The toxins in the urine can be very irritating to the bladder and can cause urinary urgency, frequency, bladder pain, pain with urination, and incontinence. Being that many of the toxins are byproducts of metabolized foods, you can often decrease the urinary symptoms just by making some dietary changes.
Foods that often irritate the bladder are ones that are acidic or high in acid. Other foods that stimulate the nerves, such as caffeine, are bladder irritants. Foods that are high in histamines or can cause your body to produce histamines, can trigger an immune response such as an allergic reaction. An example of this type of food is chocolate, eggplant, or champagne. Foods high in potassium or sodium can also irritate the bladder.
Here are some of the most common bladder irritants.
Coffee and tea, both caffeinated and decaffeinated. Both are very acidic. You can look for a low acid coffee sold on-line or at a health food store. If you love tea, look for a peppermint tea or a chamomile tea.Citrus products – including fruits and juices. The worst offenders are lemons and oranges. The best fruits are pears, blueberries, and sweet (not sour) apples, such as a Gala apple. You can try pear or blueberry juice as well. Pear juice can often be found in the baby food section and has the least amount of acidity and preservatives.
Cranberry juice should be avoided. Cranberry juice increases the acidity of the urine and can help to prevent a bacterial urinary tract infection. However the increased acidity can irritate the bladder and worsen the bladder symptoms outside of an infection.
Processed meats such as bologna, hot dogs, canned meat, and salami. Try to avoid foods with nitrites as this can worsen urinary symptoms. Other foods included sodas, spicy foods, tomato based products, chocolate, and alcohol.
As you are reading this, you are probably thinking I did not leave anything on the list that you can eat. Please remember these are common irritants but not necessarily definitive irritants. You need to determine which foods trigger your urinary symptoms. The best way to determine this is to keep a food and symptom journal. Simply write down what you eat and drink for each meal and document your urinary symptoms. When the symptoms increase or worsen, look to see what you had to eat during the 24 hour period prior. Some foods such as coffee or alcohol may increase urinary symptoms immediately and others may take several hours to affect the bladder. After several episodes of increased symptoms you will be able to start narrowing down your food triggers.
Please remember to talk with your provider if you are experiencing any urinary symptoms as these are common but not normal. You need to be evaluated to make sure there are not other more concerning issues occurring. Below is a chart that list common dietary irritants. It also lists foods that do not usually cause bladder symptoms. The first column are foods that typically do not bother the bladder, the 2nd column may or may not bother the bladder, and the 3rd column usually causes irritation.
| | USUALLY OK | MAY BE OK | USUALLY PROBLEMATIC |
| Beverages | chamomile herb tea Evian® water pear juice pure Blueberry Juice milk peppermint herb tea | alfalfa tea bottled water herbal coffees lowacid decaf coffee low acid baby juices gin rice milk root beer w/ ice rum tap water vodka | beer carbonatedH20 chocolate milk citrus juices cranberry juice herb tea blends green teas most fruit juices regular coffee sodas soy milk tea wines |
| Grain Products | buckwheat corn bread couscous matzo millet oat bread oatmeal pasta pitas potato bread quinoa rice spelt white bread | amaranth grits rye bread sourdoughbread some graham crackers w/o problem ingredients whole wheat bread | bread or cereal w/ preservatives soy flour |
| Fats and Nuts | butter canola oil coconut w/o preservatives coconut oil corn oil margarine olive oil peanut oil safflower oil sesame oil shortening soy oil | almonds almond butter cashews tahini sunflower seeds | filberts hazelnuts macadamia nuts mayonnaise most salad dressings peanuts pecans pistachio nuts English and black walnuts |
| Soups | homemade soups from ok meats and vegetables | bouillion cubes bouillion powder most packaged and canned soups | |
| Meat, Fish and Poultry | beef chicken eggs fish lamb liver (beef or chicken) pork shellfish shrimp turkey veal | anchovies bacon Canadian bacon caviar corned beef liverwurst prosciutto some sausages w/o problem ingredients | bologna ham hot dogs most sausage pepperoni salami smoked fish |
| Cheeses and Other Dairy | cream cheese cottage cheese feta mozzarella ricotta string cheeses whipped cream vanilla ice cream | buttermilk canned Parmesan Cool Whip® some sherbets some frozen yogurt Rice Dream® | aged cheeses blue cheese brie brick parmesan camembert cheddar emmenthaler gruyer hard jack roquefort sorbet soy milk soy cheese sour cream stilton swiss yogurt |
| Vegetables and Dried Beans | broccoli brussels sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower chives collard greens corn cucumber kale lentils lettuce mustard greens mushrooms most dried beans okra parsley peas potatoes pumpkin radishes snow peas split peas summer squash turnips winter squash yams zucchini | avocado beets chicory cooked bulb onions cooked leeks dandelion greens eggplant low acid tomatoes purslane raw green onions rhubarb rutabagas swiss chard spinach turnip greens watercress | chili peppers fava beans lima beans pickles raw bullb onions sauerkraut soy beans (edamame) tomato tomato sauces tomato juice tofu |
| Fruits | dates w/o preservatives coconut w/o preservatives pears - pear pear bars - pear bluberry bars | bananas blueberries brown raisins cherimoya citrus peels crenshaw melon dried currants Gala apples honeydew mango (small amt) maraschino cherries rhubarb watermelon - cinnamon pear jelly - cinnamon pear maple syrup - blueberry preserves | apricots all citrus fruit cantaloupe cherries dried fruit w/ preservatives peaches most plums most dried figs golden raisins grapes guava kiwi fruit most berries passion fruit papaya persimmon pineapple starfruit |
| Desserts and Sweets | brown sugar carob carrot muffins or cake creme brulee custards divinity homemade pound cake homemade white/yellow cakes homemade vanilla frosting homemade caramel frosting honey licorice maple syrup pear pastries sugar sugar cookies tapioca vanilla ice cream vanilla pudding Dr. Oetkers Vanilla Cake Mix Dr. Oetkers Vanilla Frosting Mix Dr. Oetkers Corn Muffins Dr. Oetkers Carrot Muffins Dr. Oetkers Apple Muffins Dr. Oetkers Bisquit Mix Dr. Oetkers Vanilla Pudding | banana bread blueberry pastries caramel candies peppermint ice cream plain pastries w/ almonds plain cheescakes some frozen yogurt some hard candies w/o acids some popsicles Splenda® (sucralose) stevia white chocolate | acesulfame K aspartame catsup chocolate coffee ice cream desserts w/ problem nuts mustard pastries w/ problem fruits pecan pie sorbets store-bought fruitcakes mincemeat pie Nutrasweet® saccharine |
| Seasonings and Additives | allspice almond extract anise basil caraway seed coriander dill fennel garlic mace marjoram oregano poppy seed rosemary sage salt thyme tarragon vanilla extract | black pepper celery seed cilantro cinnamon cumin (small amt) dried parsley dried chervil ginger lemon extract malt powder nutmeg onion powder orange extract turmeric | ascorbic acid autolyzed yeast BHA and BHT benzoates caffeine cayenne cloves chili powder citric acid hot curry powder hydrolyzed protein meat tenderizers miso oleoresin paprika paprika red pepper soy sauce tamari vinegar worcestershire sauce MSG (monosodium glutamate) metabisulfites sulfites |
