LISTS – AND LISTS
I know you are all looking for THE list. Here is one from a reliable source I have have downloaded on my site to a separate document so it opens with one click.
The reliable source, as it turns out, needed some updating. Dr Ross Holmes, professor, School of Medicine, University of Alabama, was kind enough to review the work of Dr. Michael Liebman who is a professor of Human Nutrition and Food Option at University of Wyoming and determine which food entries on the Harvard list needed changing. We cannot change the original but we have updated our lists accordingly and annotated updates with *** marks. So the lists here are the most recently edited available at present.Fred Coe and I have updates and annotated the list for those with a tendency to perfectionism: Updated table of oxalate foods. Set it at 50% for easier reading. Get yourself acquainted with the lists. They will tell you much of what you need to know. A lot of it will even surprise you. You are not as restricted as you think you are or as you have been told.
A more dramatic list is the 177 high oxalate foods we distilled out of the big list. Here are culprits! Not on this list? Probably not very high in oxalate so far as we know – with perhaps a few exceptions. Note that quantity is critical. For example black pepper is high in oxalate but the amounts used are small enough that total oxalate intake from it is negligible.
Eating a low oxalate diet can be overwhelming and difficult to incorporate into your daily life. I just released a course called The Kidney Stone Prevention Course to help you understand how to implement your physician’s prescribed treatment plans.
LET’S DIVIDE AND CONQUER
FOODS TO WORRY ABOUT
A List of Concerning Foods
We have created two graphs for this article. Of the 177 foods on our master list, many are of concern but can be used in your diet if you control the portion size and how often you use them. There are 30 of them that are worrisome enough to deserve special attention.
Here are the 30. The graph shows mg of oxalate in a common portion. The details of the portions are in the complete list. The foods have in common that all contain at least 40 mg/serving. All other foods for which we have reliable data have less oxalate per serving.
Your budget is about 100 mg/day.
What does this graph mean? Does it mean you can never have chocolate, or a baked potato?
No.
It means if you want to use your whole budget on a treat, do it, but keep track and make sure you do not overspend in any meal or in any one day. Have your baked potato, but maybe share half with your partner. Or, have some hot chocolate but make it with milk because calcium helps reduce oxalate absorption. Eat your cashew nuts, but pay attention to how many. If one handful leads to ten, you cannot have them.
FOODS TO AVOID
The graph to the left is of the very few dangerously high oxalate foods.
There are only six foods, but spinach, being worst of all, has two entries. Be careful of this plot because of its range. It begins at 100 mg/portion and rises to 755 mg/portion in only 7 steps, so the distance from miso soup to spinach is about a 7 fold increase.
Rhubarb and spinach are so high you just cannot eat them. Rice bran is something few will miss, the same for buckwheat groats.
People like almonds but have a hard time controlling portion size. If you can keep it to 11 almonds a day – the portion size that gives 122 mg of oxalate, alright. Otherwise stay away from them.
If you have to eat any of these foods, caution is hardly a strong enough word.
Are you sure you need to eat them?
Why?
WHAT ARE WE SAYING?
We are saying that oxalate is common in foods, and that you have to be careful, but care is a scarce resource. How much care can you give every bite? The graphs say if you eat moderately high oxalate foods – the first graph – be careful.
Watch portions.
If you are eating one of the six dangerously high oxalate foods, stop eating it.
It is too hard to be careful with those six foods. They have too much oxalate for most of you to handle. So, just say no.
WHY BELIEVE OUR DATA?
These data arose from a major effort at the Harvard School of Public Health. A world class expert has curated it twice. Harvard can be wrong and so can Ross Holmes, but both will tend to be wrong less often than the average persons who attempt to put complex data into the public domain. We have always appreciated comments, and if anyone has a peer reviewed publication with different food oxalate levels than ours, we will read the paper and see if it warrants our making a change.
Medical research is endlessly argumentative, and food oxalate is no exception. A recent paper contrasts findings from 6 websites and 2 applications and finds some wide variations. Of the sites, the Harvard site – used here as our reference, and the Wake Forest site – which is a legacy of an outstanding investigative group have most standing with me. Leaf through the comparisons between them in the 4 charts and in the large table at the very end. On the whole differences are modest. The hyperoxaluria and oxalosis list from the paper has been withdrawn from their site.
DO YOU NEED A LIST?
Sure, a list is nice. But we helping you here. Lists can run on to hundreds of foods. The picture is meant for focus. Here are the ones to focus on.
Many of you leave the doctor’s office thinking you will never be able to eat a fruit or vegetable again. If that wasn’t bad enough chocolate and nuts are gone, too. Some of this sadly is true, most of it is not. I am here to bring you good news: Almost everything, high oxalate or not, can be incorporated into your diet safely.
Do you need a low oxalate diet? You may if your stones contain calcium oxalate crystals and your urine oxalate is high enough to pose risk.
If you do need a low oxalate diet, what is your goal? Less than 100 mg of diet oxalate is good; less than 50 mg is ideal.
If you want to read some of the science about urine oxalate and risk of stones and about how we get to the diet oxalate goals, it is summarized at the end of this article.
Here we assume you do need to lower the oxalate in your diet.
CALCIUM FIRST
Low calcium diets can raise urine oxalate, and the solution may be as simple as a proper calcium intake. There is every reason for stone formers to eat 1000 mg of calcium daily to protect their bones. The common hypercalciuria of calcium stone formers puts bones at special risk when diet calcium is low.
Before changing your whole life around, ask yourself if you are avoiding calcium foods. If so, add them back and ask your doctor to check your urine oxalate again. It may fall enough that a low oxalate diet is not necessary.
If low calcium intake is not your problem, and you need a low oxalate diet, here is my take on how to do it.
WHAT IS THE DIET OXALATE GOAL?
Typical diets contain upward of 200 – 300 mg of oxalate. For stone prevention, a reasonable goal is below 100 mg of oxalate daily. An ideal would be about 50 mg daily if that can be accomplished.
To get there, consider the oxalate contents in common serving portions of all of the foods, and make up a plan for yourself.
