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Lately, I have been getting calls about oxalates and whether they should be avoided. The answer is... it depends. Oxalates are naturally occurring compounds found in many plant-based foods, such as spinach, beets, rhubarb, nuts and chocolate. They are also produced by the human body as a waste product of metabolism.
In small amounts, oxalates are generally not harmful to most people.
However, for some individuals, the physical symptoms of high oxalates can lead to a condition called hyperoxaluria, which is characterized by the formation of calcium oxalate crystals in the urine or kidneys. When these crystals accumulate in the kidneys, they can lead to the development of kidney stones.
Should You Avoid Oxalates?
While oxalates included as a part of a balanced diet aren’t going to be problematic for most people, certain populations may benefit from avoiding or minimizing their intake.
People with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones
First, people with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones or kidney disease may want to watch their oxalate intake. People who suffer from hyperoxaluria, a genetic condition that leads to too much oxalate in their urine, should also moderate their consumption of high oxalate foods. If their concentration of urinary oxalates becomes too high, people with hyperoxaluria are at risk for calcium oxalate kidney stones.
People with mineral deficiencies
Individuals who are at a higher risk for nutritional deficiencies (particularly minerals) may want to minimize oxalate intake. Because oxalates bind to minerals, if you’re deficient in calcium, zinc or magnesium already, consistently eating a lot of high oxalate foods can worsen your deficiency. This is more of a concern with calcium deficiency, as adequate calcium intake helps with the excretion of oxalates. As for iron, research suggests that oxalate intake doesn’t really seem to impact iron uptake from diet.
People with hyperparathyroid disease
People who have hyperparathyroid disease may also want to avoid a diet rich in oxalates. Hyperparathyroid disease is a condition in which there’s too much parathyroid hormone (PTH) production. Having too much PTH can lead to a loss of calcium. And a diet high in oxalates, which can bind to calcium, can make already low levels of this critical nutrient even lower.
People with gut malabsorption issues
Individuals with gut malabsorption issues - like short bowel, malabsorptive bowel disease, or Celiac disease - may benefit from a lower oxalate diet. In many cases, too few bacteria may be present in their digestive tract to degrade oxalates sufficiently. This can also be an issue for people who have undergone bariatric surgery for obesity in which alteration of the gastrointestinal system may impact the absorption of certain nutrients.
How to Reduce Oxalates
If you fall into a category that requires more awareness of oxalate-containing foods in your diet, or just want to exercise caution, here are some tips on how to reduce oxalate in sweet potato and other foods.
1. Reduce oxalate intake: Limiting high-oxalate foods in the diet may help reduce the risk of kidney stone formation. Foods to avoid or limit include spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, chia seeds, and certain types of berries, and soaking is one simple way to reduce oxalates in chia seeds.
2. Increase fluid intake: Drinking plenty of water and other fluids can help flush out excess oxalate from the body and reduce the risk of kidney stone formation.
3. Supplement with calcium: Consuming calcium along with oxalate-rich foods can help prevent oxalate from being absorbed into the body and may reduce the risk of kidney stone formation.
4. Increase magnesium: You ideally want to consume foods that are high in magnesium in some proximity to your intake of high oxalate foods. Magnesium may help reduce oxalate absorption when taken with high-oxalate foods. You can take a magnesium supplement or potentially increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods, like whole grains, legumes, low-oxalate nuts, seeds and greens.
5. Cook oxalate-rich foods before eating them: By the time most foods high in oxalates get to our plates, they may no longer contain enough to cause problems. If you're curious how to remove oxalates from spinach and similar greens, research suggests that boiling and steaming can significantly reduce oxalate content. One study found that boiling reduced oxalates in raw vegetables by 30-87%, and steaming reduced them by 5-53%. Roasting, grilling or baking, however, may have little to no effect on oxalates.
6. Soak, sprout or ferment oxalate-rich foods before cooking them: One study found that soaking pulses (the edible seeds of plants in the legume family) before cooking significantly reduced oxalate levels. The researchers found that approximately 24-72% of total oxalates in pulses appeared to be soluble, meaning their concentrations dissolved in water. Another study found that the fermentation of kimchi, using silverbeet (also known as chard), led to a significant reduction in oxalate content. There was also a 72.3% reduction in the amount of calcium bound to insoluble oxalate in the kimchi. Sprouting may also reduce oxalate content by up to 80% in red kidney beans. (However, it’s important to always cook kidney beans well, even if you sprout them, because they contain a type of lectin called phytohaemagglutinin that can be toxic. Fortunately, cooking destroys this and other harmful lectins.)
Please note that people with hyperoxaluria may be at increased risk for kidney damage, so regular monitoring of kidney function may be recommended.
