Foiling stones - newsbites - kidney stone prevention - Brief Article

Better Nutrition, March, 2003

If you suffer from kidney stones, you probably already know that the best way to keep stones from forming is to drink plenty of fluids.

You might not know, however, that some fluids are more helpful than others. Drinking beer, wine or coffee can reduce your kidney-stone risk by about 40 percent. Researchers theorize that these beverages contain natural diuretics, chemicals that increase urine flow and possibly decrease harmful concentrations of the material that creates kidney stones. We're not saying you should down a case of beer in the name of healthy kidneys, but moderate amounts of these drinks could be a key part of your total fluid intake--especially if you're stone-prone.