FRUITS
FRESH
Everyone who comes to me is very unhappy thinking they can never have a berry again. This is Baloney. The only berry that is very high in oxalate is raspberries (look at the list). On the other hand, people do not realize avocado, oranges, dates, and even grapefruit and kiwi are very high and need caution.
This doesn’t mean you can never have these healthy treats. If you incorporate any of these high oxalate fruits into your morning yogurt you can reduce some of the effects of the oxalate content.
Also look at your portion sizes. You really cannot eat a lot at any one time. Dates are not a good bargain: One date is 24 mg!
CANNED OR DRIED
Canned pineapple is a problem.
Dried fruits have to be a worry because the water is taken out, so a ‘portion’ of dried fruit can be gigantic in oxalate content. Figs, pineapple and prunes are standouts. Just think: 1/2 cup of dried pineapple is 30 mg – not a lot of fruit for a lot of oxalate. If you want dried fruit, think about apples, apricots, and cranberry as lower oxalate options.
VEGETABLES
Spinach and rhubarb are standouts; stay away.
Other vegetables you need to be aware of are tomato sauce, turnips, okra, and yams (sweet potatoes) along with beans of different sorts.
I am not in the business of taking healthy foods away from people. But in the cases above you really must limit; there is just too much oxalate and these foods do not pair well with high calcium foods the way fruits can be mixed right into your yogurt or cereal and milk.
Many of you have been told to stay away from all green leafy vegetables. This is not true. Look at the list. There are plenty of salad options still available for you including kale. Even though tomato sauce is high in oxalate (see below) that is because of concentration. A whole medium tomato is only 7 mg and who eats more than one at a time?
Many of the salad vegetables are so low in oxalate they are freebies. Eat what you want.
POTATOES
These are Trouble! I put them into their own separate group even though they are vegetables.
From french fries to baked potatoes they are very high oxalate items. One ounce of potato chips has 21 mg of oxalate and who eats one ounce? Not I. Baked potatoes are terrible. One comes in at just under 100 mg of oxalate. Mixing sour cream into the potato will not help much; one tablespoon of sour cream contains only 14 mg of calcium. One ounce of cheddar cheese contains 200 mg of calcium, which could help, but it increases calories, salt and fat. But all in all, why struggle so hard? Potatoes are not ideal for stone formers.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
They have no oxalate. They are your main source of calcium. Use them. They can add a lot of salt – cheeses – and can be caloric. But they reduce oxalate absorption and preserve your bones.
For a stone former who has to watch salt intake, increase calcium intake, and lower oxalate intake, here is how to do that. You cannot have as much cheese as you want because of the salt. So portion sizes are very important. Yogurt, milk, even ice cream are good bargains – modest sodium and high calcium. These are a great place to add in a wee bit of chocolate – high oxalate foods – for those of you who cannot live without these high oxalate treats.
BREADS AND GRAINS
Some of the basic ingredients to make these foods are very high. White flour and brown rice flour are high in oxalate so everything you make from them will be high.
BREADS
Even so, as far as kidney stones go, breads are mainly alright because of portion size: not that much flour so one slice is 5-8 mg. French toast and New York style bagels top the list at 13 mg for two slices and 40 mg for one bagel – as much as anyone will eat of either food.
PASTA RICE AND GRAINS
Spaghetti, one cup cooked is 11 mg and most of us eat more than one cup.
Buckwheat groats, one cup cooked is 133 mg – I don’t see many of you saying ‘darn it’ or taking to your bed, but beware. Millet and bulger, wheat berries, rice bran, corn grits, and corn meal, these are widely used and are high. If you are using these, be thoughtful.
Here are some low oxalate options in this category: White rice, hummus, corn flour, corn bran, flax seed, and oat bran are popular and safe.
MEAT PRODUCTS
Since oxalate is only found in plant foods, all the meats are safe. Fish, too.
For our vegetarian friends, tofu and veggie burgers are very high.
NUTS AND SEEDS
These are just dangerous for two reasons.
Obviously they are very high in oxalate.
Secondly, I don’t know anybody who just has a few nuts at a time.
Just like chips no one eats one – the whole jar is more like it.
But, for one cup of pumpkin sunflower or flax seeds the highest is only 17 mg of oxalate and none for flax. For those of you who love foods in this category seeds are the better choice and they can be sprinkled on yogurt and ice cream.
SWEET STUFF
I have good news for my chocolate lovers. I know most of you have been sent home with a list and chocolate is high on it. But if you look at the numbers nuts are a lot worse than chocolate. Chocolate can be mixed in with dairy products, too, so as to reduce oxalate absorption.
Even so I do want to point out that half a brownie is on the high side, and who eats one half?
You can still satisfy your sugar craving but pay attention to your portion size.
Keep in mind, however, that sugar loads increase urine calcium loss which increases stone risk, so there are two reasons why this food group can be a problem.
But even without chocolate, you eat a lot of flour when you eat a piece of cake, so cake can be a problem – about 15 mg per piece, like french toast. Pies are half the risk because of their fillings – unless they are chocolate pies!
CRACKERS AND CHIPS
The big enemy here is potato chips. A one ounce serving contains a whopping 21 mg of oxalate. I repeat: A one ounce serving.
Your best bet in this category if you’re looking for something crunchy is corn chips – one ounce is 7 mg, popcorn – one cup is 5 mg, and pretzels, one ounce is 5 mg.
Crackers are OK mainly because they are small and the amount of flour is not that much.
BEVERAGES
PLANT SOURCES
Hot chocolate is the clear loser at 65 mg per cup; carrot juice is the runner up at 27 mg per one cup. Lemonade, tea, tomato juices, rice dream and the like are better but still high. The are 15 – 18 mg per serving. Lemonade – frozen concentrate – is 16 mg per 8 ounces so be careful about this as a source of citrate.
Soy milk, for those of you who prefer it, is not a good option. It is very high at 20 mg per cup. We have no data from standard sources for rice milk, cashew milk, and coconut milk; almonds are high in oxalate so the almond milk product will certainly be high.
