Are raspberries high in oxalate?

In this episode of the Kidney Stone Diet podcast, hosts Jeff Sarris and Jill Harris discuss the oxalate levels in raspberries and their implications for kidney stone prevention. They emphasize the importance of portion control and variety in the diet, encouraging listeners to incorporate a range of berries while being mindful of their overall intake. The conversation also touches on creative cooking and meal planning strategies to maintain a healthy diet without sacrificing flavor or enjoyment.

Takeaways

• Raspberries are now considered low in oxalate.
• Portion control is crucial for preventing kidney stones.
• Eating a variety of foods is beneficial for gut health.
• Many people overconsume single foods, leading to health issues.
• Meal planning can simplify healthy eating.
• Switching out ingredients can keep meals interesting.
• Education about food choices is essential for kidney stone prevention.
• Recipes can include higher oxalate foods in moderation.
• Creativity in cooking can enhance meal enjoyment.
• Understanding oxalate levels helps in making informed dietary choices.

00:00 Understanding Raspberries and Oxalate Levels
02:48 The Importance of Portion Control
05:57 Creative Cooking and Meal Planning for Kidney Stone Prevention

Are Raspberries High in Oxalate?

Are raspberries high in oxalate? Let’s talk about that.

So we’re here in person. We love in person. Yeah, this is always fun recording a few extra things while we’re here. But today we’re talking about raspberries and are they high in oxalate? Are they going to give you kidney stones? Sort of what do you need to think about raspberries specifically?

Harvard Changed the Numbers Again

Right, raspberries. Raspberries are confusing because before Harvard changed the oxalate list, because they re-studied some foods, raspberries were, people were always very cautious with raspberries. They were on the higher side. I always told my patients, of course, they can incorporate in their diet, but people were afraid. So they would just take raspberries totally out. They never had to do that because, as my shirt says, we’re known for, at Kidney Stone Diet, portion not perfection. So raspberries now, Harvard re-studied them and,

Now Harvard says they’re only two and a half milligrams of oxalate per half a cup of raspberries. And so when Harvard originally changed their oxalate list, blueberries were low, raspberries were high. Now raspberries are low and blueberries are on the higher scale.

Don’t Go Overboard Just Because They’re Low

But guys, here’s what I want to tell you as I itch my nose. Here’s what I’m going to say. It’s very important for you to understand that you can eat all the berries. So the problem is when you guys see that something’s low in oxalate, like right now raspberries, when Harvard re-studied raspberries and they came out as low, people were like, “Oh my God, I can’t wait to eat bushels and bushels of raspberries.” And that’s how many of you got kidney stones to begin with. You take one food, you eat as much as you want of it, and believe me, people do funny things with food, eating tons of it, not getting your calcium needs met, and that’s how you got a kidney stone in a lot of cases.

So raspberries are lower in oxalate now, blueberries are a little higher. For an example, here’s what I’m gonna tell you to do. You may want more than a half a cup of berries, raspberries. So instead of overeating one certain berry, just get all the berries. Like when I’m making my Greek yogurt, I put all the berries in there, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry. This way, I do have blueberries in there, which are a little higher in oxalate, but I’m not putting even the half a cup that Harvard studied, right? So I’m having maybe a quarter of a cup of each of the berries, along with the product that has nice amount of calcium, and then I don’t worry about the oxalate.

The Real Problem: People Don’t Know What to Eat

So, so many people come to me and they are, they just don’t know what to eat. That is the biggest problem with kidney stone formers. They don’t know what to eat. They were told a million different things. And if you download the Harvard list at kidneystonediet.com and look at the foods that you want to eat and see how much oxalate’s in there, you’re going to see that there’s plenty to eat. It’s all about portion size. No longer can you just grab as much as you want of a food. It’s just not the right thing to do. Kidney stones are not. We should be eating a wide variety of foods in normal portion sizes because our gut really likes a lot of different foods because we have a lot. Trillions of bacteria in there and they don’t want just oatmeal and blueberries every day. Okay, so getting a wide amount of variety in your diet really helps.

Jeff, I got to tell you this. So there was, I got an email this week and in the email the guy said to me “I love broccoli. I love the broccolini, the skinny broccoli, whatever the hell that broccoli is.” And he said “I really like it and I know broccoli is low so what about this?” and I said “Well it’s in the broccoli family it’s gonna be low.” He said “But I’m eating four bundles, not four pieces, four bundles” and I’m like “Well I don’t care about the oxalate but I worry that you’re eating four bundles of broccoli. Why would one do that?” And it’s because people find something they like, it’s easy, they don’t have to think about it and that’s what they do.

