1. < Kidney & Bladder

Oxalates in food

Posted by rabbitmommy @rabbitmommy, Jan 22, 2019

For several months I have had kidney stone symptoms. I am waiting on a test to be authorized. In the meantime I have been researching low oxalate foods. All of my favorite foods appear to be loaded with oxalates: beets and beet greens, spinich, sweet potatoes, nuts, sesame seeds, garbonzo beans.....what is really confusing me is all the conflicting information. On some lists sunflower seeds are low others very high....I bought a bulk supply of mung beans and split peas because a list said the are low in oxalates, but now I am finding other lists that say they are high. Pumpkin also has conflicting results.....at this point I am afraid to eat anything!

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terryg222 | @terryg222 | Feb 10, 2019

Hello. I passed a stone in October and have been wresting with my diet ever since. I have been on and off the Whole 30 program for the last year, which is high in fat, veggies and protein. Most of the things I've been eating it turns out are high in oxalates. (spinach, nuts, beets)
My doctor did not say to avoid these foods, he only said drink more water, include citrusy drinks, and reduce my sodium.
I've avoided high oxalate foods and have been drinking tons of water the last few months.
So the question to the group: can you eat high oxalate foods but compensate by drinking more water (or water with lemon juice) to flush out those oxalates? For example, can I eat a spinach salad but reduce the impact of the spinach by drinking more water?
Thanks

REPLY
2 replies
kamama94 | @kamama94 | Feb 10, 2019

@terryg222, that certainly sounds logical. I'd be interested to hear what the experts say about this. My own doctor has told me adding lemon to my diet might help prevent stone formation. I've also read that getting the right amount of calcium in one's diet can keep the level of oxalates from rising to form stones even though this might sound counter-intuitive since a certain type of kidney stone is calcium oxalate formed in the presence of high uric acid and high oxalate content. I'm no expert and this is not professional medical advice, it's just what I've been told or read. Since I have an atrophied left kidney due to a stone blockage, I'd like to know if this is all true..

REPLY
randyr | @randyr | Feb 10, 2019
In reply to @terryg222 "Hello. I passed a stone in October and have been wresting with my diet ever since...." + (show)
@terryg222

Hello. I passed a stone in October and have been wresting with my diet ever since. I have been on and off the Whole 30 program for the last year, which is high in fat, veggies and protein. Most of the things I've been eating it turns out are high in oxalates. (spinach, nuts, beets)
My doctor did not say to avoid these foods, he only said drink more water, include citrusy drinks, and reduce my sodium.
I've avoided high oxalate foods and have been drinking tons of water the last few months.
So the question to the group: can you eat high oxalate foods but compensate by drinking more water (or water with lemon juice) to flush out those oxalates? For example, can I eat a spinach salad but reduce the impact of the spinach by drinking more water?
Thanks

Jump to this post

This is a great question. For most people, I think eating some high oxylate foods is ok as long as you’re drinking a lot of water to flush them out. In my case, I was unknowingly eating a high oxylate diet between 2013-2018. I saw no symptoms until early 2018 when I was fatigued and getting really cold in the pool (anemia). I was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney disease due to severe oxylate damage. My Nephrologist doesn’t know why, but my theory is I overwhelmed my system with oxylates. Stable GFR now but on low oxylate diet and drinking 3-4L a day.

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1952 | @1952 | Mar 21, 2019

I also need a low oxylate / low sodium diet. I just went through 2 laser surgeries to remove a 25mm stone from my ureter and just got my other kidney blasted for a 10mm stone. Yes everything I've read on line is contradictory. I wish someone would put out a weekly diet plan to follow. On Tuesday I am visiting with a nutritionist to see just what I can eat. Until then I will eat in moderation and drink plenty of water and stay away from the obvious high oxylate foods.

REPLY
1 reply
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Mar 21, 2019
In reply to @1952 "I also need a low oxylate / low sodium diet. I just went through 2 laser..." + (show)
@1952

I also need a low oxylate / low sodium diet. I just went through 2 laser surgeries to remove a 25mm stone from my ureter and just got my other kidney blasted for a 10mm stone. Yes everything I've read on line is contradictory. I wish someone would put out a weekly diet plan to follow. On Tuesday I am visiting with a nutritionist to see just what I can eat. Until then I will eat in moderation and drink plenty of water and stay away from the obvious high oxylate foods.

Jump to this post

Here are some foods I was told to eat very sparingly. The things I like most are moderate to high in oxalates, I really like many of the things listed, well as much as you can like veggies. These foods are high in oxalates.