Tea is so commonly used, here are the details. If you brew your own tea it is high in oxalate. The longer you steep your tea, the more oxalate it will have in it. If you use a sweetened instant iced tea one cup has 0 mg of oxalate.
Here are some juices that are low in oxalate and better substitutes: Apple juice, apricot juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice, grape juice. For all the lemonade drinkers, diet lemonade is low in oxalate.
Here is something very important: Coffee is oxalate free – almost, 1 mg for a cup (2 mg/cup for decaf). We already told you that coffee drinkers have a reduced stone risk, so lets debunk the coffee myth here: Drink it as you wish.
DAIRY SOURCES
Everything is good except chocolate milk. Even that is only 7 mg a cup for a sweet treat here and there.
ALCOHOL
What tops the list in this category is a can of beer: 4 mg of oxalate. All the rest are low and, frankly, the oxalate in a can of beer comes with a lot of fluid. This is not the problem area for stone formers.
WATER
If I didn’t say this to you I could not sleep well tonight. Water is the clear winner in this whole category. It is free of calories, sugar, and oxalate. Please use it as your main beverage and supplement with the items above.
SPREADS AND SAUCES
Chocolate, miso, peanut butter, and tahini are all high.
SOUPS
Miso soups is extremely high – 111 mg/cup. Lentil soup is high, and so is clam chowder – the potatoes.
BREAKFAST FOODS
This is a dangerous meal if you are a cereal lover. Many cereals are high in oxalate. I am afraid you need to look them up in the list by brand. Unfortunately the healthier cereals are highest in oxalate because they contain more plant based ingredients. Probably having milk in your cereal is wise, but we have no data to show.
Eating a low oxalate diet can be overwhelming and difficult to incorporate into your daily life. I just released a course called The Kidney Stone Prevention Course to help you understand how to implement your physician’s prescribed treatment plans.
HOW DO WE MANAGE ALL THIS?
The first thing you need to do is to learn and remember what are the highest oxalate foods and beverages. Without this in mind it is impossible to shop and cook intelligently. Here is a short list of the highest oxalate foods all in one place.
BREAKFAST
For those of you who love cereal because it is quick and easy check out the list and see if the one you love is high in oxalate. If it is, choose the next best one with lower oxalate. Put milk in the cereal.
Alternatives to cereal that are also quick and easy: Yogurt or cottage cheese and fruit. The only fruits to worry about are raspberries because no one puts oranges on their yogurt. Bananas, peaches, blueberries and strawberries are perfect toppings.
More trouble, but no oxalate, eggs any way at all. Boil a batch on Sunday and have them for the week for breakfast, and snacks, too.
Your breakfast coffee is free and so is your water. For juices use orange, apple, pineapple, grapefruit – all great. If you want tea, don’t steep more than a minute and consider adding milk to it. Green tea is better than black.
LUNCH
Typically you are grabbing a salad or a sandwich for lunch, so what now? Many clients tell me they no longer eat salads because their physicians told them to stop all green leafy vegetables.
I’m bringing salads back to you.
Arugula, iceberg, romaine lettuces, and kale, are fine as your base. Stay away from spinach. Here are good toppings. Cauliflower, corn, cucumber, mushrooms, onions, peas, scallions, squash and zucchini are all fine. Tomatoes are fine, too; it is only the sauce that is high. Broccoli and green pepper are moderately high so watch the portion size.
Sandwiches will cost you between 12 and 16 mg of oxalate depending on the bread you are using – 2 slices. This doesn’t mean you can never have a sandwich, it just means you have to keep track of how much. You can have 50 to 100 mg daily. What goes inside between the two slices of bread is usually cheeses and meats which are oxalate free. So sandwiches are not something to be afraid of.
SUPPER
Beef, chicken and fish are all fine, and those the main courses for most of us. You will run into problems if you are a pasta or potato eater. If you are you need to limit the amount of times you have these foods each week and also the quantity each time you use them. Substitutes are a problem: White rice is a nice substitute for potatoes but there are few others. It is more veggies that have to fill in – very healthy but not as much fun.
Here is a recipe for cauliflower – ‘mashed potatoes’ you will like and even think, sometimes, is the real thing. There are many versions on the web, choose the one that makes you happy but be careful about the ingredients.
There is also quinoa which is not on our lists, but may well be high. A recent scientific article on this plant does not give oxalate contents which suggests they are not reliably known.
I have recently put together a private FB page called THE Kidney Stone Diet. It is a group that helps educate you on your physician prescribed treatment plans. As you can imagine, oxalate comes up in many posts. I moderate it to keep it clinically sound. Come on over and join the discussion!
URINE OXALATE AND RISK OF KIDNEY STONES
I promised you some science – here it is for those interested. It concerns only highlights from the food – urine oxalate research recently performed and seemingly germane to the problem of how stone formers should control oxalate intake.
The most useful data about urine oxalate we have so far is from three cohorts studied by Dr. Gary Curhan. Two are cohorts of nurses one a cohort of physicians. These people have kept track of many aspects of diet and health for decades, and among their records are onset of kidney stones.
As he did for urine calcium, Curhan measured urine oxalate in properly selected subgroups from each cohort, including people who did and did not begin forming stones. From these samples he could calculate the relative risk of new onset of stones in relation to 24 hour urine oxalate excretion.
The two nurse cohorts are red, the physicians – all men – are blue. The dotted line at 1 is the risk threshold: Above that line, risk is present.
The top of each crosshatched bar shows the mean relative risk for each of the five urine oxalate ranges. Clearly the mean goes up as urine oxalate goes up.
But the mean relative risk has a range of uncertainty around it. The bottom of the solid portion of each bar is the lower 95th percentile for that range of uncertainty. When that bottom lies above 1, risk is very likely to be present.
For both the women and men groups, that point is reached between 25 and 30 mg of urine oxalate a day. Therefore one wants to try to get urine oxalate below 30 mg daily and even lower, below 25 mg daily if possible. The average urine oxalate excretion among the women in this study was close – 26 and 28 mg/day for those who did not form stones and just a bit higher for those who did – 28 and 30 mg per day. The men are a problem: 39 and 41 mg/day for those who did not and those who did form stones.
