Green Tea and Kidney Stones
A Benefit or Burden?

If you suffer from or are prone to developing kidney stones, you may have a dilemma whether to drink tea.

Kidney stones are mineral deposits made up of calcium, uric acid or the amino acid cysteine. At least 3 quarters of kidney stones are composed of calcium combined with phosphate or oxalic acid.

Tea is a concern because it is rich in oxalic acid. To put it in perspective, there are other foods rich in oxalic acids, such as beet greens, chocolate, rhubarb, spinach, and sorrel.

If you do eat these foods, avoid paring them with another food high in calcium, such as spinach and cheese or chocolate and milk.

Is drinking green tea bad for kidney stones? Rather controversially, the scientific evidence to date suggests not.

Researchers examined 81,093 woman nurses who were 40 to 86 years of age in 1986 with no history of kidney stones. They found that the risk of stone formation reduced by 8% for each 240 millimeters cup of tea consumed each day.

Green tea contains catechins. They act as powerful antioxidants, wiping out free radicals that can form urinary stones.

This study was confirmed by a separate 2006 study conducted by Seoul National University. In both green tea and kidney stones studies, the scientists believed that green tea antioxidants inhibit the formation of urinary stones.

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