# Can I eat potatoes as a kidney stoner? Source: https://kidneystonediet.com/ep/can-i-eat-potatoes-as-a-kidney-stoner/ Published: 2021-02-16 --- [![Kidney Stone Diet Podcast](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kidney-Stone-Diet-Podcast-1-1024x1024.jpg)](https://kidneystonediet.com/podcast/) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGbyXTMPIAU)[Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/can-i-eat-potatoes-as-a-kidney-stoner/id1528474326?i=1000509395174&uo=4)[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2szSwpagICurBm1T3Qr0og)[Amazon Music](https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0868148d-adfd-411d-b3f2-71a0ad1461ec) February 16, 2021 --- ![Jeff Sarris](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Jeff-Sarris-150x150.jpg) Jeff Sarris Host ![Jill Harris](https://kidneystonediet.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Kidney-Stone-Diet-Jill-Harris-150x150.jpg) Jill Harris Host Our first listener voicemail! In this episode of the Kidney Stone Diet Podcast Jill Harris answers a question about potatoes.\ \ Have a question? Leave us a voicemail at (773) 789-8763.\ \ • [Kidney Stone Diet](https://kidneystonediet.com/)\ • [Kidney Stone Prevention Program](https://kidneystonediet.com/kidney-stone-prevention)\ • [Oxalate Food List](https://kidneystonediet.com/oxalate-list/)\ • [Free KSD Resources](https://kidneystonediet.com/resources/)\ \ Find the full transcript at [BYLT.co/show/kidney-stone-diet](https://bylt.co/show/kidney-stone-diet) ## Chapters - 00:00:00 Kidney Stone Diet Podcast Listener Question - 00:02:35 Eating Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes Safely - 00:05:21 Daily Calcium and Oxalate Intake Targets - 00:06:57 Daily Dietary Check-Ins and Mindset ## Transcript ### Kidney Stone Diet Podcast Listener Question 00:00:00 Jeff Sarris SPYR. Welcome back to the Kidney Stone Diet Podcast, the show about reducing your risk for kidney stones and living your best life. I'm your host and fellow student, Jeff Sarris. 00:00:24 Jill Harris Oh, hi! I was too busy dancing to the music! Hi, I'm Jill and I'm so happy that everybody's here with us to learn about kidney stone prevention. 00:00:32 Jeff Sarris Yeah, that's so funny because like, they always hear this music, but you don't get to hear it when we're recording. I know they put it in later, so it's it's fun to have it in real time. 00:00:41 Jill Harris Yeah, I love it. 00:00:43 Jeff Sarris So, part of that, I am excited because we are doing our first call-in today. So, we have a voicemail from one of the listeners that we're going to play and, yeah, get your feedback and your answer for that. 00:00:55 Jill Harris I'm super excited about this. I think it's great that people will be able to come on the podcast, because everyone's sick of talking to me, and me having me talk. So, they're like, "Oh my god, let's get some fresh stuff going on this podcast. Let's go." 00:01:07 Jeff Sarris Well, yeah, and I think it's really good because then people get to, yeah, really contribute and be part of the show and guide where the information goes, because, I mean, you know what people want, but 00:01:19 Jill Harris Yes. But, I like it, too, that it can be My whole M.O., well I got a lot of M.O.s, but one of my biggest ones is, look, not one diet fits all. So, you've got to ask your specific questions, and the more you tell me in these questions, you know, the better I can help you. So, I love it. I love everything about this, Jeff. You're a genius, we all know that. 00:01:40 Jeff Sarris All right, so here is the first question. Yes, my name is Barbara. I'm from North Carolina. And my question is I'm on a I'm on a low oxalate diet and I love potatoes. Why can't I eat potatoes or even sweet potatoes? Thank you. 00:02:09 Jill Harris Who doesn't love potatoes, right? 00:02:11 Jeff Sarris I just made a little mistake there. Oh, I turned your volume down. I was like, why can't I hear Jill at all? I turned the wrong volume down. 00:02:22 Jill Harris Even with my mouth, you it was still too low? Okay. 00:02:25 Jeff Sarris Yeah, so oh no, it's good. So, everything else is there, but yeah, so sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, why are those not possible? ### Eating Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes Safely 00:02:35 Jill Harris Yeah, well, here's the deal. So, just because you're put on a low oxalate diet or your doctor has said lower your oxalate, it doesn't mean that you can't have potatoes ever again. In fact, I tell every person that works with me, whether they're in the Kidney Stone Prevention Course or my private clients, They're like, "Jill, why get up if I can't have a damn potato anymore?" Well, you can have a potato. You just can't eat them all day long, okay? So, potatoes, unfortunately, are high in oxalate, but it doesn't mean you cannot have them. So, please eat all foods within moderation. So, Barbara, absolutely you can. So, have them a couple times a week. Realize the portion size because they're very high. Sweet potatoes are super high, but I always push back on patients. It's like you don't need to eat a whole one. Have half, share the other one with your partner, and that's exactly where you want to put a glass of non-dairy or dairy beverage to get your calcium. So, that's that's the perfect mix. So, of course, you can have potatoes. You just have to fit it into your bank, your oxalate bank every day. 00:03:42 Jeff Sarris Yeah, I didn't realize sweet potatoes were so high. It wasn't something I ever looked up. Like, where do they sort of fall in relation to some of the nasty ones, do you know? 00:03:49 Jill Harris They're like They're like 90, I think. I think baked potatoes are like 96, so they're super high. But, if you have half of one, so a baked potato is that. I think sweet potatoes, they're they're past