8 Oxalate Rich Foods You Shouldn’t Avoid
Oxalate is an anti-nutrient formed when oxalic acid binds with minerals. Vegetables, fruits, and animal food rich in oxalic acid and minerals have high levels of oxalate. When consumed, they can form compounds like calcium oxalate and iron oxalate in human bodies. These are harmful compounds responsible for kidney stones, UTI infections, and other issues.
How Does Oxalic Acid Forms Oxalates?
The process starts with oxalic acids binding with minerals. In the human body, it starts in the gut. But sometimes it also happens in the kidney and urinary tract. Oxalates are harmful compounds and for this reason, they are flushed out in urine and stool. But sometimes oxalates aren’t flushed and are allowed to develop as stones like kidney stones and UTI infections. It is for this reason that people with kidney problems are advised to avoid oxalate rich foods.
Do you know vitamin C also can get converted into oxalate on getting metabolized?
Should I Avoid Oxalate Rich Foods?
People with kidney stones, UTI infections, or other issues related to oxalates should avoid consuming food items that have high levels of oxalates. But if you are a healthy person with no oxalate problem, you can eat oxalate rich food items for their mineral and other nutrients.
A high oxalate level in a food item is an indication that the food has a high level of minerals as well. For example, take spinach which is good for your overall health. It is also high in oxalate but you can keep consuming spinach until your body is flushing the oxalates out.
Before making an opinion on whether you should eat oxalate rich foods, you should first check which foods are rich in oxalates and what are their health benefits. Oxalate rich foods are widely consumed for their nutritional value. Also, you can take preventive measures for kidney stones and UTI infections.
Oxalate Rich Foods
Spinach
This green leafy vegetable is called a superfood because of its nutritional content. It is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. It also contains plant compounds like Lutein, Nitrates, Quercetin, Kaempferol, and Zeaxanthin. But it is also high in oxalate compounds. A half-cup of cooked spinach contains 755 milligrams of oxalates.
Spinach is widely consumed for its health benefits which include good bone health, good eyesight, weight loss, reduced hypertension, improved brain function, and a boost in immunity.
Soy Products
If you are on a plant-based diet, you should include soy products in your diet to get protein and other nutrients. But you should also be careful about the oxalate content of soybeans. One cup of soy milk or yogurt can have up to 336 milligrams of oxalates per serving. Similarly, a 3-ounce serving of firm tofu has 235 milligrams of oxalate.
Soy products can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), and some cancers. Also, can improve bone health.
