Is your diet causing UTIs? Here’s how it may be at fault

UTIs can be painful, and they’re not something people like to talk about. But they happen often, affecting an estimated 60% of women and 20% of men in their lifetimes.

While we might view these infections as minor, they can become serious in rare cases. Actress Tanya Roberts, best known for her roles in the television series “Charlie’s Angels” and “That ’70s Show,” died in 2021 after a urinary tract infection developed into sepsis.

Advice for preventing or treating UTIs has long focused on diet – think cranberry juice, avoiding coffee or drinking more water. Indeed, some research suggests what you eat and drink may affect your risk for developing a urinary tract infection. Here’s what you need to know.

What is a urinary tract infection?

A urinary tract infection affects the body’s drainage system, which removes urine filled with toxins, extra water and salt. The urinary tract includes two kidneys, two ureters – thin tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder – the bladder and the urethra, which connects to the bladder.

Urinary tract infections usually occur when bacteria – most often Escherichia coli – infect the lower urinary tract. The bacteria are generally harmless in the gut, but when shed in feces and transferred to the urinary tract, the microbes can travel up the urethra and settle in the bladder.

Women tend to get these infections more than men because of their shorter urethras. Some symptoms of a urinary tract infection include frequent and painful urination, back or pelvic pain and urine that looks red, bright pink or cola-colored, according to Mayo Clinic.

Eat this, not that

Eating undercooked meat – or food contaminated with E. coli – may contribute to urinary tract infections.

A 2025 study found that in nearly one in five urinary tract infections among a group of patients in Southern California, E. coli from contaminated meat and poultry was the cause. And a 2023 study found foodborne E. coli was likely behind more than 480,000 urinary tract infections in the U.S. each year.

Some research suggests a vegetarian diet may lower the risk of developing a urinary tract infection. A 2020 study that followed more than 9,000 Buddhists in Taiwan for nine years found a vegetarian diet was associated with a 16% lower risk of urinary tract infections, with the protection more pronounced in women.

One reason for this benefit may be how vegetarian diets influence urine pH. Red meat and other animal proteins tend to make urine more acidic, while fruits and vegetables do not, according to Healthline. UTIs may be easier to fight when urine pH is closer to neutral. A 2015 study found that a protein made in response to urinary tract infection was more effective at quelling bacterial growth when urine was less acidic.

What you drink may also influence urinary tract symptoms. A 2017 study found that cutting back on foods and beverages that can irritate the bladder – such as coffee, tea, alcohol and soft drinks – helped women reduce urinary urgency and frequency. But the study couldn’t determine whether the improvement was tied to cutting out one specific beverage or several at once.

A 2003 study found that people who drank freshly squeezed juice and ate dairy products such as yogurt appeared to have a lower risk of UTIs. The link between UTIs and gut-healthy foods may involve the microbiome: A 2022 study suggested that recurrent UTIs in some women may be related to repeated antibiotic use wrecking the collection of microorganisms, including bacteria, living in the gut.

While research into how different foods and drinks impact urinary tract infections is still ongoing, dietary changes may be worth discussing with a doctor, especially for people with recurrent infections.