the 50 mark, I believe. You know, I forget these things. That's why you have to get the oxalate app from my website. But they're They are high. But, the problem is this: I work with people in the fitness industry. "Jill, like I got a stone, what can I do?" "Well, could you not eat a sweet potato three times a day?" That would be number one, right? So, you know, the basic bodybuilder thing is sweet potato, rice, chicken, or any kind of lean protein every day, all day long. 00:04:27 Jeff Sarris Some spinach on the side. 00:04:29 Jill Harris And some spinach, absolutely. So, it's not the fact that somebody had a potato in 1972 and got a stone, it's that they have potatoes every single day in any amount they want and, most important, they are not getting enough daily calcium. So, that's super important. It's the only way oxalate can get out of your body is to bind with calcium and it leaves through the stool. If you have something like a sweet potato or a baked potato, the oxalate will get down yonder, look for its friend calcium, say, "Oh, my gosh, I don't see him. I got to go back up." And it gets reabsorbed back into the body. So, it's super important that you get your daily calcium needs met. And as you all always hear me say, you have a skeleton, you need to feed it. So, so many people have bone and stone disease, so calcium is an important part of the Kidney Stone Diet. ### Daily Calcium and Oxalate Intake Targets 00:05:21 Jeff Sarris Yeah, and what are those numbers then for oxalate per day and calcium? 00:05:25 Jill Harris Yeah, so oxalate per day, unless your doctor has told you otherwise, because people who have had bariatric surgeries, they may be put on or have malabsorption issues, they may be put on a 50 mg a day diet of oxalate, okay? Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, we give you a bank of 100 mg per day. Along with that, I give my private patients their 100 mg a day in their bank account, along with the debit card and the Harvard oxalate list. So, they are to take out of their bank account what they use. If you want to waste If you want to withdraw, you know, 50 mg for a potato, that's your choice. But, then you've got 50 left and you have to get your calcium. Calcium is 1,000 mg for men and women who still get their period, women who still get their period. If you no longer get your period as a woman, you get 1,200 mg of calcium. Do not go over, up to, okay? Because, you know, we may not absorb all the calcium that we have, too. So, I don't want I have some clients, they're like, "She said 1,200. I'm going to go for 5,000 'cause I want to get an A plus." Don't do that. Stick with the goals best you can. Look, there may be a day, too, that you don't get your goals met. That's okay. We are in this for the long haul. A healthy lifestyle is something you do more days than not. If you don't get your needs met one day, don't be doubling up the next day on things like calcium, okay? So, here's what I do 'cause I practice everything I ask you guys to do ### Daily Dietary Check-Ins and Mindset 00:06:57 Jill Harris With the Kidney Stone Diet. Every night I lay my fuzzy head on the pillow and I ask myself This takes four, five seconds, people. You got time, don't tell me you don't. "Jill," I say to myself 'cause I'm a loser. "Jill, how'd you do on your on your lifestyle today?" "I did really well with water and sugar and salt," which I always do with sugar and salt. "Oxalate, of course, great. But calcium I didn't do so great. Tomorrow, get back on it." So, nobody here One of the reasons that we fail with diets is that we're trying to be perfect. There ain't no such thing. I've been doing this diet for decades. It is a practice just like yoga or anything else you do in life, just like a relationship. You go you practice everything. Things get stale, you get bored, You have to re- invigorate and motivate yourself. But checking in is very important. You have to work at it and practice. That's what makes a healthy lifestyle, not perfection. 00:07:56 Jeff Sarris Absolutely. And that's why you have that line, "portion, not perfection." You just find your path through this and doing the best thing for you. So, I think we'll wrap there for that. That's a great answer to that question and really excited 00:08:11 Jill Harris I love that question. I'm so happy Barbara asked it. Barbara, you're the first one that asked a question. I'm so excited! Thank you for doing that! 00:08:18 Jeff Sarris Yeah, we're excited to have more as well. And the phone number, I should have had that ready here. The phone number that you can call if you want to ask a question to be featured on a future episode is 773-789-8763. And, yeah, we'd love to hear from you as well. Thanks again, Barbara, for calling in. And for anyone who wants to learn more, they can check out the kidney- to kidneystonediet.com. They can head over there to find all the stuff Jill's up to: the course, the private coaching, now we have meal plans, which slowly it's it's growing with time. 00:08:55 Jill Harris Yep, so much! And also, guys, do me a favor. You're always like, "Jill, what can I do for you?" I'm going to tell you what you can do for me. Go to YouTube and subscribe to my channel. And if you like the videos, like them, because then more people find us. And the YouTube channel is Kidney Stone Diet with Jill Harris. That would be very helpful. We want to get the word out because too many people don't understand kidney stone prevention and millions of you suffer every year. So, subscribe to the channel and like the videos if you do, of course. Of course, if you don't, don't. But that would be very helpful to me and I'd appreciate that. 00:09:27 Jeff Sarris Yeah, absolutely. So, yeah, thank you again for listening to the show and we'll talk to you again next time. 00:09:34 Jill Harris Bye, everybody! Bye, Barbara! Thank you!