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Kidney stone prevention sheet
Kidney stone diet guide.
Diet and enough fluid are the most effective steps to stop stones coming back. A food table, common mistakes and a daily fluid calculator in one place.
Why does diet matter so much for kidney stones?
Kidney stones tend to come back: in studies, about half of people who have had a stone form another one within 5–10 years. Breaking up or passing a stone deals with the stone you have, but if the conditions that caused it stay the same, new stones can form.
Stones form when substances in the urine such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid become concentrated and crystallise. Enough fluid dilutes the urine; too much salt, too much animal protein and sugary drinks increase stone-forming substances and lower citrate, which protects against stones. This is why the European Association of Urology (EAU) guideline recommends general fluid, diet and lifestyle measures for everyone who has had a stone.
What are the five golden rules of stone prevention?
Drink 2.5–3 litres a day
Mostly water, spread across the day. The aim is to pass at least 2–2.5 litres of urine a day, and your urine should stay pale yellow. Drink more in hot weather and when you sweat.
Don’t cut out calcium
A normal intake of 1,000–1,200 mg calcium a day (about 3 portions of milk, yoghurt or cheese) is right. Calcium from food binds oxalate in the gut; restricting it can raise your stone risk.
Cut down on salt
Keep salt to no more than 4–5 g a day (about one level teaspoon), including the hidden salt in bread, cheese, pickles and ready meals. Extra salt increases the calcium in your urine.
Keep animal protein moderate
Protein should not exceed 0.8–1.0 g per kg of body weight a day (about 56–70 g for 70 kg). A palm-sized portion of meat, chicken or fish once a day rather than at every meal is a good guide.
More vegetables and fruit, a healthy weight
Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruit and fibre; lemons and oranges increase protective citrate in the urine. Cut down on sugary drinks and high-dose vitamin supplements, keep a healthy weight and stay active.
- My daily fluid target
- __________ L
- Number of glasses (200 ml)
- __________
- My daily urine target
- __________
- My stone type (analysis result)
- ____________________
- Date of 24-hour urine test
- ____________________
- My doctor’s personal advice
Which foods raise the risk of stones, and which help?
The table summarises general advice for the most common calcium stones as well as uric acid and cystine stones. You can filter by food group or stone type. No food needs to be banned completely; what matters is how much and how often.
Showing 32 foods
| Food | Advice | Note |
|---|---|---|
| High in oxalate | ||
| Spinach, Swiss chard | Limit | Among the foods highest in oxalate. Don’t eat large amounts often; boiling and draining the water lowers oxalate. Eat it with yoghurt in the same meal. |
| Rhubarb | Limit | Very high in oxalate; avoid it if you have had calcium oxalate stones. |
| Beetroot, beetroot juice | Limit | High in oxalate; have it only occasionally and in small amounts. |
| Almonds, peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts | Limit | Contain oxalate. Don’t eat handfuls every day; salted roasted nuts also add salt. |
| Tahini, halva, sesame | Limit | Sesame and tahini are rich in oxalate; have them occasionally rather than daily. |
| Cocoa, dark chocolate | Limit | The higher the cocoa content, the more oxalate; keep to small amounts. |
| Sweet potato | Limit | High in oxalate; have it occasionally. |
| Black tea (strong) | Fine in moderation | Contains oxalate, but drinking it in moderation has not been shown to raise stone risk. A few cups of normal-strength tea are fine; avoid very strong tea all day long. Tea counts as fluid but doesn’t replace water. |
| Salty | ||
| Salt added at the table | Limit | Don’t add salt before tasting; take the salt shaker off the table. Use lemon, herbs and spices instead. |
| Pickles, brined olives and vine leaves | Limit | Brined foods are very salty. Have pickles occasionally and in small amounts; soaking olives in water reduces their salt. |
| Sausages, salami, cured and processed meats | Limit | Add both salt and animal protein; have them rarely. |
| Feta-type white cheese, hard and halloumi cheese | Fine in moderation | A source of calcium, but most are salty. Choose lower-salt types; soaking white cheese in water removes some salt. |
| Instant soups, stock cubes, ready sauces | Limit | One bowl of instant soup can use up a large share of the daily salt limit; make soup at home with little salt. |
| Bread, bagels, savoury pastries | Fine in moderation | One of the biggest sources of everyday salt. Eat less and choose wholegrain, lower-salt bread. |
| Salted seeds, crisps, crackers | Limit | Easy to eat a lot of salt without noticing; choose unsalted versions. |
| Animal protein | ||
| Red meat, meatballs, burgers | Fine in moderation | Too much raises calcium and uric acid in the urine and lowers citrate. A palm-sized portion a few times a week. |
| Offal (liver, kidney, heart, brain) | Limit | Very rich in purines; avoid it if you have uric acid stones or gout. |
| Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs | Fine in moderation | Good protein sources; eat them in amounts that keep total protein within 0.8–1.0 g per kg. |
| Anchovies, sardines, mussels | Fine in moderation | Rich in purines; people with uric acid stones should eat them less often. For other stone types moderate amounts are fine. |
