Foods to Avoid with UTI: A Guide to Help Alleviate Your Symptoms

Urinary tract infection or UTI is a phenomenon where any part of the urinary tract (bladder, kidney, ureters, and urethra) gets contaminated by bacteria.

This type of illness is most common in women than in men. According to a study, every 1 out of 10 men is likely to get a UTI whereas in the case of women the number is 9 out of 10. (1)

In women, there is a passage where urine is eliminated from the bladder which is known as urethera. In some women, the urethra is shorter and closer to the rectum. These women are more prone to UTI’s than others. (2)

In men, UTI infection is divided into two types: upper tract and lower tract infection.

The upper tract infection usually refers to the contamination that happens in the kidneys whereas the lower tract is usually involved with the prostate, urethra, and bladder. (3)

In this blog, we have carefully researched and tried to educate on the foods to avoid with UTI.  We strongly believe that our research will help you get rid of this contamination once and for all. So without further delay let’s get to know them.

1. What are the causes of UTI’s in both women?

The most common cause of UTI in women and men is the presence of Escherichia coli or better known as E Coli. (4) 

This bacteria enters our urinary tract using uthera as the medium. Women are more likely to get this disease because of the female anatomy.

In women, the urethra is much shorter than a man's. This means the bacteria have to travel much less distance to reach the bladder than a man.

Also, women who continuously use birth control to avoid pregnancy have a risk of getting this disease than a woman who is not sexually active all the time. 

If the menstrual cycle of women is hampered and is suffering from menopause for more than 12 months, then they are highly prone to UTI.

Though menopause, sexual activity, and the unhygienic urinary tract are the major causes of UTI’s, there are other factors that you should know. Some of them are listed follows:

• Kidney stones:  When you develop kidney stones then the urine in the bladder is trapped which increases the chance of a UTI
  
  
• Hospitalized patients: When patients use a tube to remove the urine and do not do it naturally then these patients have a higher risk of UTI.
  
  
• Diabetes: When people are infected with diabetes, they are body vulnerable to germs, hence they have more chances of UTI.
  
  

2. Are there certain foods that trigger UTI’s?

Yes, there are indeed certain foods to avoid with UTI’s. Avoid any drink that sugar in them.

When your body comes in contact with sugar, your body becomes vulnerable to UTI’s. (5)

Hence alcohol, soda, carbohydrates, and artificial sweetener should never be on your list.

It’s not proven that artificial swinger increases your chance of getting UTI, but there are reports which show that they have the chance of increasing interstitial cystitis. (6)

Besides these UTI foods to avoid, there are other foods to avoid with UTI’s and they are listed as follows

• Acidic foods like oranges, grapefruit and lemons increase the chances of getting a UTI. (7) 
  
  
• Caffeinated drinks like caffeinated beverages and coffee aggravate the symptoms of UTI. 
  
  
• Spicy food like sausage, meatballs, and hot wings should be avoided at all cost. (9)

Hence if you are wondering the question like “can spicy food cause UTI?” then the answer is a resounding yes.

3. Can I cure UTIs using specific food?

According to a study, UTIs are curable using a balanced diet. (10) 

This is because the PH of urine is responsible for preventing UTIs.

We have listed some of the foods that will help you recover fast from UTIs by balancing the PH level on urine. Some of them are listed as follows:

1. Berries can help prevent UTIs. This is because, they contain an ingredient known as Proanthocyanidin, which helps in preventing any infection caused in the urinary tract (11)
   
   
2. Using protein-rich foods like Yogurt and pickles can help prevent UTIs since they contain good bacteria that help kill the infection present in the urinary tract
   
   
3. High fiber foods like lentils, oats, nuts, and beans increase bowel movement in your body, which helps in minimizing the bladder pressure. (12)
   
   
4. Food that has omega 3 fatty acids like salmon and fish can reduce any inflammation that is caused by UTI. (13)
   
   

4. Say No to these if you are suffering from UTI 

Since UTI is a urinary tract infection, the food recommended to avoid during normal infection is as same as UTI. The list is as follows:

• Sodas
• Ice-cream
• Gluten
• Fried foods
• Spicy food
• Baked goods
• Alcohol
• Dairy products
  
  

5. Food qualities that are good for UTI

To fight UTI, you would need to be careful about what you eat. Knowing the qualities of certain foods would help you make the selection easier. The list are as follows:

• Broccoli sprouts:They contain a bioactive known as Sulforaphane (14). Studies can have shown that sprouts help your body from UTIs as this sulforaphane fights the bacteria that cause UTIs. (15)
  
  
• Seaweed: They contain antimicrobial properties that help in fighting the infection. (16)
  
  
• Mushrooms:They contain a substance known as Beta D glucan, which improves immunity in your body by fighting the bacteria. (17)
  
  
• Ginger: They contain both anti-inflammatory and antioxidants that help in fighting the bacteria causing the infection. (18)
  
  
• Pumpkin seeds: These contain magnesium as their main ingredient and they great at fighting infections (19)
  
  

6. Preventive measure

As discussed earlier there are certain foods to avoid with UTIs as these foods make UTI worse.

We have also mentioned what foods help cure UTI. Hope this insight provided by use will help battle UTI with ease and you lead a healthy life free of this infection.

7. Conclusion

The diagnosis involved in UTI involves four basic treatment measures. These are known as urine sample collection, lab testing of urine culture, CT and MRI, and lastly scope inspection.

Let us explain each one in detail so that you have a better understanding

1. Sample collection: The doctor will ask you to give them a sample of urine. To take the sample, they will first ask you to clean your genital with the help of an antiseptic pad
   
   
2. Lab testing of urine culture: Your urine sample will be tested in the lab and this will let the doctor know the bacteria type that is causing this infection. Thus by analyzing it, they will be able to give you an effective medication
   
   
3. CT and MRI: If the above two method doesn’t work and you still have a frequent infection. The health specialist will tell you to scan your urinary tract through MRI and CT, to know the root causes.
   
   
4. Cytoscope testing: The doctor will insert a small cytoscope with an inbuilt camera to see the cause of the infection.