Excess cashew can cause stones

I recently underwent a kidney stone removal surgery. Doctors told me my regular consumption of cashews was to blame. Is there an optimal consumption amount for every dry fruit, beyond which they can be harmful?
 —Mr SW

Too much of anything is not a good thing. And that stands true even for foods we generally consider healthy, for instance nuts and dried fruits. Cashews are known to be in the list of foods to avoid when you have kidney stones or a tendency to form them easily. Why? Because they contain high amounts of oxalates, organic crystals found in foods that prevent calcium from being absorbed in your body. What happens when excess calcium starts accumulating in our system? You guessed it – renal calculi or kidney stones. Studies show that almost 85 per cent of all kidney stones are calcium stones. Foods like beetroot, asparagus, chocolates, soy products and nuts like almonds, peanuts and cashews are reservoirs of oxalates and hence should be avoided.

There is no hard and fast rule as to the number of nuts one should consume daily, it depends on the rest of your daily dietary and calcium intake. Based on your medical tests and an understanding of your diet plan, a nutritionist can recommend to you just how many nuts are too much.

I will advise you to drink a whole lot of water. It’s the healthiest fluid you can consume and it helps dilute urine so all the waste and excess calcium deposits get washed out. Your body won’t create the not so precious crystalline deposits in unwanted places, if you keep giving it water. So remember, keep yourself hydrated at all times.

As a kid I remember eating white corn on the cob. But now, we mostly get golden corn. Which is better?
 —Mr PR

In the world of nutrition, there’s really not much difference. However, if I had to get extremely critical and choose between white and golden corn - I’d say gold wins in this race. But it wins by the tiniest margin. Beta carotene gives golden yellow corn a nutritional edge over white corn. Apart from being responsible for the yellow colour, beta carotene gets converted to vitamin A during digestion which is what makes it better.

Both white and yellow corn kernel, and even popcorn, make for a healthy, whole-grain snack. But remember, the health quotient stays intact only if you omit or limit the amount of butter and salt you add. Both corns are rich sources of carbs, fibres, vitamins and minerals. They’re also great for healthy hair, skin, and lowering cholesterol and for a healthy heart. Nutritionally, you can’t go wrong with either.

Pooja Makhija
Consulting nutritionist and clinical dietitian

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Mail your queries at: dnahealthpage@gmail.com; you can contact Pooja at: pooja@nourishgenie.com