Kidney stones are hard crystals that include calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, uric acid, struvite or cystine, according to the Langone Medical Center. You are at higher risk for kidney stones once you have already had them, but you can follow a healthy diet designed to lower your risk. Green beans may be beneficial for preventing some kinds of kidney stones, but some individuals may need to avoid green beans because of their potential to increase your risk for calcium oxalate stones.
Preventing and Treating Kidney Stones
You may be able to dissolve kidney stones by drinking extra water, according to MayoClinic.com. Over-the-counter medications may relieve pain as you are passing small stones, and larger stones may require surgical removal or shock wave therapy to dissolve them. Dietary modifications are more effective at preventing rather than treating kidney stones. Green beans can be part of recommendations if your stones are not calcium oxalate stones, according to the Langone Medical Center.
Oxalate Concerns
If you are prone to developing calcium oxalate kidney stones, you may need to follow a low-oxalate diet, according to the University of Pittsburgh. This diet limits you to 40 to 50 mg of oxalates from your food each day. With more than 10 mg oxalate per serving, green beans are classified as high-oxalate vegetables to restrict or avoid, along with other beans, beets, rhubarb and spinach. Low-oxalate vegetables have less than 2 mg oxalate per serving, and they include cauliflower, cucumber and peas.
Weight Control
If you are overweight or obese, you may be able to lower your risk for kidney stones by losing weight, according to the Langone Medical Center. Green beans can help because they are low in calories, with only 31 per cup. In order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you expend. Since fasting and rapid weight loss increase your risk for kidney stones, it is safest to aim for a moderate rate of weight loss of no more than one to two pounds per week. If you are at risk for calcium oxalate stones and need to avoid green beans because of their oxalate content, some low-oxalate alternative possibilities include cauliflower, cucumbers and endives, according to the University of Pittsburgh.
Sodium and Fiber
A low-sodium diet may help prevent kidney stones, according to the Langone Medical Center, and plain green beans have only 6 mg sodium per serving. They will be higher in sodium if you add salt during cooking or eat canned salted green beans. Another potential benefit of green beans for kidney stones is that they are high in fiber. A cup of raw green beans provides 2.7 g fiber, or 11 percent of the daily value. Most individuals can safely eat green beans, but if you are on a low-oxalate diet, some low-sodium, high-fiber alternatives are barley, peas and radishes.