This is not diet oxalate, it is urine oxalate. Urine oxalate is how much the body makes and how much is absorbed from foods. Mostly, we can control only the second part – how much is in the food.
HOW MUCH DIET OXALATE DAILY
All dietary advice depends on having a reasonable goal in mind for oxalate intake. My goal of 50 – 100 mg of oxalate from food daily is not unreasonable given the research that has been done in normal people and stone formers.
Holmes and colleagues found a urine excretion of oxalate of about 10 mg/gm urine creatinine in normal 
people eating a synthetic oxalate free high calcium diet (graph at left). As diet oxalate increased, urine oxalate rose from 0 to 10 mg/2500 kcal/d, urine oxalate rose steeply from 10 to 14 mg/gm urine creatinine. It rose more slowly, from 14 to barely 15 mg/gm urine creatinine as diet oxalate was increased to 50 mg/2500 kcal/d, and more or less at the same slope thereafter so that an increase from 50 mg/2500 kcal/d up to 250 mg/2500 kcal/d increased urine oxalate only from 14 to 18. The closed symbols are whole food the open symbols synthetic diets.
From this work the percent oxalate absorption could be calculated as around 10 – 15% and the contribution of diet oxalate to urine oxalate excretion as around 25 – 40% when intake of oxalate was between 50 and 350 mg/2500 kcal. Therefore one can consider a whole food 1000 mg calcium 50 mg oxalate as a usable low oxalate diet, and a 150 – 250 mg oxalate diet as relatively high.
The balance between diet calcium and diet oxalate does not matter greatly if diet calcium is high. Among normal men and women eating 1000 mg/day of calcium and 750 mg/day of food oxalate, 24 hour urine calcium was about 110 mg/day and oxalate about 44 mg/day.
If the calcium oxalate balance is altered so calcium intake is 400 mg and 20 mg of oxalate at breakfast and lunch, and 200 mg of calcium and 710 mg of oxalate at dinner, as compared with simply 333 mg of calcium and 250 mg of oxalate in all 3 daily meals, urine oxalate is lower after the high calcium low oxalate meals, but only slightly higher after the high oxalate low calcium evening meal than when calcium and oxalate intakes were balanced. This means that when diet calcium is at least 1000 mg daily the balance of calcium to oxalate within any one meal is not likely to affect stone risk.
Seiner and colleagues make clear that stone formers are different from normal people. They divided male and female stone formers into 2 groups of 93 people each, one with urine oxalate above 0.5 mmol (~50 mg) of urine oxalate daily and the other with urine oxalate below 0.4 mmol (~40 mg) daily. They found virtually identical calcium and oxalate intakes: 845 vs. 812 calcium and 101 vs. 130 mg daily of oxalate respectively in the lower and higher urine oxalate groups. But the below 0.4 mmol group excreted only 27 mg of oxalate daily on average, whereas the high oxalate group excreted 64 mg daily. In other words diet was not responsible for the higher urine oxalate excretion, suggesting a difference of oxalate absorption. Those prone to high oxalate excretion seem, therefore, to most need diet modification.
Knight and colleagues found a wide range of oxalate absorption among 38 calcium oxalate stone formers eating a self choice diet. Urine oxalate excretion (vertical axis) varied with percent of diet oxalate absorbed (horizontal axis). The mean absorption centered around 5%; a few outliers absorbed over 15% up to 25%. This supports what Seiner found – some stone formers will have urine oxalate levels very responsive to diet oxalate and sans a research protocol we will not know. This is another good reason to keep diet oxalate low – 50 to 100 mg if possible.
PROTEIN AND GELATIN
Diet protein intake does not affect urine oxalate excretion. In 11 normal people fed a 1000 mg calcium, 51 mg oxalate, 3000 mg sodium fixed diet, varying protein intake from 0.6 to 1.6 gm/kg/day – a very wide range – did not alter urine oxalate appreciably (mean values were 23, 23, and 25 mg daily for the three protein intakes) even though oxalate precursors like glycolate rose markedly (25, 22, and 46, mg daily).
Jello is a source of hydroxyproline which converts to glycolate and oxalate, and oral loading with gelatin can raise urine oxalate. Ten normal people eating a 1000 mg calcium, 150 mg oxalate diet (typical normal level) were fed supplemental gelatin as one quarter of daily protein intake. Urine oxalate was 24 mg daily vs. 17 mg daily when the same diet was supplemented with whey protein – containing little hydroxyproline – as a control. So lots of jello is not an ideal plan for stone formers.
Where does this leave us about how much oxalate is alright for a day. If diet calcium is high, as it should be, at about 1000 mg, then one should try to limit diet oxalate below 100 mg daily. Perhaps this is most important in those patients whose baseline oxalate excretions are higher – in the range of above 40 mg daily.
Eating a low oxalate diet can be overwhelming and difficult to incorporate into your daily life.
For those who need special help, I run an online course: The Kidney Stone Prevention Course to help you understand how to implement your physician’s prescribed treatment plans.
I had just a small event with kidney stones 3 years ago. I suffered for a couple hours and have not had a problem since. In July of 2018 I was diagnosed as diabetic. These two food lists are in competition as far as fruit and vegetables are concerned. Also in regard to white rice, bread…anything white. Sweet potatoes good on one and not on the other. HOW can I most easily put the two together? Having passed a stone only once, I think my biggest concern right now is to fight the diabetes. Suggestions?
Hi Ila,
Think about taking the course I offer to help put all your different diets together. I have helped many diabetics and stoners alike! jillharriscoaching.com
Best, Jill
I have a question, besides Potassium citrate to raise citrate levels to help prevent stones would magnesium citrate do the same thing?
Hi Larry. it is hard to get enough citrate that way because of GI intolerance. Regards, Fred Coe
Hello Jill,
I have SBS (no ileum and ascending c). I have various oxylate lists which I follow. Is your list from February 4 a good list to follow with this condition? Hello to Dr. Semrad and Beth W and team. Thank you.
