Diet Guide: What to Eat (and Avoid) After Kidney Stone Surgery

Any kind of surgery, even if it’s a routine one, definitely leaves an impact on the body and mind. While the removal of kidney stones can be a minor procedure, it still requires proper care after the operation to facilitate healing and to avoid the recurrence of the stones. Right after the surgery, the diet suggested specifically for the individual will not only be a source of nourishment for the body, but it will also serve as a barrier against the formation of new stones.

This blog post is a detailed guide on what kind of food to consume and what to eliminate from your diet after kidney stone surgery. At Sarvesh Health City, the best urology doctor in Hisar, will be the one to recommend you, the most suitable diet, and even prepare a chart representing a diet for kidney stones tailored for you.

What are Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are solid, crystalline structure formed when the urine contains an excessive amount of substances like calcium, oxalate, and uric acid which stick together. But if this situation gets worse, the toxins can reach high levels, and stones can be formed.

The best news is that eating habits can be very important in the prevention of kidney stones. A well-balanced diet not only healing process after kidney stone surgery but also lowers the chances of coming back.

Foods to Include in Your Diet After Kidney Stone Surgery

Following surgery, maintaining a balanced diet assists in recovery and can prevent the development of new stones. Below are the suggested foods and fluids that aid in recovery:

1. Keep Yourself Hydrated

Hydration is a major part of nutrition when it comes to avoiding kidney stones. Adequate water intake ensures that the urine’s concentration of stone-forming substances is diluted.

• Try to reach a goal of around 10–12 cups of water daily.
• Patients with cystine stones may need to increase their intake to around 16 cups daily.
• Increase fluid intake gradually if you aren’t used to drinking this much.
• Natural options like infused water, homemade juices, and soups, are useful as well.

2 Add Citrus Fruits 

Citrate, a compound which helps prevent stones, is present in high amounts in citrus fruits. Make sure to add lemons, oranges, and grapefruits into your diet frequently. While fresh citrus juices are delicious, they should be free from added sugars and preservatives.

3. Include Calcium 

Maintaining a sufficient amount of calcium is necessary for the recovery period after surgery. Ironically, insufficient calcium causes higher oxalate absorption which can increase the chances of kidney stone formation.

Instead of relying on calcium supplements, it’s best to meet your calcium needs through food.

Foods that are rich in calcium include:

• Dairy sources: Milk, paneer, and yogurt
• Plant-based options: calcium-set tofu, legumes, seeds, dark leafy greens, nuts, and blackstrap molasses
• Fortified products: calcium-fortified cereals, plant-based milks (like soy or almond milk), and fortified orange juice.

People, who cannot digest lactose or are looking for non-dairy products, can use a variety of milk such as lactose-free, soy drinks fortified or goat’s milk.

4. Don’t Forget Vitamin D

It should be noted that although calcium is necessary, it cannot be fully utilized by the body without the presence of vitamin D. Vitamin D is necessary in absorbing calcium from the food while also supporting bones and kidney function.

Sources of Vitamin D are:

• Foods found in nature: Fatty fish like salmon, egg yolks, mushrooms, and cheese
• Fortified foods: Milk, plant-based beverages, orange juice, and breakfast cereals

Eating vitamin D-rich foods in your daily diet ensures the efficient absorption of calcium. Additionally, sunlight exposure on a regular basis is one of the natural ways of vitamin D synthesis in the body.

Foods To Avoid After Kidney Stone Surgery

Avoiding some foods can reduce the risk of stone stones and help support fast recovery. Here are the major dietary limitations to remember:

1. Limit Salt Intake

It is important to ask sodium intake after kidney stone surgery. A diet high in salt contributes to raising calcium levels in urine, which can further increase the risk of stones forming.

To manage your salt intake effectively:

• While cooking or eating, don’t add further salt to your food.
• Carefully read the food label, especially on packaged and processed items that often contain hidden sodium.
• Minimize eating fast food and restaurant meals, they are generally high in salt.

Rather than adding salt, you can use natural options to increase the taste. This includes lemon or lime zest, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, green pepper and a wide range of Indian spices.

2. Reduce Animal Protein Intake

Eating excessive animal protein, such as pork, red meat, chicken, or eggs, in large quantities can increase the level of uric acid in your blood. To replace animal proteins, consider choosing vegetable proteins such as

• Quinoa
• Tofu (bean curd)
• Hummus
• Chia seeds
• Greek yogurt

Avoid eating the animal products only once in a day, or try not to include the same type of animal food in one day. For eg. if you’re consuming eggs today, tomorrow don’t include any animal-based food in your diet.

3. Avoid Carbonated Drinks

Coca Cola and other cold drinks contain a lot of sugar, caffeine and phosphoric acid. These components are known to contribute to kidney stones as well as dehydration.

• Eliminate carbonated beverages and flavored sodas from your diet.
• Replace store-bought juices—loaded with added sugar—with freshly made juice..

4. Reduce or Eliminate Added Sugars

Fruit juices that you buy from outside are loaded with bleached sugar and syrups and it is not good for your kidneys. This won’t give the chance for the kidney to filter the fluids in your body right and will result in the formation of kidney stones.

Natural homemade fruit juices as orange juices can substitute these store bought fruit juices.

The risk of kidney stones increases with high consumption of added sugars, sucrose and fructose.

5. Be mindful of oxalates

Foods high in oxalate can cause stones by accumulating in your urine. Your doctor may tell you to avoid some of these common oxalate-rich foods if you’ve had a problem with oxalate stones in the past:

• Spinach, Swiss chard, beets
• Sweet potatoes, rhubarb
• Nuts, chocolate, tea

If you do eat oxalates, make sure you consume a food rich in calcium that way the calcium will bind to the oxalate in the stomach and not make it to the kidneys.

Final Thoughts

Recovery from kidney stone surgery doesn’t stop in the hospital, it goes beyond and the food at your dining table plays an important role in it. A thoughtful diet will speed healing and reduce the risk of recurrence, while helping to build up the overall health of the kidney. In combination with the best urology doctor in Hisar at Sarvesh Health City, patients can realize proactive approaches toward a healthier future by adhering to these dietary guidelines.