How could tomatoes and kidney stones possibly be connected, you may be asking yourself. After all, tomatoes are renowned for their tremendous health benefits. Tomatoes are filled with vitamin c, antioxidants and lycopene all of which help to reduce oxidative stress to the body. This means the body functions better for longer and seems to have an easier time aging.
Tomatoes are also one of the key components of the Mediterranean Diet which many have revered not only for its weight loss benefits, but also as a way to maintain a youthful energy and appearance. They’re even purported to reduce cancer risks in women by a whopping 40% and, in men, by 20%.
Tomatoes are a wonderful and extremely versatile ingredient in many recipes, from sauces to stews to juices, it’s amazing what you can do with them. However, some new research has emerged that may threaten to sour tomatoes’ sweet reputation among people prone to developing kidney stones.
The main source of the connection between tomatoes and kidney stones is rooted in the plentiful amount of oxalates contained in tomatoes, specifically calcium oxalate monohydrate. These oxalates are known to cause kidney stones in some people and can lead to tomatoes and kidney stones going hand-in-hand.
According to noted Urologist, Dr. Rajeev Sood, the risk is higher if tomatoes are eaten raw, while those cooked thoroughly are much safer. Additionally, the level of tomato consumption would have to be fairly high for stones to develop in someone who isn’t already prone to them.
In Summary
You should probably avoid excessive tomato consumption if you are prone to kidney stones, or if you fall into any of the at-risk categories for developing kidney stones, such as:
- People who live in humid areas
- People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease or other digestive concerns
- People who find themselves frequently dehydrated
- People with a family history of kidney stones
- People suffering from obesity
If you’d like to learn more about the foods you should eat for keeping kidney stones at bay, then be sure to check out the Kidney Stones section of our article backlog.