Hi David,
Yes, ours from Harvard is very good. This article will explain why it is good and HOW to use it. https://jillharriscoaching.com/eating-a-low-oxalate-diet/
Best, Jill
Hi Jill,
I spent the last 3 years defeating esophageal cancer. Following multiple surgeries along with my weight loss, my type 2 diabetes is no longer a problem, i.e. no more diet restrictions. On the heals of my last surgery, just when we thought we were “out of the woods”, my creatinine level started shooting up like a rocket. 5 weeks later I am now stage 5 kidney disease, one kidney out of commission and one at 70% and on dialysis. Following a kidney biopsy, it was determined I had high concentration of oxalate crystals. No stones are present. We are now addressing this with low oxalate diet and have a question concerning “Stevia in the Raw”. Is this considered a “processed” stevia. If so, do you know the oxalate content of each packet? Can’t find that info anywhere.
Thank you,
Patrick
Hi Patrick,
Stevia, once processed has NO oxalate. And good for you on being a cancer survivor. I am one too so I know how good that feels and how hard it is going through it.
Best, Jill
I’m just wondering how lemonade can be both high and low in oxalate?
Hi Mitzi,
The oxalate level is higher as it is concentrated and perhaps has some peel in the ingredients. However, neither is high although Harvard uses these adjectives in describing foods that you can easily incorporate into your diet. Learn how to use the Harvard list so you can bring back more healthy foods into your everyday diet. However, I am not an advocate of lemonade bc of the sugar content. Buy the one that is sugarfree.
Read this to learn HOW to use the Harvard list.https://jillharriscoaching.com/eating-a-low-oxalate-diet/
Best, Jill
I need a daily plan. Low oxolate for stones plus type 2 diabetes and diverticulitis. Grrr. I am otherwise healthy, exercise and teach yoga. I am also a very picky eater. What to eat when to be healthy.
Hi Alberta,
Think about taking the online prevention course Dr. Coe talks about on this site. It is much to juggle all the different foods for your different medical concerns. You can also read about the online course on my site as well. jillharriscoaching.com
Best, Jill
I have been told that all knots are high in oxalates. I have also been told that some of the things you mentioned that are low or high on other lists. It is very confusing. Are there specific apples that are lower in oxalates? Or broccoli tips lower than the whole broccoli stalk?
Please be more specific. Are raisins high in oxalates? How about squash? Broccoli tips? Honeycrisp apples? Thank you
Thank you for this thorough, readable, and useful compendium of researched knowledge!
I have my first (hopefully last), stone within R kidney. Plus pain. Waiting for CT results.
MANY of the high oxalate foods have been my favs, (spinach, rasberries, carrot juice, baked pots, …). Plus have had dehydration since moving to Tucson 8 months ago.
My stone type hasn’t been formerly identified, but perhaps urine oxalate could be assessed.
Nevertheless, I am significantly reducing oxalate intake.
Pain is a great motivator!
Thank you!
Hi Kathi, Please do not burden yourself with a remedy that may be of no use. Confusion is a real problem when people find they have formed stones. Here is a good antidote. It links to articles about prevention, and can save you a lot of wasted time. Regards, Fred Coe
I have been a healthy pescetarian for over a decade and gave up dairy 3 years ago. I’ve been trying to pass a 6mm stone for over a month and will most likely have surgery in the next few weeks. I’m at a complete loss on what to eat. I used to eat a lot of spinach, beets, almond milk, stevia & lots of herbal tea along with protein shakes and green juices. I like my diet and feel good otherwise, but now it looks like I have to change everything.
Hi Gina,
I know how overwhelming it is when you are eating a healthy diet and then you get a stone. This is a problem for many of my patients. You can absolutely keep some of your fav foods in your diet. This is a portion game. And when we overeat even healthy foods we run into problems. Read this article and think about getting some extra support with your new and improved healthy diet! https://jillharriscoaching.com/did-your-healthy-diet-cause-your-kidney-stone/
Best, Jill
I found your information very helpful. I would like to know how many cups of milk I should drink a day for 100mg of calcium.
I am a type 2 diabetic and just had an 8mm calcium stone removed and problems with high blood pressure. I am having trouble combining the different diets. Low salt , low carbs, and now so many vegetable and fruits. Please give me any help you can.
Hi Marjorie,
It can be overwhelming when you are dealing with two different medical conditions. It takes time and support. Think about taking the online program I offer to get help at jillharriscoaching.com. Until then, please know that you can still eat so many fruits and veggies. I have a list of all the safe foods here-https://jillharriscoaching.com/good-oxalate-list/
Make sure you read the article that goes with it to help you understand HOW to use the list.
Best, Jill
Hi Marjorie,
Here is an article to help you understand how much calcium is in products:https://kidneystones.uchicago.edu/how-to-eat-a-high-calcium-low-sodium-diet/
Best, Jill
I have been substituting oat flour (quick oats in blender) for part of the wheat in a few baked recipes. I did this because the Harvard list shows oatmeal as very low or 0 oxalates. Now I am finding some sites that say oatmeal is high or very high. Can you help me solve the discrepancy?
Hi Judith,
We tell patients to stick to one list as so many differ and cause confusion. Many of my patients do use oat flour and continue to have low urinary oxalate. Our patients who lower urinary oxalate are also getting their recommended daily allowance of calcium so please don’t forget that as many times this is more important than the oxalate issue.
Best, Jill
Hi Judith,
Stick to one list otherwise, you will drive yourself nuts. Getting your calcium is just as if not more important than watching oxalates.
Best, Jill
Hi Judith,
Our patients eat oatmeal and continue with a lower urine oxalate level. Get your calcium needs met and don’t overuse oat….remember what happened with almonds?
Best, Jill
I am one of those pre-diabetes/kidney stone people. Had 22 stones removed two years ago. I began a keto diet at the same time, eliminating the high oxalate foods. I tell people my diet has two food groups – water, and grass. My lipid panel has improved greatly. There are several common foods I dont see in the lists. Butter beans, and red peppers. I also see only one seed listed – Flaxseed. What about Pumpkin & Sunflower seeds? Also, to keep my fluid intake up I like to drink some of the “fake” coffees, like sugar free Maxwell House French Vanilla and Hill Bros Cappuccino French Vanilla. Any word on these and similar drinks?
