Kidney stones are a common and recurring problem where diet plays a crucial role. Contrary to popular belief, combining spinach and tomatoes, two commonly consumed vegetables, can be dangerous for those with kidney stones.
Nutritionist Rita Jain says, Spinach and tomatoes are rich in oxalates. Oxalates are enzymes that combine with calcium in the body to form oxalate crystals. When these crystals are formed in excess, they accumulate in the kidneys and take the form of stones. When you eat spinach and tomatoes together, the amount of oxalate in both increases. In this way, the chances of forming calcium oxalate crystals increase many times, which is a direct cause of kidney stones.
What to do if you have kidney stones?
If you have a problem with kidney stones or have a family history of it, you need to be very careful about some things.
- Avoid spinach-tomatoes: Nutritionists say that along with spinach-tomatoes, beets, chocolate, nuts and tea also contain oxalate, so these things should also be eaten less.
- Drink plenty of water: To prevent the risk of kidney stones, it is necessary to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water flushes out the minerals accumulated in the kidneys and prevents the risk of stone formation.
- Eat less salt: Eating too much salt increases the amount of calcium in the urine. This increases the risk of kidney stones.
- Eat less plant protein: Eating more meat, chicken, and fish also increases the risk of kidney stones.
- Also eat less vitamin C : In some people, too much vitamin C intake can increase oxalate levels.