14 Foods That Cause Kidney Stones

2. Caffeine and Soda Need to Be Avoided Because It Can Cause Kidney Stones

Caffeine and soda can both increase your risk of developing kidney stones. When you drink too many caffeinated beverages like coffee or energy drinks, your body may lose more water through urine. This can make your urine more concentrated, allowing minerals such as calcium and oxalate to stick together and form stones.

Caffeine also acts as a mild diuretic, making you urinate more often. If you do not drink enough water to replace lost fluids, dehydration can happen. Dehydration is one of the most common reasons kidney stones form. Limiting caffeine intake helps keep your urine diluted and lowers your risk of stone buildup.

Many sodas, especially colas, contain high levels of phosphoric acid. This acid can change the chemical balance in your urine, which may encourage stone formation. Some soft drinks also have a lot of sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, which can increase calcium and uric acid levels in the urine. Both of these effects raise your chances of having stones again.

3. French Fries Can Cause Kidney Stones

French fries taste good, but eating them often can increase your risk of kidney stones. They contain a lot of salt, which can raise the calcium level in your urine. When this happens, small crystals may form in your kidneys and develop into stones over time.

The potatoes used to make fries also have oxalate, a natural substance that can bind with calcium in the urine. When oxalate levels are high, it becomes easier for stones to form. Cooking potatoes in oil at high heat doesn’t remove oxalate, so the risk stays.

The type of oil used can also play a role. Many fries are cooked in oils high in saturated or trans fats. Eating these fats in large amounts can lead to weight gain, which is another risk factor for kidney stones.

If you eat fries often, the combination of salt, oil, and oxalate can create a perfect setting for stones to form. Choosing baked or air-fried potatoes without extra salt can help lower your risk while still letting you enjoy similar foods.

4. Grits Can Cause Kidney Stones

Grits are made from ground corn and often seem like a light, harmless food. However, they can play a small role in forming kidney stones if eaten often, especially when prepared with added ingredients high in sodium or calcium. The way you cook and serve grits makes a difference in how they affect your body.

Plain grits on their own have a low oxalate level. But when you add salt, cheese, or butter, the sodium and calcium content can rise. Too much salt in your diet may increase calcium in your urine, and higher calcium levels can make stones more likely to develop. Limiting added salt and using low-sodium seasonings can help reduce that risk.

Some instant grits products also include preservatives or flavorings that add extra sodium. Choosing plain, unflavored grits and controlling the portion size can help manage those levels. Eating them once in a while is not a problem for most people, but daily large servings may create dietary imbalances that raise your likelihood of forming stones.

5. Sweet Potatoes Should Be Avoided Since It Can Cause Kidney Stones

Sweet potatoes contain oxalates, which are natural compounds found in many plant-based foods. When oxalates mix with calcium in your urine, they can form calcium oxalate stones. These are the most common types of kidney stones that people develop.

If you are prone to kidney stones or have had them before, eating sweet potatoes too often might raise your risk. The high oxalate content can increase calcium buildup in your urine. This buildup makes it easier for small crystals to join and turn into stones over time.

You do not need to remove sweet potatoes from your diet completely, but limiting portion sizes can help. Choosing lower-oxalate foods such as cauliflower, white rice, or cabbage as alternatives may reduce risk. Cooking methods like boiling and then draining the water may also slightly reduce oxalate levels.

It is helpful to balance your meals with enough calcium-rich foods, such as milk or yogurt. Calcium can bind with oxalate in your stomach and lower the amount that reaches your kidneys. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day also helps dilute oxalates in your urine.

6. Bran and Shredded Cereals Are Foods That Can Cause Kidney Stones

Bran and many shredded cereals may seem like healthy breakfast options, but they contain compounds that can raise your risk of kidney stones. These cereals often have high levels of oxalate. When oxalate levels in your urine rise, it can combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate stones.

You might think eating more fiber from bran is always good, yet too much bran can increase oxalate absorption. This effect can be stronger if you already eat foods rich in oxalate, such as spinach or nuts. Including a variety of breakfast options can help balance oxalate levels.

Processed cereals can also be high in sodium and added sugars. Sodium makes your body release more calcium into your urine, which can promote stone formation. Choosing low-sodium cereals and drinking plenty of water helps dilute your urine and lowers the chance of crystals forming.

7. Almonds Are One of the Foods That Can Cause Kidney Stones

Almonds are a healthy snack, but if you are prone to kidney stones, eating too many can be a problem as they contain oxalate. When oxalate levels in your urine become high, it can combine with calcium and form calcium oxalate stones.

A small handful of almonds can fit well into a balanced diet, but larger portions may increase your oxalate intake. This is especially important if you have had kidney stones in the past or your doctor has told you to follow a low-oxalate diet. People who eat almond flour, almond butter, or drink large amounts of almond milk might be taking in more oxalate than they realize.

Including nuts in your diet is still beneficial, but it helps to choose lower-oxalate options. For example, pistachios and peanuts generally have less oxalate compared to almonds. Drinking enough water and keeping a healthy balance of calcium in your diet can also reduce the risk of stone formation.

8. Salty Foods, such as Cookies and Chips Can Cause Kidney Stones

Eating too much salt can raise the amount of calcium in your urine. When calcium levels in urine climb, crystals may form and develop into kidney stones over time. Snack foods like chips, crackers, and salted cookies often contain hidden salt that adds up fast, even if they don’t taste very salty.