Reducing Oxalates in Spinach and High-Oxalate Foods
Does cooking beets reduce oxalates?
Spinach is also a pretty significant oxalate source for most people. It’s one of the main foods high in oxalates to avoid eating raw, so how do you cook your spinach? Boil or steam it to draw the soluble oxalates out and drain away the water. Watch out for almond milk oxalates, and the same applies to beans. Both black beans and all beans are higher in oxalate content, but soaking them before cooking will reduce their levels. Beetroot is also high in oxalates so it’s another one to cook rather than eat raw if you’re concerned.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to flush oxalates from kidneys?
There is no magic way to detox oxalates, but a few daily habits move things along. By drinking enough water, you can help your kidneys flush out the oxalate. Eating high-oxalate foods along with foods that are high in calcium will also cause more oxalate to be excreted before it's ever absorbed by your body. Magnesium taken around the same time as high-oxalate foods may also help reduce absorption. If you have ever had kidney stones, talk with your doctor before you make any drastic adjustments.
Are black beans high in oxalates?
Black beans are indeed considered a high-oxalate food. Most beans are. The silver lining here is that what you do with these foods may matter a great deal. Studies have demonstrated that soaking pulses before preparing them substantially lowers oxalate levels because approximately 24-72% of total oxalates in pulses are soluble, meaning they dissolve in water and are discarded with the soak water.
How to reduce oxalates in food?
Some small changes in the kitchen can make a big difference. Boiling and steaming, for example, have been shown to reduce oxalate levels significantly, as one study found that boiling reduces the oxalate in raw vegetables by 30 to 87 per cent. Other methods include soaking, sprouting, and fermenting, as well as eating high-oxalate foods along with calcium to reduce absorption of the oxalate.
Other than eating less oxalate, here are a few simple things you can do every day that may help your body get rid of some of that excess oxalate: Drinking lots of water helps your kidneys flush out oxalate; having calcium-containing foods at the same time as oxalate-containing foods binds up more of the oxalate so that it doesn’t get absorbed; and taking magnesium at roughly the same time as high-oxalate foods may also reduce oxalate absorption.
What Oxalates Are and Where They Hide?
Oxalates are created by the body, as part of its metabolism, and exist naturally in some plant-based foods, including healthy ones like spinach, beets, rhubarb, nuts, chocolate and certain berries. So if you’re “eating a lot of food high in oxalate,” you’re just eating lots of these foods. Most people don’t have an issue with this, but some may benefit from limiting intake.
How to remove oxalates from body?
There’s no magic flush for oxalate, but there are a couple things you can do daily to help your body get rid of excess: Drink lots of water to help your kidneys flush out the oxalate, eat calcium at the same time as oxalate so that the oxalate will bind to the calcium in the gut and be excreted rather than absorbed, and take magnesium with high-oxalate foods to help limit its absorption. If you have a history of kidney stones, check with your practitioner before making any major dietary adjustments.
There is no magic flush, but drinking plenty of water helps flush out excess oxalate by supporting your kidneys, and supporting a healthy microbiome with probiotic-rich foods may help reduce the amount absorbed. If you have a history of kidney stones, please check in with your practitioner before making big changes.
Can probiotics help reduce oxalates?
Certain gut bacteria, particularly Oxalobacter formigenes, are associated with degrading oxalates in the digestive tract. Supporting a healthy microbiome with probiotic-rich foods and supplements may help reduce the amount of oxalate absorbed from the diet.
Does vitamin B6 help lower oxalates?
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in the metabolism of glyoxylate, a precursor to oxalate. Adequate B6 intake is associated with lower endogenous oxalate production, particularly in people with certain forms of hyperoxaluria.
What are the symptoms of high oxalates in the body?
A healthcare provider can order urine testing to assess oxalate levels.
Does vitamin C cause high oxalates?
In some people, high doses of vitamin C may be metabolized to oxalate, and could cause increased oxalate excretion in the urine. Individuals who are susceptible to calcium oxalate kidney stones may wish to check with their doctor about their vitamin C intake.
How long does it take to flush oxalates from the body?
There is no one-size-fits-all timeline, however, with enough fluids, sufficient calcium and magnesium, and fewer oxalates in your diet, the body may be supported in excreting oxalates in the weeks to months following dietary changes. It is important not to reduce oxalates in your diet too much at once, as this can lead to unpleasant 'dumping' effects.
Does lemon water help flush oxalates from the body?
Lemon water provides both fluid and citrate. Citrate is associated with binding calcium in the urine, which may help inhibit the formation of calcium oxalate crystals. Drinking lemon water throughout the day may support hydration and urinary citrate levels.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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