Nuts
Grains
Kale
Leeks
Mustard greens
Okra
Parsley
spinach
Peppers
Sweet potatoes
Rutabagas
Summer squash
Swiss chard
Watercress
Eggplant
Cucumbers
Chives
Celery
Beets
Green wax beans
Blueberries strawberries raspberries dewberries
Blackberries
Fruit cocktail
Purple grapes
Lemon, lime, orange peel
Rhubarb
Tangerine
Grits, white corn
Take care of yourself,
Jake

REPLY
3 replies
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Mar 22, 2019
In reply to @terryg222 "Hello. I passed a stone in October and have been wresting with my diet ever since...." + (show)
@terryg222

Hello. I passed a stone in October and have been wresting with my diet ever since. I have been on and off the Whole 30 program for the last year, which is high in fat, veggies and protein. Most of the things I've been eating it turns out are high in oxalates. (spinach, nuts, beets)
My doctor did not say to avoid these foods, he only said drink more water, include citrusy drinks, and reduce my sodium.
I've avoided high oxalate foods and have been drinking tons of water the last few months.
So the question to the group: can you eat high oxalate foods but compensate by drinking more water (or water with lemon juice) to flush out those oxalates? For example, can I eat a spinach salad but reduce the impact of the spinach by drinking more water?
Thanks

Jump to this post

@terryg222
Hi
Like @1952 said about oxalates “Everything I’ve read online is contradictory” it sure is. I drink so much water I feel like I’m drowning and my doctor told me that drinking more water may not help. I’m only allowed to drink water and 2 cups of milk a day. Unfortunately chocolate milk is high in oxalates as well as fat, naturally. I had a spinach salad and a sweet potato and my oxalate level was through the roof.
Take care,
Jake

REPLY
1 reply
randyr | @randyr | Mar 22, 2019
In reply to @jakedduck1 "Here are some foods I was told to eat very sparingly. The things I like most..." + (show)
@jakedduck1

Here are some foods I was told to eat very sparingly. The things I like most are moderate to high in oxalates, I really like many of the things listed, well as much as you can like veggies. These foods are high in oxalates.

Nuts
Grains
Kale
Leeks
Mustard greens
Okra
Parsley
spinach
Peppers
Sweet potatoes
Rutabagas
Summer squash
Swiss chard
Watercress
Eggplant
Cucumbers
Chives
Celery
Beets
Green wax beans
Blueberries strawberries raspberries dewberries
Blackberries
Fruit cocktail
Purple grapes
Lemon, lime, orange peel
Rhubarb
Tangerine
Grits, white corn
Take care of yourself,
Jake

Jump to this post

I have read that lake and cucumbers are not high in oxylates.

REPLY
1952 | @1952 | Mar 23, 2019
In reply to @jakedduck1 "@terryg222 Hi Like @1952 said about oxalates “Everything I’ve read online is contradictory” it sure is...." + (show)
@jakedduck1

@terryg222
Hi
Like @1952 said about oxalates “Everything I’ve read online is contradictory” it sure is. I drink so much water I feel like I’m drowning and my doctor told me that drinking more water may not help. I’m only allowed to drink water and 2 cups of milk a day. Unfortunately chocolate milk is high in oxalates as well as fat, naturally. I had a spinach salad and a sweet potato and my oxalate level was through the roof.
Take care,
Jake

Jump to this post

How did you test your oxylate level?

REPLY
1 reply
nene22 | @nene22 | Mar 23, 2019
In reply to @kamama94 "@rabbitmommy How very frustrating! I can relate. In the past I had kidney stones. Apparently one..." + (show)
@kamama94

@rabbitmommy How very frustrating! I can relate. In the past I had kidney stones. Apparently one lodged in my left kidney just above the ureter. The symptoms resolved and I thought I had passed the stone. I couldn't afford a follow-up scan at the time so nobody knew it was still there. Eventually that left kidney completely atrophied. We didn't discover THAT until my GFR dropped after a bout of flu so I have only one functioning kidney. I went on a renal diet and switched from a plant-based diet to primarily vegetarian and, recently, to vegan and my GFR has gone from 28 to 37 in less than a year. Then, like you, I learned that much on a renal diet, especially a vegan one, has oxalates. I am NOT suggesting you do what I did. I threw up my hands and decided to stay on my current diet since right now it's working. I know I'm risking stone formation and I'm not happy about that but don't know what else to do.

I do know that most kidney stones are formed from calcium and oddly enough, CKD reduces the amount of calcium (and reduces the amount of urine,) hence reducing the likelihood of stone formation. This was one of the reasons I chose not to limit foods with oxalates. Personal choice, that. I'm not advocating for anyone else to do so.

It may sound counterintuitive but reducing dietary calcium isn't the answer. Pairing calcium-containing foods with oxalates in foods actually can help and so can reducing sodium. So can adequate hydration for those not on fluid restriction.

I've done a lot of research on pphosphorus, potassium, sodium, and protein content of various foods but have avoided trying to find out if what I now eat is high-oxalate. I guess I don't want to know. Recently someone in one of these groups posted a list of oxalate content in food, perhaps @CollenYoung or @rosemarya can find that list because I would like to have it also.

Jump to this post

My SO had a kidney stone that had to be surgically removed and his doctor gave him a paper that told high oxalate foods but he had to ask for it. Perhaps your doctor has one.]

REPLY
Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Mar 23, 2019
In reply to @1952 "How did you test your oxylate level?" + (show)
@1952

How did you test your oxylate level?

Jump to this post

@1952
Good morning @1952,
I did a 24hr urine collection and it tests for 35 things including 3 oxalate levels. There is also a blood test for Oxalates.
Jake

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