Hi Ben,
Use one list. We promote the Harvard list as we have both used it for years and along with our other advice (normal calcium intake) our pts do lower their urinary oxalate. If something is not on the list (obviously not every food has been studied) eat it once a week in normal portion sizes. I will tell you this. My patients (diabetics included) eat a wide variety of foods. Think about taking the kidney stone prevention course or taking a private with me so I can help. I suggest this only bc putting it all together can be difficult and overwhelming (jillharriscoaching.com). I don’t mind the “fake” coffees, don’t drink them all day obviously, but a cup here and there is fine. The seeds you listed are fine. Don’t overeat them though, most people come to me bc they simply overate healthy foods. Everything in moderation is the answer to this.
Best,
Jill
Hi thanks resently I find out having more problems. After I review your list ifind out why thanks ❌1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣✅
I just found out today I must maintain a low oxalate food diet for six weeks.
I don’t know where to start. I saw one list and every food I love especially spinach is restricted. This will be a challenge for me and your article has helped me understand my kidney stones so much more. Thank you. LG
This information is wonderful. I’m struggling to find out if quinoa is high in oxalate or not. Can you help? Would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance.
Hi Vanessa,
I don’t have a resource for quinoa and when that happens use this rule of thumb? eat the food once a week and in normal portion size. Many of you got stones bc you overeat healthy foods. This article might help too:https://jillharriscoaching.com/eating-a-low-oxalate-diet/
Best, Jill
Thanks Jill. It’s so kind of you to take time out of your day to reply to all of us. Much appreciated.
I’m already on gluten free and dairy free diets (for gut issues) as well as doing my best on the reflux diet (one glass of wine or cider/evening). Have always been counseled to keep iron up as I tend to low iron. Now have to do kidney stone diet. How do I get enough calcium — are calcium citrate tablets OK? Quinoa salad or quinoa and grilled veg seemed like a good deal until I read that you suspect it is high… If I’m supposed to limit meats AND beans, what do I do?
Hi Susan,
Everything in moderation. Many folks come to me bc they were on a high protein diet. Too much of anything, even healthy food is not necessarily the answer. You can find non-dairy sources of calcium like oat milk or unsweetened flax milk. So eat beans, eat meat, just watch portion. Here is a nice article that talks about exactly this:https://jillharriscoaching.com/eating-a-low-oxalate-diet/
Best, Jill
I don’t eat much flour food. But, what about coconut flour or almond flour?
Hi Sheri,
Since you don’t at much “flour food” stick with coconut flour. Almond is very high.
Best, jill
I’m already on gluten free and dairy free diets (for gut issues) as well as doing my best on the reflux diet (inlcuding limited tomato sauce, no red wine, eating early…max one glass of wine or cider/evening). Have always been counseled to keep iron up as I tend to low iron. Now have to do kidney stone diet. How do I get enough calcium — are calcium citrate tablets OK? Since milk is out, what alternative milk/yogurts are OK if I’m supposed to cut out nuts, especially almonds, and soy?Quinoa salad or quinoa and grilled veg seemed like a good deal until I read that you suspect it is high… If I’m supposed to limit meats AND beans, what do I do for protein?
Hi Susan, the kidney stone diet is not about oxalate particularly, and resembles the ideal US diet recommended for all of us. Here is a good version of it. The science is high calcium – prevents oxalate absorption, reduced sodium – keeps the urine calcium down despite high calcium intake, reduced refined sugar, and modest attention to diet oxalate. Protein intake is not limited but simply is best at the ideal of 0.8 – 1 gm/kg body weight/day which is rather ample. For calcium, one can use calcium citrate supplements, but they have to be timed to go with meals, so the calcium will block oxalate absorption and also probably most benefit bones. I hopes this helps. If not, write back, and Jill Harris can answer more. Regards, Fred Coe
Just went through lipotripsy which failed, a ride with paramedics, 10 days in hospital and now a uteroscopy to get rid of a 1.5cm stone. Near 6 months of pain, misery and doctor, hospital visits. Your information is a god send. I have many changes that I have to make. Thank you!!
I see that Stevia sweetener is on your list of very high in oxalate but it says orange juice and diet lemonade are ok but in the ingredients they have stevia leaf extract is that the same thing?
Hi Scott,
Once processed Stevia has no oxalate.
Best, Jill
THANK YOU! I have been struggling with kidney stones for almost 10 years now (i’m 25) and about 4 days ago i finally got my answer on what type of stones i have had and what to do. When i first started looking for low oxalate stuff on google i got so confused until i found this article it has been the most helpful thing ever because it has so much information and references. Now i am no longer so overwhelmed about changing my diet. Thank you a thousand times !
Hi Sabreena, Being young and a woman, are your stones really calcium oxalate or perhaps mainly calcium phosphate. It matters a lot, so be sure. Prevention is so important for you, take a look at this overview of what works. Low oxalate diet is really just a tiny corner of a larger and more effective approach. Here is my favorite article on treatment. Please broaden your outlook and consider both in planning for prevention. Regards, Fred Coe
There was a study in New Zealand which states that pistachios and pecans are very low in oxylates. But other websites say.. stay away from all nuts.
Whom do I believe ?
My favorite web page tells you to drink a glass of water before bed and ‘if’ (my quotes) you get up in the night to pee, drink ANOTHER glass of water. LOL . I’d need to sleep with a diaper if I were to drink this much at bedtime.
Hi Stephen, Your questions illustrate how hard it is to prevent stones with diet and fluids. In fact, if you put together a group of diet changes that are synergistic with one another you get a far easier way to prevent stones. Here is a good introduction to the kidney stone diet. Fluids matter, but need not be extreme, oxalate matters but much less when part of a good ensemble of foods. Regards, Fred Coe
I am only 21 and have a kidney stone that is definitely due to a high-oxalate diet. The main snack I eat everyday is walnuts. However, I cannot do that anymore sadly. Do you know of any nuts lower in oxalates or some other food?
