doctor or a Registered Dietitian to determine which supplements you should take and avoid.
References
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (2017) Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Kidney Stones. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/eating-diet-nutrition
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Kidney Stones Nutrition Therapy, 4 pages.
- Extenso (2012) Prévenir les pierres aux reins. https://www.extenso.org/article/prevenir-les-pierres-aux-reins/
Author
Kathryn holds a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition as well as a Bachelor and a Master Degree in Kinesiology, all from Laval University. She is a Registered Dietitian and active member of the Ordre professionnel des Diététistes Nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) and of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She holds the Monash University's certification for the FODMAP diet and IBS, and has considerable clinical experience in that area. She is also an accomplished athlete, having ran track and cross-country at a national level. Kathryn specializes in sports nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, as well as heart and gastrointestinal health.
This article has no real use, talking out of both sides of your mouth helps no one. Tells you to ovoid Oxalates the tell you it won’t work, come people give me something I can use. I need to combine a low Oxalate and Fodmap diet together. Yes I have kidney stones a lot and also bloating and gas. So I was looking for a combo diet to help with both. But this just runs you around in a circle. Sorry My opinion. NO HELP
Hi Mike,
It should not be complicated to combine both because as I mentioned in the article, it is only necessary to avoid foods that are VERY HIGH in oxalate, which are only a few foods. There are also other easy things that you can do to help prevent kidney stones like drink a lot of water and limit sodium. Limiting oxalates is not the most important thing to do. Also, the low FODMAP diet is a temporary diet, vs. the dietary changes that you make to help prevent kidney stones should be sustainable long term changes.