Everything You Need to Know About Vitamin C and Kidney Stones

Kidney stones can be an incredibly painful experience for anyone who suffers from them. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent them, such as making sure you are getting enough vitamin C in your diet. This article will explain the relationship between vitamin C and kidney stones and provide tips on how to get more of this vital nutrient into your daily routine.

What is Vitamin C?

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin found in many fruits and vegetables. It helps promote healthy skin and bones, aids in wound healing, boosts the immune system, and can even help prevent certain types of cancers. More recently, it has been linked to preventing kidney stones.

How Does Vitamin C Help Prevent Kidney Stones?

When you consume too little vitamin C, oxalates (a naturally occurring compound) can build up in the body and form crystals that eventually lead to kidney stones. By consuming more vitamin C on a daily basis, the body is able to process these oxalates before they become a problem. Studies have also shown that adequate amounts of vitamin C can reduce the risk of developing recurrent kidney stones by nearly 40%.

Good Sources of Vitamin C

When it comes to getting enough of this essential nutrient in your diet, citrus fruits are some of the best sources. Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are all great choices for their high levels of vitamin C content. Other excellent sources include red peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and potatoes. If you don’t like eating these foods raw or cooked plain, try adding them to smoothies or soups for added flavor!

How Much Vitamin C Do I Need?

The recommended daily amount of vitamin C for adults is 90 mg per day for men and 75 mg per day for women. To ensure you’re meeting this requirement each day aim to eat at least one serving (1/2 cup) of any type of citrus fruit or vegetable like dark leafy greens or bell peppers with each meal. Additionally, look for foods fortified with additional vitamins like breakfast cereals which often contain extra vitamin c in different forms such as calcium ascorbate or magnesium ascorbate which help meet additional needs for minerals as well!

Summarizing

Taking steps to prevent kidney stones by increasing your intake of vitamin c is an important part of overall health maintenance! So make sure you’re taking care of yourself today by including more fresh produce into your diet – it’ll make all the difference!