So, there was a sad day in the Marsh household when I found out that my beloved spinach salad was the culprit in my excruciating leg pain that would often keep me up at night. Yep, the healthies attacked me.
If you are suffering from pain throughout your body, especially when pain meds may not touch them, you may want to look at the family of foods known as Oxalates.
Oxalates, or oxalic acid, are organic compounds in many plants, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. While these foods are integral to a nutrient-rich diet, high levels of oxalates can pose health risks for specific individuals, especially those prone to kidney stones. But don’t let stones be your only guideline – I’ve never had a stone, yet oxalate foods are the quickest way to make my body ache in a manner I wish I could disconnect my legs from my body and have me not sleep comfortably for days.
Why do these foods cause pain? Two main theories exist.
- The first is the philosophy that everything in your body has to bind or convert to something else to be used properly. Oxalates bind to minerals like calcium, leaving them unusable for other conversions. Eating a diet rich in oxalate foods can prevent your body from absorbing these minerals and other beneficial nutrients, which, over time, can deplete your reserves and lead to dysfunction and muscle pain.
- The second is the gut bacteria Oxalobacter formigenes, which relies on oxalates as their energy source; when in abundance, this lessens oxalate buildup. Antibiotics often eliminate this type of bacteria, leading to quick oxalate buildup. So this means not only prescriptions you’ve taken but also eating meats that have been fed antibiotics. Repairing the gut by sourcing local meats, incorporating fermented foods, eliminating wheat/gluten (not casually, not every once in a while, but COMPLETELY), and lowering sugar intake to under 40g daily (under 20g for kids) can be the first step to introducing these foods back into your diet. If you want to read more on healing your gut, click here!
So, if you have eaten these foods and had zero problems but now find they are causing issues, it’s also time to boost your calcium and other nutrients. More on this below!
So What Are The High-Oxalate Foods?
Foods rich in oxalates include leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and certain fruits and vegetables. Here are some notable examples:
- Spinach stands out for its high oxalate content. A half-cup of cooked spinach contains approximately 755 mg, but cooked spinach goes over 1000 mg.
- Soy products are also significant sources, with tofu and soy milk containing up to 336 mg per serving.
- Almonds, a nutrient-dense nut, contain around 122 mg of oxalates per ounce (or 22 almonds).
- Cashews: 50 mg per serving
- Potatoes: A medium-baked potato has 97 mg of oxalates per serving. Much of this content is in the potato’s skin, which could be removed to help lower content.
- Beets are one of the highest vegetables, with 152 mg per serving.
- Navy beans and legumes have 76 mg per 1/2 cup serving.
- Fruits like raspberries 48 mg per cup
- Dates also contain considerable amounts, 24 mg per cup.
- Rhubarb: over 500 mg per serving
- Rice bran and buckwheat groats: 100 mg to 300 mg per serving
- Miso: over 100 mg per serving
- Cocoa powder and hot chocolate: 65 mg per serving
- Packaged Cereals: 40-100 mg per serving
- Wheat: 10-100mg, depending on sourcing
- Grains: wheat berries, corn grits/cornmeal, bulgar, and millet have between 60 mg to 100 mg per serving
- Certain types of flour: soy flour (90 mg per serving), brown rice flour (65 mg per serving), and barley flour (40 mg per serving)
- Spices and supplements like turmeric, cloves, and cinnamon contain high levels per serving, necessitating cautious use in a low-oxalate diet. Removing these from the supplement plan is essential for those taking these spices for inflammation but still have body pain.
- Ascorbic acid and Greens supplements must be avoided as they can contribute to oxalate buildup.
How to reduce oxalate foods
When I first went down this rabbit hole of foods containing oxalates, it was overwhelming and depressing as some of my favorite foods were on this list. But once I eliminated them and discovered how good my body felt without them, the nagging voice in the back of my head that told me I was getting older, therefore, I should hurt, was answered with um, no, you have control over this, and I became excited over the knowledge. Elimination is the gift I give myself.
Many of these foods can still be part of a healthy diet, so it helps to remember that you don’t need to avoid foods high in oxalate altogether. Instead, be mindful when eating these foods so you don’t accidentally load up on oxalates. The goal is to limit oxalate rather than eliminate it altogether. The only one I completely avoid is spinach, the rest I can do in moderation.
A typical diet might include 200 to 300 milligrams of oxalates daily. Those at risk of oxalate-related health issues should aim for less than 50 milligrams. Your goals should include:
- Avoid foods with high oxalate content, especially those over 100 milligrams per serving.
- Increase Calcium Lactate and Cataplex B when you go over your oxalate goal.
Low-Oxalate Foods
- Bbok choy is an excellent green with minimal oxalate levels.
- Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are nearly oxalate-free and nutrient-rich.
- Sweet potatoes serve as a better choice over regular potatoes.
- Broccoli and kidney beans are low in oxalates and high in nutrients.
- Berries like blueberries and blackberries are lower in oxalates compared to raspberries.
Do I eat these foods? Yes, on rare occasions, but I don’t double dose and make sure it’s less than one time a month. Remember, the goal is not to eliminate oxalates but to manage their intake wisely.
Want to go deeper? Check out our Gut Healing Protocol
