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. It’s a perfect mixture for making a calcium oxalate kidney stone.

My vegan and vegetarian patients and students, however, are still safely eating black beans (I am reading their follow-up urine collections in which they are eating black beans and getting calcium simultaneously). I must say that I find it annoying that Harvard did NOT study such a common bean. They studied burritos containing black beans, for Pete’s sake, but not the bean itself. Go figure!

You will find recipes in my kidney stone diet meal plan that include them. I am comfortable with 1/2 cup portion sizes and pairing them with a calcium source like Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt! Put some chives and dill in 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 that weren’t studied in 1/2 cup portions and pair them with calcium 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

Another little reminder. Don’t forget your low-oxalate produce list. Take a picture of it, 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? These are other ways for non-meat eaters to get protein!

Thanks for being here with me.

Your friend and advocate,
Jill