Whether you’re using an app to track your general nutrient intake, or trying to follow your doctor’s specific recommendations, understanding what’s in your favorite foods can help you manage long-term health. Consider learning about a low-oxalate diet to understand if starting one could be the next best step for your health.
What Is a Low-Oxalate Diet?
Low-oxalate diets are any dietary routine that prioritizes a minimal amount of oxalates in a person’s daily food intake. Oxalate is a compound primarily found in certain plants that affects calcium absorption. People may be more likely to develop kidney stones or hyperoxaluria if they’re sensitive to the compound.
Oxalate isn’t inherently bad for your health. If you’ve eaten vegetables all your life and never had a kidney stone, you’re likely not sensitive to them. However, you may want to experiment with a low-oxalate diet if kidney issues run in your family, if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, or if you have a sensitive stomach.
Choosing a daily oxalate intake limit is a personal decision. Talk with your doctor about what they’d recommend. You might start with the lowest milligram allowance and gradually introduce more oxalate to your diet to find your limit based on your body’s reactions. However, someone who’s highly prone to kidney stones may not want to take that risk.
Low-Oxalate Vegetables
You don’t have to miss out on vegetables if you’re trying to avoid a high-oxalate lifestyle. Explore veggies that have lower amounts of the compound to enjoy a whole foods diet without eliminating an entire food group.
1. Carrots
Many recipes include carrots because they’re a versatile veggie. You can simmer them in stews, toss them into a salad or eat them as a snack with flavorful dips. One cup of the root veggie contains 119% of the daily recommended vitamin K per serving, among other vitamins and minerals.
You’ll also find that they contain low amounts of oxalate. Carrots have an antinutrient range within 5%, so they’re an excellent option for a low-oxalate diet. You can enjoy them without stressing about your kidneys or your gut, especially if your other daily foods don’t surpass your doctor’s recommended limit when you add carrots to the mix.
2. Lettuce
While leafy greens might be medium- to high-oxalate vegetables, iceberg lettuce isn’t. The specific type of lettuce has 6 milligrams (mg) of oxalate in every 100-gram serving. You can still use it as the base for your salads or wraps without stressing about your new diet.
Additionally, use it to boost your water intake and form the base of many new healthy recipes. The water-dense leafy greens shouldn’t throw off your new eating routine.
3. Peas
When people talk about the oxalate in peas, they may reference the amount in the veggie’s dried version. Dried peas have 240-300 mg of oxalate in 100-gram portion sizes. Soaking or cooking them decreases that amount.
You can also enjoy canned or frozen peas — you’ll save time during food prep, and avoid the higher amounts of oxalate in the dried alternative of the veggie.
4. Asparagus
Throw asparagus on the grill, roast it in your air fryer, or steam it for a savory side. No matter how you prefer it, the veggie will easily align with your new eating habits. Asparagus has low levels of oxalate in each serving, so you can enjoy the vegetable without worrying about your health.
5. Cauliflower
Cauliflower can have between 50-95 mg of oxalate in every 100 grams, making it much lower than alternative leafy greens. If you’re trying to eat a low-carb diet and stay away from oxalate, this vegetable can become the base of numerous recipes. Explore vegan and vegetarian creations that have cauliflower as the main ingredient to discover new ways to enjoy it.
What high-oxalate foods to avoid
Oxalate is found in high amounts in coffee and chocolate. It also exists in foods like nuts, certain grains and seeds. If you’re highly sensitive to the antinutrient, you should explore the nutritional profiles of everything in your daily diet.
A nutritionist can help if you’re unsure how to find that information. If you eat low-oxalate vegetables and still have high amounts in other sneaky ingredients, you may not achieve the low-oxalate outcomes you want from your efforts. 😫
What Are Symptoms of High-Oxalate Levels?
Hyperoxaluria may occur if your urine has too much oxalate. You could experience sharp pain in your back around your kidneys, pain while peeing or an inability to pee. Some high-oxalate urine changes color, as well.
If your urine looks brown, red or pink, it could contain blood. Call your doctor if you have any unusual symptoms that may correspond to your oxalate sensitivity.
Transform Your Diet This Week
Talk with a qualified nutrition coach about reshaping your diet around low-oxalate vegetables. They could help you achieve your health goals and avoid adverse outcomes if you know which veggies are best for your body. Just drop us a line and we’ll find a time to talk!