Kidney Stone Beverages, Introducing Suitable Drinks for Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can be incredibly painful! So much so that you might find it hard to stand up straight under the pain and may even have to lie down and writhe. Not that severe? Then it's best to have a short conversation with someone who has experienced kidney stones to understand the pain and ask them about suitable drinks for kidney stones.
In short, if you have kidney stones and want to get rid of this discomfort as soon as possible, your doctor has probably given you specific medications. Yes! Your diet and lifestyle can make a big difference in managing kidney stones, so let's review the best drinks and foods for kidney stones.
Drinks Suitable for Kidney Stone Removal
Among the suitable drinks for kidney stones, water is the most important. Water is a substance that makes up most of our body. To eliminate or dissolve kidney stones, water can ultimately be one of the best possible treatments, especially when the condition is still under control and there is little physical pain in the kidneys.
To ensure the quick removal of kidney stones, drinking 8 to 12 glasses of water (3 to 4 liters) a day is highly recommended. Consuming at least 2 liters of water daily provides the best results for kidney stone patients. As we know, the kidneys' role is to cleanse the body by excreting toxins and bacteria through urine. The most important benefits of drinking water for kidney stones are:
- Water helps control blood pressure. You know that people with high blood pressure are more likely to develop kidney stones.
- Water keeps body weight balanced. Maintaining a balanced body weight directly helps the proper functioning of every part of the body.
- One of the most important roles of healthy liquids is to cleanse and detoxify our body from any toxins. Natural cleansing of excess sodium and toxins, as well as restoring overall health and naturally improving the immune system, are among the most important effects of water.
Of course, we must remember that water quality is also important, and it is better to drink purified water. Next, we will talk about beneficial fruits for kidney stones and drinks that help remove kidney stones. If you have any scientifically proven medical advice about suitable drinks for kidney stones, please share it with us.
Fruits and Juices Suitable for Kidney Stones
Scientific research has shown that drinking orange juice is directly related to reducing the super saturation of calcium oxalate and uric acid, making this fruit and its juice one of the best drinks for kidney stones.
Additionally, drinks containing citrate prevent crystals from turning into stones. However, there are other fruits that are even more beneficial for kidney disease than oranges and their juice, such as grapes and apples and their juices, which are good alternatives to orange juice because they have less potassium.
Herbal Teas Suitable for Kidney Stones
You can't talk about suitable drinks for kidney stones without mentioning herbal teas. Several beneficial herbal teas can act as kidney cleansers. Here are a few important ones:
- Dandelion tea
- Nettle tea
- Ginger and turmeric tea
- Green tea
In general, when looking to detoxify your kidneys, drinking herbal tea for the kidneys is a good idea. However, since Iranians are avid tea drinkers and drink tea morning, noon, and night, they should know about the effects of tea on kidney stones and ask themselves if tea falls into the category of suitable drinks for kidney stones.
Is Beer Good for Kidney Stones?
Several reputable scientific studies have shown that consuming malt beverages (beer), in moderation, may help remove kidney stones. The reason for this is unclear, but it may be because beer is a diuretic. Urination can help expel small stones before they grow larger.
The important point is that people may have different definitions of what moderate drinking means; therefore, it is important to know what moderate drinking really is and not deceive ourselves. Additionally, a drink should never be considered a permanent solution for kidney stones.
There is also no direct link between drinking alcohol and an increased risk of kidney stones. However, alcohol can cause dehydration, which is associated with the formation of kidney stones. Therefore, if you have kidney stones, alcohol consumption is not recommended, so don't even think about considering alcoholic beverages as suitable drinks for kidney stones.
Diet for People with Kidney Stones
When dealing with kidney stones, you need to be very careful about the foods you choose to eat. Consider the following points, but always ask your doctor about suitable foods for kidney stones:
- Staying hydrated is important. The quality of drinking water is also very important; for example, hard water may increase calcium in the kidneys.
- Limit your salt intake. Many fast foods and ready-made foods are loaded with sodium because these types of foods are practically cooked in an ocean of salt.
- Get natural amounts of calcium from sources like dairy products. Only take calcium supplements if recommended by your doctor.
- Don't consume too much protein. Animal protein can cause calcium to build up in the kidneys.
- Also, remember to adjust your diet to your specific needs. You may have other health problems or food sensitivities that need to be considered.
This means that home treatment for kidney stones should be done in consultation with a doctor and not on your own or based on what others say. Why? Because your body belongs to you, and others' experiences and physical conditions differ from yours.
Forbidden Foods for Kidney Stone Patients
If you have calcium oxalate stones, your main challenge is to reduce oxalate intake. Unfortunately, these compounds are found in many foods, such as the following:
- Spinach
- Soy products like tofu, soy milk, and soybeans
- Yogurt
- Potatoes
- Raspberries
- Dates
- Almonds
- Rhubarb
- Legumes like red beans, black-eyed peas, and fava beans
- Grains like cornmeal, bran, bulgur, and millet
Meat, including red meat and chicken, has its own stories with kidney stones! For calcium oxalate stones, you can consume limited amounts of meat and fish. If you have uric acid stones, it is best to avoid these animal proteins as much as possible because these annoying stones contain purines, which increase uric acid production.
One thing to keep in mind is that cooking, boiling, steaming, or blanching (immersing food in boiling water and then immediately placing it in a bucket of cold water filled with ice – the purpose of blanching is to shock the food) reduces the oxalate content of foods like vegetables. So, if you consume foods high in oxalate, cook them first.