What are Oxalates and How Do You Deal with Them?

How the Golden Rule Helps Spread the Gospel

Oxalate is a simple plant defense chemical and it binds to other minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.(1) When this happens, it creates tiny crystals that can lead to all sorts of problems like kidney stones, abdominal pain, diarrhea and muscle or joint pain. Oxalates are present in many common foods, and understanding what they do in the body can help minimize their effects — especially if you are struggling with various inflammatory conditions like arthritis or autoimmune issues.

Some people are sensitive to oxalate and experience symptoms even from small amounts. If you like salads, shoot for arugula, cabbage or cruciferous vegetables as they are lower in oxalate. Arugula is my favorite and it’s the highest in natural nitrates to help your circulation. Avoid lettuce as it’s basically empty of nutrients and very difficult to digest.

Managing oxalate can be a real dance, especially if you have certain risk factors. Unfortunately, oxalate is in many healthy foods. For most people it’s not an issue, but a change in your health status can suddenly make it important to minimize your oxalate intake or to be aware of it.

Strategies for Managing Oxalates

Below are a few simple guidelines to keep in mind regardless of your current situation:

1. If you are missing a gallbladder or are not digesting your fats properly because of an inflammatory bowel condition or leaky gut, the calcium in your diet will bind with the undigested fat instead of oxalate.(2) As a result, you will eliminate what you need (the calcium and fat) and absorb the oxalate. Once in the blood, oxalate gets filtered out through your kidneys, and it is during this process that it can bind to calcium in your blood and form stones. Making sure you don’t eat too much fat or that you supplement with digestive enzymes can support your digestive system to prevent this.