Doctors: Sweet tea linked to kidney stones
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- Doctors are sharing a warning about every Southerner's favorite drink - Sweet Tea.
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center urologist Dr. Jorge Gutierrez says the Southern staple is linked to kidney stones.
Gutierrez tells WGHP North Carolina is in the heart of the kidney stone belt. Research shows sweet drinks, including soda and sweet tea, can contribute to kidney stones.
"The most frequent type of stone is composed of calcium and oxalate," Gutierrez said. "A lot of people drink tea here. Tea is not good because it is rich in oxalate."
Gutierrez says the main suggestion for any type of stone is to drink three liters of water each day, which is about ten glasses of ten ounces.
Other ways to lower the risk of kidney stones include reducing the amount of salt in your diet and cutting back on eating meat. Doctors also recommend eating fruits and vegetables and foods with low oxalate levels.
