# Ice cream + tea = kidney stones? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340 "2001-01-30T01:55:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/1 "2001-01-30T01:55:10Z")
Is it true that if you eat ice cream while drinking tea, you can get kidney stones? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/2 "2001-01-30T02:06:42Z")
**Dave** Where did this idea come from? Any help here? And, almost certainly, the answer is **NO** ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/3 "2001-01-30T02:22:48Z")
It’s something someone told me, and someone else said they heard it also. So I’m trying to find out if it’s an urban legend, something made up, or actually something I should be worried about. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/4 "2001-01-30T02:23:08Z")
Sounds like someone’s watching “E/R” reruns. Tea and ice cream both contain chemicals that can lead to the formation of kidney stones (as do many other foods). But if you have an ice cream cone and a glass of iced tea (umm, wintertime treat), you are not necessarily going to develop a kidney stone. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/5 "2001-01-30T02:28:15Z")
Um, well, I had a kidney stone several years ago, and my doctor told me to lay off on tea and coffee. He didn’t elaborate, but I was in such mind-shattering pain, I didn’t question him, either. I haven’t heard about the ice cream side of it. Btw, if you ever get a kidney stone, you’ll agree to anything at the time it’s occurring. Only thing that hurts worse is labor, and actually labor isn’t as bad, because you KNOW that will eventually end. But you wonder if you’re going to live through a kidney stone. Agony is the only word that comes to mind. Silky “Don’t DARE hand me that mug” Threat ---
**Author:** ![kpm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@kpm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kpm)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/6 "2001-01-30T02:49:54Z")
The state of NC has a very high rate of kidney stones and also a lot of drinkers of iced tea. The 2 are related. In general the southeast US is the kidney stone belt along with the iced tea belt. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/7 "2001-01-30T02:54:51Z")
With respect, I think you may be mistaken. The risk of kidney stones (in women, at least) is decreased by about 10% for every cup of tea or coffee (regular or decaf) taken each day. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/8 "2001-01-30T03:00:27Z")
It seems to me that this arose out of the fact that calcium is invovled in more than two thirds of kidney stones, and calcium oxolate account IIRC for about 4% of stones. Ice cream has lots of calcium, tea has oxolate, therefore slam, bam, the OP becomes clearer. Not that I agree. Of the many factors leading to hypercalcemia (remembered by the acronym CHIMPANZEES, as I recall), diet doesn’t usually play that big a role. You also have to drink an awful lot of tea to get sufficient oxolate, especially since the most basic cure for kidney stones is to drink lots of fluid. As a GP, I bow to **KarlGauss** ’s greater knowledge, but I suspect both the extra fluid and the mild diuretic effect of caffiene both would contribute to lowering the incidence of kidney stones. IIRC, spinach, lettuce and fiddleheads (okay, okay, but people eat them by the truckload here!) contain “high” levels of oxolate too. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/9 "2001-01-30T03:14:04Z")
Here’s a [cite\*](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9518397&dopt=Abstract) re: my assertion. The presence of caffeine didn’t seem to make any significant difference. [sub]\*You may need to click on the first author’s name to bring up the abstract.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/10 "2001-01-30T03:48:00Z")
My personal kidney stone developed while in a movie theater. On the way into a first night screening of a highly anticipated movie (i.e. extra crowded theater), I purchased a 5 gallon caffeinated soft drink and a box of chocolate covered almonds. I had the need to urinate about 5 minutes into the 2 hour movie. Unfortunately, I was stuck in the middle of a row, and since I was much less of a selfish asshole than I am now, I did not climb over my fellow patrons to go relieve myself. I therefore had urine backed up into my kidneys, with plenty of calcium (from the milk in the chocolate) and plenty of oxalic acid (also from the chocolate). Later analysis of the stone (about 3mm across) showed that it had a core of calcium dioxalate surrounded by a shell of calcium monoxalate. I have to agree with Silky’s description of the experience. Labor- for two weeks. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/11 "2001-01-30T04:33:10Z")
**Tx** Are you saying that when you entered the theater, you didn’t have a kidney stone. But, because you purchased and ate “5 gallon caffeinated soft drink and a box of chocolate covered almonds.” you, then, developed a kidney stone? Or did I read this into your post? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/12 "2001-01-30T04:44:46Z")
Basically, it is a lot more complicated than saying, “…my stones were caused by…” Try reading an on-line source, such as PubMed [stones](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/kidneystones.html) or others like it. ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/13 "2001-01-30T04:54:03Z")
Well, I can’t say for sure, but my urologist and I agreed that it was probably the proximate cause. Lots of calcium, lots of oxalate, and not enough fluid flushing through the kidneys (or, just one in this case). The stone didn’t start to move down the ureter until a few days later. That’s when the pain begins. The pain isn’t due to having a big-ass grain of sand in tissue that is normally only exposed to fluids (as most people think). It is due to the blockage of the ureter and cramping of the muscles that supply the peristalsis. (Side note- just as you can swallow while standing on your head, your bladder can also fill). ---
**Author:** ![Superior1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@Superior1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superior1)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/14 "2019-05-10T04:52:42Z")
Tea, and ice cream when mixed form a covalent bond that forms kidney stones. Also the admins of this group are pretty delusional making people go through all that nonsense just to reply to a question. Like this page is something bigger or more important than it really is… Holy shit ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2019, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-cream-tea-kidney-stones/52340/15 "2019-05-10T05:01:49Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@Superior1](#): > > Tea, and ice cream when mixed form a covalent bond that forms kidney stones. Also the admins of this group are pretty delusional making people go through all that nonsense just to reply to a question. Like this page is something bigger or more important than it really is… Holy shit Raising an 18 year old thread to post nonsense and insult our message board is not what I would call getting off to a good start here. I will just assume that you are not familiar with how most internet message boards work and that most require similar sign-up procedures. That said, welcome, and we hope you enjoy your time with us. This is closed.