Kidney Stones · Short answers
Is iced tea bad for kidney stones?
Black tea contains oxalate, which can add to calcium oxalate stones, especially in large amounts.
The short answer
Black tea contains oxalate, which can add to calcium oxalate stones, especially in large amounts.
A closer look
An occasional glass is usually fine. But if iced tea is your main drink all day, it may raise risk.
Water is a good main drink for most people, and lemon may help.
What you can do next
If you've had stones, get tested so we can give diet advice that fits you.
How we talk about this in Johns Creek and Cumming
Patients who bring this question to 10730 Medlock Bridge Road or to our Cumming office on Deputy Bill Cantrell Memorial Road can walk through it with the urologist they see. The article is background; the visit is where we make a recommendation.
A related official video
An official Advanced Urology video on this topic.
Watch: Kidney Stones? 3 Ways to Remove ThemWhat the video covers. Titled "Kidney Stones? 3 Ways to Remove Them." The official video, featuring Dr. Casey McCullough, addresses treatment choices for a kidney stone that will not pass, with the public description pointing to size, location, hardness, and overall health as the decision factors.
Where to read more
- Our page on this topic
- Johns Creek Clinic & Surgery Center
- Cumming Clinic
- Read this topic on learn.advancedurology.com
- Related page on advancedurology.com
Related articles
- Will my kidney stone pass on its own?
- Should I cut out calcium since my stones are calcium-based?
- Kidney stone pain — when the ER is right
Is iced tea bad for kidney stones?
Black tea contains oxalate, which can add to calcium oxalate stones, especially in large amounts.
Can I discuss this at either office?
Yes. We see patients at the Johns Creek Clinic & Surgery Center and at the Cumming Clinic. Mention kidney stones when you book, and we will place the visit.
Request an appointment at Advanced Urology. Call 678-344-8900 or Book online.
How we talk about drinks and stones in a real appointment
After the acute stone is handled, we ask what you actually drink in a day — tea, water, soda — and whether this was a first stone or a repeat. Diet advice from Advanced Urology is general and personal, not a single banned-item list for every patient. We will apply that advice to your own beverage habits and, when it will help, to a metabolic work-up.
When to come in, and where we see you
If you have passed a stone or have one on a scan, schedule a visit at 10730 Medlock Bridge Rd or at the Cumming Clinic, or call 678-344-8900. Fever or chills with a stone is emergency care. Our kidney-stones page explains how we treat a stone that will not pass, which is a separate conversation from what you pour in a glass.
Official stone videos from two urologists, if diet is the question
Dr. T. Casey McCullough and Dr. Rut Patel explain kidney-stone treatment in official practice videos. They will not settle the iced-tea question by themselves; your history and, when needed, labs will.
- Watch: Kidney Stones? 3 Ways to Remove Them
What the video covers. Titled "Kidney Stones? 3 Ways to Remove Them." The official video, featuring Dr. Casey McCullough, addresses treatment choices for a kidney stone that will not pass, with the public description pointing to size, location, hardness, and overall health as the decision factors.
Watch: Kidney Stones Disease with Dr. Rut PatelWhat the video covers. This official Advanced Urology video is titled "Kidney Stones Disease with Dr. Rut Patel." Dr. Rut Patel discusses kidney stone disease.
Whenever a visit would help, the Johns Creek and Cumming teams are a phone call or a booked appointment away.