Sugar, spice and everything nice is just around the corner. With the holidays fast approaching, doctors warn eating foods high in sugar could have consequences far beyond just packing on the pounds. It could also mean an increased risk of developing painful kidney stones. That’s because sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body by interfering with calcium and magnesium absorption.
It may be hard with all the pie and cookies, but it’s worth passing on the sweets rather than passing a painful kidney stone!
Oxalate and Calcium Are Not the Enemy
One type of kidney stone is a calcium oxalate stone. Oxalate is naturally found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grains, legumes, and even chocolate and tea. Instead of cutting out oxalate-rich foods and calcium, eat and drink them together during a meal. This way the oxalate and calcium bind together before they get processed in your kidneys.
Mind Your Meat Intake
High protein foods lead to an increased production of uric acid, which also contributes to kidney stones. This doesn’t mean you have to eat tofu instead of turkey, but be careful not to eat too much meat or high protein food.
So don’t let Scrooge-like eating habits ruin your holidays – remember to eat a balanced diet to help avoid those potentially painful kidney stones.
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