Hi Joshua,
Nuts in general are high. Pistachios are lower but remember to watch portion size. Most people got into trouble because they were overeating healthy foods. Read this for more clarity on how to change your diet to low oxalate and still eat healthy foodshttps://jillharriscoaching.com/good-oxalate-list/
Jill
A year and a half ago I had a colonoscopy and they said I had Diverticulosis. The DR. asked if I like spinach. I said yes. He said to eat as much spinach as possible to help this. I made it a huge part of my daily diet. This past June I had my first kidney stone. I’m 55. I wish this doctors would communicate with each other.
Hi John, Oh My! Spinach loads are really a hazard. Be sure and have the stone analysed to be sure it is calcium oxalate, and even so get evaluated to be sure there is nothing else as a remediable cause. Regards, Fred Coe
Hello,
Most websites I have seen say to stay away or limit proteins in meats and eggs due to oxalates. So I’m confused on why this one says meats and eggs are fine to eat.
Hi Amy,
There are no oxalates in meats. Only plant foods. We say to limit animal protein from meat as that is what most people are overeating due to low carb diets. Unless you are eating more than one or two eggs a day, we are not worried about it.
Best, Jill
I have been having a Bragg’s Apple Cider drink that contains Stevia extract. Is that okay?
Hi Donna, Chemical stevia is without oxalate. The plant extract has oxalate. I suspect this beverage has the extract given the wording, but cannot be sure. Regards, Fred Coe
I am dealing with a really small stone and one larger, the first thing my urologist asked me is if I ate too much meat or fish? Why are so many people including doctors saying to limit meat, fish and poultry, if there are no oxalates in them? I am mostly paleo and stay away from all grains as well as I dairy, is flax milk and coconut milk ok? There is 50% more calcium in coconut milk than dairy/cow milk. I’m not sure why dairy is pushed, it is not good for you.. Thank you for your help.
Hi Lindsay, I am not sure myself, in that meat poses at most a slight risk for stones. Oxalate is also rather a modest player except when diet calcium is low. When it is low, oxalate absorption becomes very high and promote stones effectively. Here is an article about a more balanced diet approach to stone prevention. See what you think. Regards, Fred Coe
Thank you for all of your help. If one can not consume dairy, how can we raise calcium levels? Same goes with being unable to continually drink to meet the recommended 3 liters of fluid each day? Would 3 liters be too much for 120lb female?
Hi Lindsay,
There are many non dairy options now to get your calcium needs met. Many of my vegan patients drink nonsweetened flax milk. Also, you can google non dairy sources of calcium and choose the foods not high in oxalate.
Best, Jill
Hi Jill and Dr. Coe,
Can you tell me how long it takes for stones to develop? Is it weeks, months? Will this be different each time, once a stone is gone, how long do you wait before going back to check if others are forming?
Thank you.
Hi Ian, We have no data because no group has done time sequential studies to find out. But certainly new stones can appear on a CT scan in a few months. Because of radiation, we like to limit CT scans. Flat plates and ultrasound are so inferior as to be useless. I like an ultra low dose CT perhaps every other year unless new symptoms demand it sooner. Regards, Fred Coe
Hello, thanks for the great info! I had my first stone last year, age 51, after being fully plant-based (vegan) for over 2 years, and my diet is extremely high oxalate-low calcium. I plan to see a nephrologist soon, but assume my stone was Ca-Ox. I also have worsening osteopenia, I guess no surprise. I’m researching food- based sources of calcium (non dairy) but sadly all are high in oxalate! If I want to avoid dairy how can I increase my calcium while lowering my oxalate, is this even possible? Should I just resort to calcium supplements?? I’m confused and very sad, frankly….thanks for your help Karen
Hi Karen,
I tell all my vegans to get their calcium from non sweetened flax milk.
Best, Jill
Hello! I have been following a strict Candida diet for the last year. I had my first kidney stone removed this past January. We believe it was most likely a result of a lot of dietary issues in the past, however, I am wondering if what I am doing now could contribute to more in the future? Also, what about: celery juice, coconut flour, chia seeds, erythritol, monk fruit, and coconut milk?
Thank you!
http://www.livelaughlemonsblog.net
Hi Andrea,
If you find something not on the Harvard list eat it once a week and in normal portion size. I do have patients that drink fortified coconut milk and use coconut flour. The sweeteners are all fine to use. Not sure on Monk fruit. Chia seeds eat here and there. Celery juice, no. Celery is on the higher side. I know everyone is juicing celery these days, but in my mind, that is how many people come to find me. Too many fad foods and beverages that they overeat or drink and next thing you know, a stone. All foods and drinks in moderation. We as a population tend to eat the same foods over and over and in mass quantity. Eat a variety of foods in normal portion sizes. This is always key.
Best, Jill
“We as a population tend to eat the same foods over and over and in mass quantity.” Okay, but wouldn’t this be an even bigger issue if one has to follow a low-oxalate diet? I’m beside myself at the number of things I need to give up or eat with much more moderation to reduce oxalates in my diet.
Hi Kurt, If you indeed adopt the US ideal diet – AKA kidney stone diet – the high diet calcium makes diet oxalate vastly less of an issue and more manageable.
Thank you so much for this information. I have crystals in my urine and was put on low oxalate diet to hopefully prevent stones. No oatmeal or hot chocolate in the winter will be the hardest for me. Calcium in my blood is high due to off kilter parathyroid. At age 76 my bones are good. My endocronologist said I have the bones of a 25 year old woman with latest Dexiscan. Ah, if only I did not have arthritis! And my incontinence is so bad, I always wear a diaper. So, drinking water at bedtime is not good for me. May I assume some lucky people simply can eat what they want without developing stones, or high cholesterol, etc.?