You might think cutting table salt is enough, but most salt comes from processed and packaged foods. Bread, canned soups, and frozen meals also contribute to your daily sodium intake. Reading food labels helps you see how much salt a product contains and can make it easier to choose lower-sodium options.

High sodium intake can also decrease citrate levels in your urine. Reduced citrate means a higher chance of crystals developing. Keeping your sodium below about one teaspoon per day supports kidney health and lowers stone risk. Choosing low-salt versions of your favorite snacks, using herbs or spices instead of salt, and cooking more meals at home can all make a difference.

9. Poultry Eggs Are an Animal Protein That Causes Kidney Stones

Eggs from poultry are a source of animal protein, which your body processes into substances like uric acid. When these substances build up, especially if you drink little water, your risk of kidney stone formation increases. Animal proteins such as eggs, meat, and fish can make your urine more acidic, which may cause uric acid and calcium stones.

Consuming large amounts of animal protein while not drinking enough water can raise this risk further. Balancing your diet by including plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, and tofu can provide necessary protein without increasing acidity in the urine. These plant proteins also offer fiber and other nutrients that support overall health.

In addition to protein sources, overall hydration plays a key role in reducing stone risk. Drinking plenty of fluids helps dilute substances in urine that can form stones. Paying attention to both the types of protein consumed and maintaining good hydration supports a balanced approach to kidney health.

10. Alcohol Can Cause Kidney Stones

When you drink alcohol, your body loses more fluids through increased urination. It makes your urine more concentrated and raises the chance of minerals forming stones. Alcohol can quietly speed up dehydration, a common trigger for kidney stones, if you drink it often.

Some alcoholic drinks with high sugar can raise calcium and oxalate levels in your urine. In addition, heavy drinking can change how your kidneys balance fluids and filter waste. Even small increases in uric acid can raise your risk if you are already prone to stones.

In addition to its effects on hydration and uric acid, alcohol can influence other factors related to kidney health. For example, excessive alcohol consumption may affect the balance of electrolytes and minerals, which play a role in stone formation. Being mindful of alcohol intake alongside maintaining good hydration supports the kidneys in flushing out waste effectively.

11. Cheese Can Cause Kidney Stones

Cheese can increase your risk of kidney stones if you eat it in large amounts because it contains high levels of calcium. When you eat cheese, your body absorbs calcium, and some ends up in your urine; if your urine also contains high oxalate from foods like spinach or nuts, the two can join as crystals that may grow into stones.

Eating a lot of salty or processed cheese also raises your risk, as salt makes your kidneys release more calcium into your urine. Hard cheeses like cheddar and parmesan tend to be higher in salt than softer types.

In addition to calcium and salt content, the overall balance of your diet plays an important role. Including a variety of foods and staying well hydrated can support kidney function by helping flush out excess minerals. Being mindful of portion sizes and cheese types can help maintain this balance while still enjoying cheese as part of your meals.

12. Sugar Can Cause Kidney Stones to Develop

Sugar affects how your body handles minerals that form kidney stones. Eating a lot of added sugar may cause your body to release more calcium into urine, increasing the chance of stones. Sugary drinks like soda and sweet tea often contain fructose, which raises uric acid and can lead to uric acid stones.

Refined sugar also impacts metabolism, contributing to weight gain and insulin resistance. Both conditions affect how your kidneys process waste, making urine more concentrated. Concentrated urine encourages crystal buildup, which can develop into stones. Reducing added sugar intake supports kidney health by helping keep urine less concentrated.

Many processed foods contain hidden sugars. Reading nutrition labels helps identify added sugars and manage intake. Choosing water, milk, or sugar-free drinks supports hydration and helps flush waste from the body, lowering the risk of stone formation.

13. The Coffee Powder Can Cause Kidney Stones

Coffee powder contains caffeine, which can slightly increase calcium levels in your urine. High calcium in urine can lead to calcium-based kidney stones in some people. Drinking large amounts of coffee throughout the day may raise this risk, especially if you do not drink enough water.

Coffee is a mild diuretic, so it makes you urinate more often. If you don’t replace the lost fluids, dehydration can occur. Dehydration causes your urine to become more concentrated, which makes it easier for minerals to form crystals that may develop into stones. Some instant coffee powders also contain extra oxalates.

Drinking one or two small cups of coffee a day usually does not cause harm for most people. However, if you have a history of kidney stones or low fluid intake, limiting coffee powder and choosing water more often can help keep urine diluted and reduce the chance of stone formation.

14. Fruit Salad in the Can Is Another Food That Can Cause Kidney Stones

Canned fruit salad might seem like a healthy choice, but it can increase your risk of kidney stones because of the added sugar and sodium in the syrup. These ingredients can raise your blood sugar, increase calcium and oxalate in your urine, and make stone formation more likely.

Some canned fruits, such as pineapple and mixed tropical blends, are also high in oxalate. Oxalate is a natural compound found in many plant foods, but too much of it can join with calcium in your kidneys and form calcium oxalate stones. Eating large amounts of such fruits on a regular basis can make this problem worse.

Canned fruit salad sometimes contains preservatives or sodium for flavor and shelf life. Extra sodium in your diet can make your body release more calcium in urine, which raises the risk of stone formation.

If you enjoy canned fruit salad, draining the syrup or rinsing the fruit with water helps reduce sugar and sodium content. Making your own fruit salad with fresh ingredients lets you enjoy natural sweetness without added risks.