Nobody likes having a urinary tract infection, but they do happen from time to time. Dealing with a urinary tract infection (UTI) is never pleasant, but understanding how to manage it can make a significant difference.

If you’ve got a urinary tract infection (UTI) or you’re prone to having UTIs, you’ll receive a lot of advice: what causes them, whether you should have sex with a UTI, what you should eat to treat or prevent them, and other pointers.

In this blog, we’ll focus on an important aspect: the foods you should avoid to help manage and prevent UTIs more effectively.

What is a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, kidneys, ureters, and urethra. Women are more prone to UTIs due to their shorter urethra, which allows bacteria easier access to the bladder. Symptoms often include a frequent urge to urinate, a burning sensation during urination, and cloudy or strong-smelling urine. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent complications and manage the infection effectively.

Do I Have a UTI?

If you’re a woman, there’s a good chance you have had a UTI at some time, since women are at a greater risk than men. A UTI is an infection in any part of the urinary system, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract—the bladder and the urethra.¹

An infection limited to the bladder is mostly annoying, although it can be painful. Serious health problems can occur if the infection spreads to the kidneys.¹

If you have a UTI, you may not have any symptoms, but these are the most common side effects.¹

Common Symptoms of UTIs include:

A strong urge to urinate that doesn’t go away
A burning feeling when urinating
Urinating often, and passing small amounts of urine
Urine that looks cloudy, smells strong, or is red, bright pink, or cola-colored

Occasionally a UTI can cause pelvic pain. If left untreated, a UTI can develop into a bladder infection or kidney infection, so it is important to get proper treatment as soon as possible. In the meantime, while you are waiting for or undergoing treatment with antibiotics, here are a few foods to avoid to help ease discomfort.

What Foods to Avoid with a UTI

You’ll often hear that cranberry juice is a good option for preventing and treating UTIs. That’s because it can flush bacteria from your system without irritating the urinary tract.²

It’s crucial to understand not just the treatments, but also the dietary choices that can impact your recovery. As a woman navigating through this, you may be seeking guidance on what foods and drinks to avoid during a UTI to ease your symptoms and promote healing.

Acidic Fruits

Fruits such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits, apples, and peaches, along with their juices, are high in acidity. While these fruits are generally healthy, they can irritate the bladder when you’re dealing with a UTI. This irritation can exacerbate your discomfort and prolong the healing process.

Spicy Foods

Much like acidic fruits, spicy foods can also aggravate your bladder. The extra heat and spice can increase irritation, leading to more discomfort. It’s best to steer clear of hot peppers, heavily spiced dishes, and condiments during this time.

Sugar and Starch

Foods high in sugar and starch, such as cookies, soda, chips, candy, and cake, can provide a favorable environment for bacteria to thrive. These bacteria are often the culprits behind UTIs, so it’s wise to limit their food sources.

Alcohol

Consumption of alcohol can have a diuretic effect, leading to dehydration. This dehydration can worsen UTI symptoms by increasing bladder irritation. Additionally, alcohol can hinder the effectiveness of certain antibiotics, which are commonly prescribed to treat UTIs.

Artificial Sweeteners

Like sugar, artificial sweeteners can also irritate the bladder. While they may be a popular choice for those looking to reduce calorie intake, they might not be the best option when dealing with a UTI.

Caffeine

Commonly found in coffee, tea, and soda, caffeine can increase the frequency of urination. This can lead to mild dehydration, adding salt to your urine, which in turn can irritate the bladder. Furthermore, caffeinated drinks might tempt you to delay urination, increasing the risk of bacteria proliferating in your bladder.

The best thing to consume with a UTI is plenty of water. Up to eight glasses a day will help flush some bacteria out of your urinary tract. While cranberry juice and other healthy items like the probiotics in sauerkraut, pickles, kefir, and probiotic yogurt can help your body fight infections, they can’t cure a UTI once you have one.⁴

It’s best to see a doctor and receive medicine to eliminate the infection and avoid the danger of the infection spreading to your kidneys.⁴

What is a Recurring Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A recurring urinary tract infection (UTI) is when a woman experiences multiple episodes of UTIs over a period of time. This can happen if the initial infection is not fully cleared or if there are underlying issues that increase susceptibility to new infections.

Recurring UTIs are often defined as having at least two infections within six months or three or more infections within a year. Factors contributing to recurring UTIs include anatomical anomalies, hormonal changes, and certain lifestyle or hygiene practices. It’s important to address these underlying factors with a healthcare provider to manage and prevent future infections effectively.

Check out this video from Dr. Samir Derisavifard who explains all about recurring UTIs. Dr. Derisavifard is a urologist with fellowship training in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.

UTI Treatment Options

A proper diagnosis and treatment is vital if you suspect you have a UTI, so seek medical attention if you begin to experience UTI symptoms. A healthcare provider will perform urine tests to identify the type of UTI from your urine samples, and then you may receive an antibiotic. Left untreated, a urinary tract infection can cause serious health problems, such as permanent kidney damage, or sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection.¹

Pelvic Awareness Project

Learn more about the Pelvic Awareness Project and how they help women with pelvic floor disorders.

If you are looking for a physician or specialist in your area for support with pelvic floor disorders please use the Physician Finder Tool to locate a physician near you.

Click for References