Oxalate Food List

There is much more to the Kidney Stone Diet^® than just lowering oxalate. Starting learning about the Kidney Stone Diet® here or join the Kidney Stone Prevention Course for a deep dive into all of the diet goals, including oxalate.

Oxalate is a naturally occurring molecule that is found in plants and humans. In plants, oxalate helps get rid of excess calcium. But too much of it in us can cause kidney stones. Oxalate and calcium join together in the kidney and can cause kidney stones. Eighty percent of kidney stones are calcium oxalate.

This is the gold standard oxalate list researched and published by the folks at Harvard. My patients ask me all the time, “why should I trust this list when there are so many out there?” My answer has remained the same for the past 24 years. We (Dr. Coe and I and many other docs out there) trust this list because our patients lower their urine oxalate by using it. We know it works.

Have you been doing keto? Low carb? Are you a vegan? Vegetarian? Have you been eating healthy (lots of almonds and spinach) and lost weight but gained a stone? I have heard these and many other scenarios. Point is, I can help.

There is a misconception that you should avoid all oxalates, this is not only wrong and unhealthy for you but also impossible since our body makes oxalate—some of us more than others. Oxalate is a by-product of general metabolism. Get your reliable Harvard Oxalate Food List here.

Oxalate joins with calcium in our kidneys and can form stones. The more oxalate we eat and manufacture, the more likely these two salts combine, especially if we do not drink enough fluids and urinate the excess out. Learn more about oxalate here.

The highest oxalate foods can be found here: The top ten highest oxalate foods as studied by Harvard are (and in order of highest): Spinach, Rhubarb, Rice Bran, Buckwheat Groats, Almonds, Miso Soup, Wheat Berries, Corn Grits, Baked Potato with skin, and Soy beans. Get your Harvard oxalate list here.

Start with giving up almond products (almond milk and flour- I see you keto folks) and spinach as these two foods are the ones that are overeaten the most. After that you must make sure you are getting your daily calcium needs met and getting enough calcium will ensure oxalate is not reabsorbed back into the body.

First and foremost kidney stones.

The top ten highest oxalate foods as studied by Harvard are (and in order of highest): Spinach, Rhubarb, Rice Bran, Buckwheat Groats, Almonds, Miso Soup, Wheat Berries, Corn Grits, Baked Potato with skin, and Soy beans. Get your Harvard oxalate list here.

The most overeaten foods are almonds (and almond milk and almond flour), cashews, and spinach. Other high oxalate foods that are commonly overeaten (or drunk) are chocolate, beets, teas, beans, peanut butter, and sweet potatoes. This doesn’t mean you must give up all these foods and drinks. It does mean you need to stop overeating these common high-oxalate foods and get your calcium needs met each day. Go here for your Harvard oxalate food list.

Coffee is not high in oxalate. But drinking too much (over a few cups per day) can lead to dehydration. So, make sure you are getting your water goals met. Get your Harvard oxalate list here.

Eating less oxalate will lower oxalates. Fluids are very important for you as they will decrease the urine saturation and keep you well-hydrated. When you are well hydrated, you will have fewer stone-forming salts lingering around. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

Eggs have no oxalates. Here is a list of high-oxalate foods. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

Bananas as studied by Harvard is 10.3mg of ox per 1 banana. You can find Harvard’s oxalate food list here.

No, lemon juice can help a bit with making your urine more alkaline, and for those patients that have acidic urine, this may be helpful. Not everyone should be using lemons as a kidney stone prevention tactic. Completing a 24-hour urine collection will tell you if a lemon might aid you in preventing new kidney stones. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

Here is an image of what calcium oxalate crystals look like.

There have been no human studies that prove magnesium will remove excess oxalate. Find your reliable oxalate food list here.

Blueberries are medium in oxalate. Harvard studied them as being 18.5 mg per 1/2 cup of blueberries. Find your reliable oxalate food list here.

Avocados can safely be eaten on a lower oxalate diet. Harvard studied them as being 19 mg/oxalate per 1 whole med avocado. Find your reliable oxalate food list here.

Peanut butter can safely be eaten on a low oxalate diet if eaten within portion size. Harvard studied peanut butter as being 38.4 mg/oxalate per 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Find your oxalate food list here.

Black tea and iced teas made with black tea can be higher in oxalate. Stick with 1 – 2 cups per day and don’t overly steep. The more you steep, the higher the oxalate. Find your oxalate food list here.

Harvard has studied oatmeal and it comes in as zero oxalate per cup. Find your oxalate food list here.

The top ten highest oxalate foods as studied by Harvard are (and in order of highest): Spinach, Rhubarb, Rice Bran, Buckwheat Groats, Almonds, Miso Soup, Wheat Berries, Corn Grits, Baked Potato with skin, and Soy beans. Get your Harvard oxalate list here.

Epsom salts will not remove oxalates. Get your Harvard oxalate list here.

There are been numerous studies on green tea and it comes in as low on the oxalate scale. Get your Harvard oxalate list here.

There is not such thing as a potion or pill to “flush” your kidneys. Drink fluids and that will help keep your urine saturations low. You want to stay well hydrated to prevent kidney stones.

There is no reliable home test for oxalates. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

There are no supplements that have been proven to bind oxalates in humans. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

Primary hyperoxaluria which is a rare disease can cause damage to your kidneys. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

If you are a kidney stone former, you should ask your doctor to order you a 24 hour urine collection to see if oxalate is what is causing your kidney stones. There are several reasons why people form kidney stones, oxalate is just one of them. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

If you are a kidney stone former, you should be cautious in over consuming high oxalate foods and drinks. Get your reliable oxalate food list by Harvard here.

Since 1998, I have been dealing with this question. By the time people are done researching the “bad” foods for kidney stones, many patients feel there is “nothing to eat.” I am here to tell you there is plenty to eat. My popular Meal Plan service sends you over 100 kidney stone diet-safe recipes that are safe, simple, and satisfying each month. There is something for every lifestyle and tips and tricks to alter most meals. You can read about it here.

Patients tell me day after day that they have been making stones for decades, and they don’t know why. My doctor says I am just “a stonemaker.” When I ask the patient if they have done a 24-hour urine collection, they usually answer, “No.” You will never know WHY you are making stones until you do the necessary testing. Then and only then can you begin a treatment to reduce your kidney stone risk. I am an expert in helping patients understand results so that they can have a productive doctor’s office visit and get on the best possible treatment plan.

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Many patients have other medical conditions that are driving their kidney stone production, whether it be from the medical condition itself (Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis, bariatric surgery, etc) or the special diet they are on (too much spinach and almonds for diabetics). No matter what the issue, I am an expert in helping you understand how to tweak your current lifestyle to also comply with the Kidney Stone Diet®.

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