The Oxalate Level of Beans

I hear from people all the time who say they miss eating beans. Most of the vegans and vegetarians I have worked with over the years were eating too many beans to get their protein needs met, along with never getting enough calcium into their diet. That’s a perfect recipe for a calcium oxalate kidney stone.

My vegan and vegetarian patients and students have been eating black beans for years and making sure they get enough calcium with their meals. I’ve been reviewing their follow-up 24-hour urine collections, and they’ve been doing just fine. For the longest time, I was annoyed that Harvard hadn’t studied such a common bean. They studied burritos containing black beans, for Pete’s sake, but not the bean itself. Go figure!

Well, I have good news. Harvard has finally added black beans to its updated oxalate list! A half cup of boiled, unsalted black beans contains just 10.5 mg of oxalate. So now we have a real number, and it’s another reminder that we don’t need to fear eating beans while following our Kidney Stone Diet® goals. And if you’re confused about when you actually need to pair calcium with oxalate-containing foods, read my article, Calcium and Oxalate: The Rule Most Stone Formers Get Wrong. I explain why calcium timing matters and why you don’t need to worry about pairing calcium with every little bit of oxalate you eat.

You will find recipes in my kidney stone diet meal plan that include them. I am comfortable with 1/2-cup portions and pairing them with a calcium source like Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt! Add chives and dill to the Greek yogurt to make it taste like sour cream! Try some of my free, no-sodium seasoning recipes! 

Here is a refresher on the beans Harvard studied. Please eat any beans not studied in 1/2-cup portions and pair them with a calcium-rich food or drink. I understand if you don’t want to waste half of your oxalate budget on soybeans.

Food Serving Size Oxalate Value 

• Burritos with Beans – 1 burrito – 17mg
• Burritos with Bean & Meat – 1 burrito – 16mg
• Chile with beans – 1 cup – 24mg
• Fava Beans – 1/2 cup – 20mg
• Mung Beans – 1/2 cup – 8mg
• Navy Beans – 1/2 cup – 96.3mg
• Red Kidney Beans – 1/ 2 cup – 9.9mg
• Refried Beans – 1/2 cup – 59.6mg
• Soybeans – 1 cup – 96mg
• String Beans – 1/2 cup – 9mg
• Black Beans – 1/2 cup – 10.5mg

Another little reminder. Don’t forget your low-oxalate produce list. Take a picture, keep it on your phone, and bring it to the grocery store on your next trip. I see so many people give up on foods they can absolutely still enjoy. Portion, not perfection!

Here is another resource about oxalate I wrote for the University of Chicago.

And remember this ‘ole article from my blog? Here are other ways non-meat eaters can get protein!

Thanks for being here with me.

Your friend and advocate,
Jill