So people are always like people. People say, “Well, who would do that?” Guys, you’re going to be surprised what you all do with food, because I listen to it every day. But it’s pretty amazing.

Systems and Variety Make It Easier

Are you good about getting different foods? So that is something that’s because our systems like we love building systems. Amara is actually off camera right now. But like we do a lot of things all the time. So figuring out systems of what we eat and whatnot when I was the only one cooking. She laughs because she got so exhausted of the foods because it was like, “Well, I know I can make this quick.” Or like, “I always have this on hand.” It’s hard. Like, none of this is easy. It’s all a challenge. We’re trying to just be a little better every day. So like, yeah, I can definitely relate to just diving in and being like, “OK, I love broccoli,” which I kind of do. Broccoli with some butter on it. Right. Who doesn’t love anything with butter on it? Broccoli and butter. Yeah, absolutely. That’d be so good. Like all the time. But yeah, can’t have it every day.

So I’ll tell people, they’ll be like, “Jill, I don’t have time to be thinking about this.” Number one, I’ll say go get the meal plan because it’s all figured out for you. All those easy recipes from kidneystonediet.com. But the other thing is this. So if you go to the grocery store and you like your meat and your vegetable, say you’re paleo or low carb or whatever, just change out the meat. You know what I mean? So say you did have steak on a Tuesday. You have leftovers. Maybe you’re going to eat that for lunch again. Just switch out vegetables. It doesn’t have to be a totally different recipe. Just switch out the meat, switch out the vegetables, and you can have basically the same type of meal, but different ingredients. So your gut and your whole body gets different stuff. Does that make sense?

For sure. And that’s the beauty with the meal plans, too, is there’s so many different recipes, you can mix and match within them. So it is like, I mean, you’ve spent so much time getting those refined and exactly what how they would be tasty still. That’s always a concern. People are like, “Is this going to taste like a plant or what?”

Making Cooking Fun and Creative

You’ll know it’s all my food. I have to eat it. I’m making it. So it’s all delicious. It really is. And it’s simple, too. But like today. So I’m feeding Jeff and Amara after we tape. And so I just went in my, in my “who’s eat” that box back there, the refrigerator and what do I have? I’m going to put it all together. I’m going to figure out the herbs that I want with it. And it’s going to be a delicious, wonderful salad.

I think cooking too, which you know I never cooked at all. But I think part of it is so much fun because you get to be creative and you get to figure out like, “Have I ever seen this on a menu? I don’t know. I don’t think this is going to pair well.” Or I ask, I’ll say Pam, but you know who I’m talking about behind me, that box. I’ll ask her, “Does this pair well with this?” And she’ll say no. And then I’ll try something like, “What about chives with this? Or what about mint with this? Or does mint and basil pair well?” You know, so I mean, it’s just so much fun to get creative with things like that. And just, I have made some kick ass recipes. I’ve got to say.

Absolutely. Yeah. Well, and to keep the oxalate low. Like, so not zero. We’re not like oxalate first. We’re only talking about this so much because it is such a valuable service that people find. Yes. But there’s also free recipes on the site. Yeah. kidneystonediet.com. You don’t have to be a part of meal plans to benefit from Jill’s probably thousand at least hundreds of hours of refining recipes, but probably over a thousand hours at this point.

I would say yes. Years. But yeah, you can find the things and explanations why maybe something that might be higher in oxalate is in it. And you’re like, “I thought I couldn’t do that anymore.” Well, now it’s just the shirt. That’s right.

The Educational Component Is Key

One of the best parts that I like is, I’m a total nerd, is I like I write the notes for all the recipes because I know people are going to say, “Why in God’s green earth did you use this? It’s a little higher in oxalate.” But when you’re just when it’s portion not perfection, people write me all the time. They’re like, “Oh my God, Jill, I’m finally bringing back all these foods. I didn’t think I can eat.” So that’s the best part. The education that comes with each recipe. That’s my most fun thing that I do with the recipe. I mean, I love making the things, but being able to say this is why I chose these ingredients and yes, you can bring them back to your diet. It’s amazing.

Yeah, that’s huge. To sort of bring it full circle now with raspberries, berries, again, we’re a lot of, we’re talking about portion not perfection and sort of integrating it in and using it to the degree that makes sense for you in pursuing a prevention of kidney stones in the future.

Yep. Yep. So it’s as easy as that. So we appreciate you tuning in and we will see you next week. Have a great day, everybody.