Oxalates

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Oxalates are a waste product that is excreted in the liver during protein processing. They are highly reactive substances present in many plant products. Oxalates do not have any useful functions for the human body, on the contrary - they cause harm.

About half of oxalates fall through food. They are contained in almost every plant, where they bind calcium in insoluble compounds that accumulate in the leaves and bark of the plant, but are subsequently eliminated due to the fall. This is how plants get rid of excess calcium and oxalates.

Unfortunately, things are very different for people. Oxalates are released from food during digestion. They then bind to calcium in the small intestine to form salts (insoluble chemicals) that cannot be absorbed and leave the body in the stool.

Those oxalateswhich fail to bind to calcium are absorbed as soon as they enter the colon. This results in the accumulation of oxalates in the body. This is one of the main reasons why a calcium-poor diet is not recommended. As we have seen, it is vital for the release of oxalates.

Harm from oxalates

When oxalates accumulate in large quantities in human cells, this can lead to a decrease in levels of glutathione - a substance that helps detoxify the body. Oxalates provoke autoimmune reactions and promote the formation of crystals in various parts of the body, most commonly the kidneys.

In most cases, small amounts of oxalates are absorbed through food, but provided that the stomach is healthy. The medical literature indicates that when the stomach is inflamed or there is little fat breakdown, as well as prolonged diarrhea and constipation, food oxalates can be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and become dangerous for cells in the body.

Oxalates also disrupt the production of the enzyme carboxylase. In these cases, fungal infections can easily occur. High levels of oxalates can cause liver or intestinal disease.

In people with normal metabolism, about 15% of oxalates in food are absorbed in the digestive system and excreted in the urine. In patients with oxalate kidney stones, this percentage reaches 50.

Sources of oxalates

Foods can be divided into three groups with respect to oxalates. The first group are foods low in oxalates, contain less than 2 mg per serving, which means that it can be consumed without restriction. The second group are foods with moderate oxalate content - they contain from 2 to 7 mg of oxalates per 1 serving. No more than 3 such foods can be consumed per day. The last group are foods high in oxalates. They contain more than 7 mg per serving and should therefore be avoided.

With regard to beverages with a high content of oxalates are dark beer, draft beer, natural chocolate, chocolate milk, black tea, soy drinks, instant drinks and instant coffee. Moderate are coffee, cranberry juice, orange juice and grape juice, orangeade. Low oxalate content is bottled beer, apple juice, lemonade, water, wine, ginger drinks, milk, instant tea, distilled alcohol.

In terms of dairy products, high in oxalate content are chocolate milk, soy cheese, soy milk. Low in oxalates are milk, yogurt, cheese, buttermilk. There are no products with moderate oxalate content.

There are no products with a high content of meat oxalates. The liver and beef kidneys have a moderate content, and the other meat products have a low content.

The oil and all cooking fats are low in oxalates. Spices with a high content of oxalates are cinnamon, fresh parsley, ginger, soy sauce and black pepper. Fresh basil and malt have a moderate content, and all the others have a low content.

Fruits with high oxalate content are blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, raisins, orange peel, lime and lemon, strawberries, tangerines, rhubarb, kiwi. Moderate plums, pineapple, pears, peaches, oranges, grapefruit, dried cranberries, unpeeled apples, apricots. Low in raisins, watermelon, papaya, white grapes, canned blueberries, melons, avocados, peeled apples, cherries, bananas.

High-fat vegetables are beans, beets, eggplant, celery, chives, chicory, spinach, summer zucchini, sweet potatoes, Swedish spinach, olives, watercress, vegetable soup, tomato soup. With a moderate content of oxalates are artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, mushrooms, peeled cucumbers, fresh tomatoes, onions, corn, alabaster. Low in cauliflower are cauliflower, cabbage, green and yellow zucchini, red peppers, radish roots, radishes.

Bread and starch products with moderate oxalate content are corn tortilla, corn bread, corn starch, brown rice, white or wheat flour, barley. Low-fat are ready-made cereals for breakfast, bread, rice.