What is in tea that causes kidney stones?
My brother just had kidney stones, and the doctor told him to cut back on tea. I drink a lot of chai every day, so I'm a bit worried. What is it in tea that can cause kidney stones?
My brother just had kidney stones, and the doctor told him to cut back on tea. I drink a lot of chai every day, so I'm a bit worried. What is it in tea that can cause kidney stones?
Tea has quite a bit of oxalates, which can clump up with calcium to form painful stones. Before cutting down your daily chai, please consult a physician and get your kidney function tested to see if you are actually prone to this.
It is the high oxalate content in black tea. Instead of ignoring it and paying thousands for ultrasound scans and medicines later, it is better to reduce your tea intake now and drink lots of water.
I used to drink four cups of strong black tea daily and ended up with a mild stone issue, which had high oxalates. Now I just limit it to one cup of milk tea, but that's just my personal experience.
I got so scared when I read about oxalates in tea because I am a total chai lover! But my doc assured me that drinking moderate amounts, especially with milk, is absolutely fine for most people, so don't panic.
Chai mein oxalates hote hain na, wahi stones banate hain agar paani kam piyo toh. Par yaar, subah ki ek cup garam chai bina toh din shuru nahi hota, bas saath mein paani thoda zyada piya karo.
In my sixty years, I have seen so many people drink tea three times a day without any issues. It does have oxalates, but simple moderation and keeping your body hydrated has always worked best in our family.
Internet articles make it sound like tea is poison because of oxalates, but that is a half-truth. Everyone's metabolic rate is different, so verify with a qualified nephrologist or dietician before making drastic changes.
Tea contains high amounts of soluble oxalates. Since a vegetarian diet already has other oxalate sources like spinach and nuts, it's wise to limit strong brewed tea and maybe add a splash of milk to bind those oxalates.
Don't stress too much, buddy! Yes, tea has oxalates, but unless you are chugging black tea all day without drinking any water, it won't magically give you stones. Just stay hydrated and enjoy your cup.
I completely understand how worrying it is to read this, especially when we love our daily tea. It has oxalates which can cause calcium buildup, but worrying about every sip makes it worse; just keep a check on your hydration.
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