To lower oxalate, you must stay within your budget. Most doctors say, “Stay away from green leafy vegetables” and “drink lots of water.” Rarely do they give you an oxalate number to stick to, and they always forget a few more key points.
How much oxalate can you safely have per day?
Simple. You can eat up to 100 mg/ox/day unless your doctor has given you different instructions. The only people who may have been told to eat less than 100 mg of oxalate daily are those with malabsorption issues.
Patients with Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, or who have had a bariatric surgery may have been given a lower oxalate/day max. However, some of you do not have those medical/surgical conditions but have been told to limit your oxalate to 50 mg/day.
That is much too restrictive; sometimes, doctors throw out generic numbers. Remember, most oxalate is found in plant food, so I do not want you to lower your plant consumption to unnecessary limits.
If your doctor has told you to lower your oxalate to 50mg/day, and you don’t have any other medical reason, please push back and ask if you can go up to 100. I have never had any blowback from a doctor or high oxalate readings on a urine collection test with the 100 max goal. NEVER. And I have seen thousands of urine collection results. So you can be rest assured that it is safe for you.
BTW, you can download all the Kidney Stone Diet® goals (including oxalate) from my Start Page.
You made kidney stones (if your oxalate was the reason) because you overate spinach, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, and gobs of peanut butter every day without getting your calcium needs met—the end.
This is how I present the oxalate solution to my patients and students.
I am opening your bank account and depositing 100 bucks of oxalate. I will also give you a debit card. You can have any food you like if you do not go over your budget. Want a sweet potato? You can have it, watch the portion, and have it with a calcium beverage. No problem.
You’ll need your Harvard Oxalate List if you don’t already have it. Double check the oxalate food list here and there, and use the Searchable Oxalate Food List too—you can put it on your phone, which is handy. Go to my help desk to find out how to do that.
I often find patients not eating foods they can actually have. They refrain because they THINK the food is too high. Check your searchable oxalate food list!
My job is to help you understand oxalate so you can stay stone-free but continue to eat almost all fruits and veggies. If you watch portion size and get your calcium needs met daily, you won’t have to miss your favorite healthy foods anymore. But remember, spinach, almonds, cashews, and chia seeds are OFF your table.
Getting your calcium needs met is crucial to lowering oxalate. Read this article on how to do that.
I hope this clears up your oxalate concerns. Here are some very popular questions with solutions to understand oxalate better.
Why do oxalate lists vary so much?
What do you do when your favorite food has not been studied for oxalate?
Your friend,
Jill
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