The kidney stone is a crystallized hard deposit formed from mineral substances. Several types of kidney stones have been identified. Their formation is connected to low fluid intake, sedentary lifestyle, and various other factors. Its risk can also be decreased, for instance with higher caffeine intake which is beneficial in this regard. Kidney stones are not only painful, but they can damage the kidneys and once they are formed there is a good chance they will appear again.

In an observational study published in August 2022 the role of diet in kidney stone formation was studied in the case of people who’d experienced the condition earlier.

A clinic performed the study involving their 795 patients, 411 of whom had suffered from kidney stones earlier while 384 hadn’t. Despite the fact that kidney stones are often made up of crystals composed of calcium, interestingly, increased calcium and potassium intake proved to be protective both against the formation and flare-up of the disease. Higher calcium and potassium intake proved to be an even more important protective factor than adequate fluid intake. So, in terms of diet, it’s worth paying attention to consuming food rich in calcium and potassium such as vegetables, especially if you’ve already had kidney stones.