| Protein powders, high-protein diets | Limit | Ketogenic and high-protein diets make the urine more acidic and can raise stone risk; talk to your doctor before starting one. |
| Calcium | ||
| Milk, yoghurt, kefir | Helpful | The main sources of calcium; about 3 portions a day, ideally with meals. Don’t add salt to yoghurt. |
| Ayran (yoghurt drink) | Helpful | Provides calcium and fluid. Make it unsalted or lightly salted; most ready-made versions contain salt, so check the label. |
| Citrate, vegetables and fruit | ||
| Lemon juice, unsweetened lemonade | Helpful | Can raise urinary citrate, which inhibits stones. Squeeze lemon into your water; don’t add sugar. |
| Oranges, mandarins | Helpful | A source of citrate and potassium; the whole fruit is better than sweetened juice. |
| Vegetables and fruit (tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, courgette, apples, watermelon…) | Helpful | Make the urine less acidic and add to your fluid intake. Low-oxalate ones can be eaten freely. |
| Drinks | ||
| Water (tap or bottled) | Helpful | The drink of first choice for stone prevention. Spread it over the day, and have a glass if you get up at night. |
| Mineral water (bicarbonate-rich) | Fine in moderation | Small studies show it can raise urinary citrate and pH. Some mineral waters are high in sodium: check the label, drink in moderation and don’t use it instead of water. |
| Coffee | Fine in moderation | Moderate coffee and tea are linked with a lower stone risk in large observational studies. Preferably without sugar. |
| Cola, soft drinks, sweetened juice, iced tea | Limit | Drinks sweetened with sugar or fructose raise stone risk. Cut down and drink water when thirsty. |
| Beer and other alcoholic drinks | Limit | Do not dissolve or flush out stones; beer contains purines and can raise uric acid. Don’t use alcohol to meet your fluid target. |
| Supplements | ||
| High-dose vitamin C (1,000 mg a day or more) | Limit | Can be converted to oxalate in the body. Don’t take effervescent vitamin tablets or high-dose multivitamins regularly unless your doctor advises it. |
| Calcium supplements | Fine in moderation | Get calcium from food first. If you need a supplement, take it on medical advice and with meals. |
This table is general. Advice differs for calcium oxalate, uric acid, cystine and infection stones; a personal diet plan is based on stone analysis and a 24-hour urine test.
Does the type of stone change the diet?
Yes. The advice above is a general framework for everyone. If stones keep coming back or you have risk factors, the diet is tailored to the stone type and urine tests.
Calcium oxalate stones
The most common type. Plenty of fluid, normal calcium, little salt, moderate protein and avoiding large amounts of high-oxalate foods are the core measures.
Calcium phosphate stones
Can be linked with certain metabolic and kidney conditions; the cause is investigated with blood and urine tests.
Uric acid stones
Form in acidic urine. Purine-rich foods such as offal, red meat and some seafood are limited; vegetables, fruit and citrus make the urine less acidic. These stones can sometimes be dissolved with medication.
Cystine stones
Caused by an inherited condition. They need a very high fluid intake (usually more than 3 litres of urine a day), little salt and medication, with specialist follow-up.
Infection (struvite) stones
Linked with urinary tract infection. What matters most is removing the stone completely and treating the infection; diet plays a secondary role.
Keeping a stone that has passed or been removed and sending it for analysis is the most reliable way to know its type. For recurrent stones and people at higher risk, a 24-hour urine test measures urine volume, calcium, oxalate, citrate and uric acid, and the diet is adjusted to the results.
How much water should I drink a day?
Enter your weight and daily conditions. The calculator shows your daily fluid target, your urine target and a simple drinking plan from the time you get up until bedtime.
Result
Enter your weight to see the result.
The result has been capped at 5 litres a day. If you need this much, agree the amount with your doctor.
Sample drinking plan
| Time | Glasses | Total |
|---|
How is this calculated?
The base target is the 2.5–3.0 litres of fluid a day that the EAU guideline recommends for people with stones, aiming for at least 2–2.5 litres of urine. For adults who have never had a stone, 2.0–2.5 litres is a general approximation. The additions for heat, sweating and higher body weight are not given as figures in the guideline; they are approximate values to replace fluid lost through sweat. Heavy sweating can require an extra 0.5–1 litre per hour. The simplest check is the colour of your urine: it should stay pale yellow through the day.
If you have heart failure, advanced kidney failure, are on dialysis, have liver disease or have been told to restrict fluids, do not use this calculation; follow the amount your doctor recommends. The calculator is not suitable for children.
Your details are calculated on your device only; nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Which kidney stone myths are wrong?
Myth If you get stones, avoid milk, yoghurt and cheese.
Fact The opposite is true. In a randomised trial, a diet with normal calcium, little salt and less animal protein roughly halved stone recurrence over 5 years compared with a low-calcium diet. Cutting calcium increases oxalate absorption from the gut and can weaken bones.
