This is the diet that produces more kidney stones
They may take time to show their face, but when kidney stones, popularly known as kidney stones, occur, the symptoms are usually obvious, as they are very painful.. And it is not a trivial matter, since “it is estimated that it affects 15% of the Spanish population,” warns Alberto Ortiz, head of the Nephrology and Hypertension Service of the Fundación Jiménez Díaz in Madrid and member of the Spanish Society of Nephrology ( SEN).
Kidney stones appear “when the urine is very concentrated and there is a high amount of microcrystals that, when they come together, form solid aggregates.. The most common is that they are made of calcium oxalate, although they are also usually made of uric acid, “says Ortiz.. And even though diet isn't the biggest culprit, it does become a factor to consider.. “It has been described that the trend for green juices, in which a large amount of crushed raw vegetables is added that would take hours to chew and that is thus taken in one gulp, increases the risk of acute kidney problems,” warns Ortiz.
The reason is that “beets, spinach, potatoes or chard are foods high in oxalates,” explains María Lara Prohens, member of the General Council of Official Colleges of Dietitians-Nutritionists (Cgcodn).. However, in the case of uric acid stones, “you should reduce the intake of foods rich in purines such as shellfish, red meat, mussels, clams, offal and legumes,” advises Francisco Pita, member of the Area Management Committee. of Nutrition of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN).
The diet adds ballots when it comes to developing kidney stones. In fact, “it has been seen that people with obesity, high blood pressure, gout, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis are more likely to have kidney stones. Therefore, diets rich in saturated fats, sugars, salt, foods rich in animal proteins, as well as diets low in calcium and reduced water intake favor the formation of kidney stones,” says Prohens.. And neither does it help, according to Ortiz, “excessive consumption of vitamin C or D supplements, since the body is not capable of assimilating the overdose of these and transforms it into oxalates”.
Given this scenario, “there are some basic dietary advice that are common to any type of kidney stone, such as drinking plenty of water and restricting sodium and salt intake,” Pita insists.. Regarding the type of water, “carbonated water could be useful in cases of uric or cystine lithiasis due to its alkalizing effect, but there is no proven evidence linking water hardness with calcium lithiasis. In any case, drinks such as beer are not recommended, and tea in large quantities or soft drinks”, adds Prohens. In this sense, Ortiz recalls that “it is also important to check that you urinate abundantly, between two and three liters, even more so if you play sports and sweating increases.”
Although most kidney stones have a calcium composition, it is a mistake to reduce your calcium intake. «It has been confirmed that a person who has calcium stones does not have to stop taking dairy products because they do not increase the formation of these. And, on the other hand, there is a recent study that evaluated the effect of milk substitute vegetable drinks on the formation of stones. Specifically, it was found that the almond vegetable drink had a higher risk than that of rice or soy”, explains Pita.