OXALATES

By Dr. Lawrence Wilson

All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Oxalates are mineral compounds that are irritating to the kidneys and other organs of the body. They are found in all foods, but are highest in certain berries and in some green leafy vegetables.

Eating a small amount of oxalates is not a problem for most people, unless one has very damaged kidneys, and this is rare. In other words, there is no reason to avoid all oxalates.

Eating too many oxalates, however, may cause aches and pains, or one can develop oxalate kidney stones. This would only occur if one eats a lot of the foods listed below.

Avoiding too many oxalates is easy to do by avoiding eating a lot of high-oxalate foods. These are listed below.

VEGETABLES HIGH IN OXALATES

Beet greens

Purslane

Rhubarb

Spinach

Beets

Swiss chard

Poke greens

Endive, raw

Cocoa, dried

Dandelion greens, cooked

Okra, cooked

Sweet potatoes, cooked

Kale, cooked

Peanuts, raw

Turnip greens

Chocolate, unsweetened

PRODUCTS AND SITUATIONS THAT MAY INCREASE OXALATE ABSORPTION

Products. These include high-dose vitamin C, high-dose vitamin B1, B6 and magnesium, and fructose. The latter is found in fruits, fruit juices, and many sweetened foods and beverages.

Situations. Inflammation of the intestines and/or a “leaky gut”. This allows more oxalates to be absorbed.

Normally, certain bacteria in the intestines break down and destroy oxalates in the diet. However, improper intestinal flora could reduce the number of these bacteria, and this would result in more oxalates remaining in the intestinal tract. This situation is somewhat common in the general population.

THE BODY MAKES SOME OXALATES

A body out of balance, in particular, makes some oxalates. If the body is brought into a healthy state, the production of oxalates slows down.

NUTRITIONAL BALANCING PROGRAMS AVOID TOO MANY OXALATES

I am not aware that oxalates are a major problem for people on a nutritional balancing program. Ways that nutritional balancing programs limit one’s exposure and internal production of oxalates are:

1. I suggest avoiding all green drinks and green smoothies. Particularly avoid those made with spinach or kale. Please never have these high-oxalate drinks or juices.

2. Avoid berries. Many of these are also high in oxalates.

3. The diets require two servings daily of the root vegetables, two servings daily of the cruciferous vegetables daily, but only one serving of greens daily.

4. The nutritional balancing diets require a variety of vegetables.

5. Nutritional balancing gets rid of a “leaky gut” and gut inflammation that can increase the absorption of oxalates by up to 50 times (from 1 or 2% to up to 50%.)

6. By normalizing the flora and other aspects of digestion, the body will produce fewer oxalates.

7. We recommend Renamide, a kidney glandular product, as an option for most people. It is recommended for various reasons. However, it can help in some cases of oxalate poisoning.

References

1. http://www.lowoxalate.info.

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