Myth Beer flushes out stones and cleans the kidneys.
Fact Beer does not dissolve or flush out stones. Some observational studies found a lower stone risk in beer drinkers, but that is not a treatment: beer contains purines, can raise uric acid, and alcohol has other harms. The EAU advises reducing alcoholic drinks. Water, and medication if your doctor recommends it, help stones pass.
Myth Drinking huge amounts of water will flush out a big stone.
Fact Plenty of water reduces new stones and may help small stones pass, but it will not flush out large ones. Forcing extra fluid during colic has not been shown to speed up passage and can make the pain worse. Drinking several litres in a short time can dangerously lower blood sodium. The bigger the stone, the lower the chance it passes on its own.
Myth Hard tap water causes kidney stones.
Fact No clear link between hard (limescale-rich) tap water and stone formation has been shown. What matters is drinking enough, not the type of water; choose whichever water you find easiest to drink plenty of.
Myth Once the stone is out, the problem is solved.
Fact Many people form new stones over the years. Sticking to the fluid and diet advice long-term, and having a stone analysis and urine tests when needed, lowers the risk of recurrence.
When should you see a urologist?
After a first stone, a urology assessment helps identify the stone type and your risk factors. If your stones keep coming back, run in the family, you have a single kidney, or you have conditions such as gout, bowel disease or obesity, a 24-hour urine test and a personal plan are needed.
See a doctor if you have severe flank pain, blood in the urine, nausea and vomiting or burning when passing urine. Stone pain with fever and shivering, or being unable to pass urine at all, is an emergency: go to the nearest emergency department without delay.
Frequently asked questions
How many litres of water should I drink a day for kidney stones?
The EAU guideline recommends that adults who have had a stone drink 2.5–3 litres of fluid a day and pass at least 2–2.5 litres of urine. You need more in hot weather and when you sweat. The calculator on this page gives a personal range; the simplest check is pale yellow urine through the day.
Can I drink tea and coffee if I have kidney stones?
Yes, in moderation. Tea and coffee have been linked with a lower stone risk in large observational studies. Very strong tea all day long is not recommended because it adds oxalate. These drinks count as fluid, but most of your daily fluid should be water.
Is mineral water good for kidney stones?
Small studies show that bicarbonate-rich mineral water can raise urinary citrate and pH, which may help with calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. However, many mineral waters are high in sodium, and salt raises stone risk. Check the label, drink it in moderation and don’t use it instead of water.
Are spinach and chocolate completely off the menu?
No. Avoiding large amounts of high-oxalate foods is usually enough. Eating them in the same meal as a calcium-rich food such as yoghurt or milk lets oxalate bind to calcium in the gut. If a 24-hour urine test shows high oxalate, your doctor may recommend a stricter limit.
Does lemon juice dissolve kidney stones?
Lemon can raise urinary citrate, which inhibits stone formation, and may help with prevention, but it does not dissolve an existing stone. Unsweetened lemonade or lemon in water can be part of your daily fluid. If your urine citrate is low, your doctor may prescribe potassium citrate.
Can I take vitamin C or calcium supplements?
Vitamin C at 1,000 mg a day or more can be converted to oxalate, so people who have had calcium oxalate stones are advised to avoid high doses. Calcium from food is preferable to supplements; if you need one, take it on medical advice and with meals.
Related treatments and articles
Kidney Stone Treatment
Individual treatment with medication, ESWL, RIRS, URS or PCNL, depending on the size, location and hardness of the stone.
Read moreRIRS (Laser Kidney Stone Surgery)
Breaking up a kidney stone with a laser through a flexible endoscope passed along the urinary tract, without any incision in the skin.
Read morePercutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
Breaking up and removing kidney stones larger than 2 cm and staghorn stones through a small channel made in the flank.
Read moreWhat Causes Kidney Stones, and How Can Diet Help Prevent Them?
Kidney stones are often linked to factors that can be changed, such as drinking too little, too much salt and animal protein; the right diet lowers the risk of recurrence.
Read moreSources
- European Association of Urology. EAU Guidelines on Urolithiasis, 2026 edition – Metabolic evaluation and recurrence prevention (general preventive measures). uroweb.org
- American Urological Association. Medical Management of Kidney Stones: AUA Guideline (2026). Previous edition: Pearle MS, et al. J Urol. 2014;192(2):316–324. auanet.org
- National Kidney Foundation. Kidney Stone Diet Plan and Prevention. kidney.org
- Borghi L, Schianchi T, Meschi T, et al. Comparison of two diets for the prevention of recurrent stones in idiopathic hypercalciuria. N Engl J Med. 2002;346(2):77–84. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Ferraro PM, Taylor EN, Gambaro G, Curhan GC. Soda and other beverages and the risk of kidney stones. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013;8(8):1389–1395. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
This page is for general information only and does not replace diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet or fluid intake, especially if you have another medical condition.
This sheet is for general information. Personal advice is set by your doctor based on stone analysis and urine tests.
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