Hi Judith, If you do indeed have an elevated serum calcium and probable primary hyperparathyroidism, since you form crystals significant enough to warrant treatment non invasive parathyroid surgery would generally be the ideal approach. You do not have asymptomatic PHPT as the crystals indicate probable high urine calcium. A CT of your kidneys would be a good idea to be sure about stones. Of course, I do not know you or your case, so these comments are nothing more than things you might wish to mention to your physicians, and they may feel perfectly free to dismiss them as being out of touch with your care. Regards, Fred Coe
@Judith…I don’t understand why you can’t eat oatmeal if it’s in regards to your kidney stones. According to the list provided by Jill Harris, 1 cup of oatmeal has 0mg of oxalate.
What a great article. I have learned so much from this article. Wish I could have read it years ago. I too mostly follow the paleo diet. Mostly I avoid sugar. I have had 2 kidney stones (1 was blasted, the other was 8 hours of hell to get it out) I have avoided dairy for a long time and don’t take calcium supplements for fear of stones. I have not worried about calcium intake only oxalates. That is until now. Sounds to me like I should be very concerned that I consume at least 1000 mg of calcium and ideally 100mg or less of oxalate daily. I also need to change my stevia to processed as I drink 64oz of water with 2 lemons of juice added a day with stevia(plant based). I do drink kefir in a morning drink, but prefer coconut milk over milk is this ok? Thank you so much.
Hi Patti,
You can have coconut milk, yes. Make sure it is supplemented with calcium and low in added sugar.
Jill
The problem with plant-based beverages, I refuse to call them “milk,” is that many/most/all contain substances to make them creamy; e.g. gellan gum, locust bean gum, etc. I’ve done some research on the gums and although I don’t know if it’s an issue, I have read that the gums can lead to changes of the bacteria in your gut.
I work out a lot and often drink protein shakes. I will mix powder, from a brand like Premier Protein, with milk and have that or I will often have an Atkins shake in place of a meal. Both rely on whey protein I believe and have supplements added. Is this okay or should I stop/moderate it?
Hi Judith,
I understand the ease and convenience of those shakes, but unless you are an athlete most of us do NOT need all that extra protein. I lift weights at least 3-4 days per week and I may have egg white protein shakes twice a week due to time. I definitely would rethink the amount of protein you are getting and also I love the idea of eating real food and cutting back to the shakes as a here or there kind of thing.
Best, Jill
Greetings from Germany. Thank you for this article.
I love cashews.
And I hate coconut.
I am damned 😉
Hi Martin,
But I know you hate kidney stones even more so cut back on those nuts!
Best, Jill
Hi …. I just came back from the ER after suffering acute lower abdominal pain in the early hours of this morning. I was driving to work and I started sweating and getting dizzy. I drove straight to the nearby ER. By then, the pain skyrocketed and I thought I am in the process of checking out to the other side …. the pain made it look like hell, but I was hoping I will eventually land in heaven. This is how painful this was.
After what looked like a forever wait in the ER bed, a CT scan was finally performed and sure enough, a 4mm+ kidney stone managed to get to the right side urinary track. They then put me on heavy pain reliever, prescribed medications … and sent me home with a dietary list that (except for few items) looks the opposite of yours …. I am confused?. Is there a good list somewhere which I can follow … simple one … few words and straights to the Can Do/Can’t Do ? Breakfast is my biggest challenge, and I can’t drink orange juice. Egg-white + high fiber bread is what I commonly have + coffee.
Thanks
Hi Mark,
Sorry to hear about your terrible ordeal. Follow the list we promote on this site, but a bigger issue for me is that you have not even had a 24 hour urine collection so why were you even given a list. Read this:https://jillharriscoaching.com/eating-a-low-oxalate-diet/
Best, Jill
Hi Mark, Quite apart from eating a low oxalate diet, you need proper testing to find out what is causing your stones. Are your stones calcium oxalate? Is it your urine oxalate that poses risk, or calcium, or citrate, or volume, or pH or all of them. Here is a good place to begin. Regards, Fred Coe
is rice milk that I buy at Trader Joes high in oxalates if it is made from brown rice?
Hi Barbara,
Brown rice is on the higher side (1 cup is 24mg) so I would think it is on the higher side.
Best, Jill
The list provided by Jill Harris states that 1 cup of Rice Dream, a rice beverage, contains 13mg. I wish the U.S. would outlaw the use of the term “milk” unless it actually comes from an animal as has been done in some European countries. Plants do not produce milk.
Hi iam.being treated for calcium stones doctor gave me low oxcilate diet but having trouble keeping track of mg a day iam always worried I will go over my limit how do I keep from.doing that this diet iam always hungry and stressed because I dont want to make a mistake. Also is coconut water ok to drink? I also bake with bobs 1to 1 flour but I just looked and it has brown rice flour in it tapioca flour potato starch and whole grain sorghum flour is that safe to use my husband is allergic to coconut so I don’t use the flour iam.so stressed just not sure what I can and cannot eat and use anymore thank you
Hi Judith, Low oxalate diet is just part of a larger diet redo that is actually a lot easier and healthier. The kidney stone diet is the same as the diet recommended for all US citizens, and makes the oxalate issues a lot less onerous. Take a look. Regards, Fred Coe
Yes, thank you Jill and Dr. Coe for all of the wonderful information provided.
Regarding Karen’s comment about the difficulty in locating non-dairy sources high in calcium, I’ve read that sardines are good. There are a few others mentioned in the book “Clean Cuisine.” Bone broth might be another option.
I stumbled on this site this evening while researching diets free or low in oxalates. My husband is 70 years old and for the past year has been dealing with a large amount of kidney stones, some measuring 9 mm! The ones removed during surgery were analyzed and found to be calcium oxalate. We have always been told that drinking Cranberry Juice was very good for the kidneys – helping to ease discomfort. My husband does not like to drink water unless I mix it with some kind of juice. When i do this, there’s more water in the drink than juice. Now comes the question, does his drinking of the Cranberry juice, even mixed, contribute to the constant formation of kidney stones? i found a few things on the list that i can cut out with no problems – potatoes and pasta. But being diabetic, i need to eat more fruits and vegetables so whatever i eat, my husband and son eat. Any guidance or suggestions you can pass on to me, would be greatly appreciated. As a matter of fact, he’s going in for the 16 procedure on his kidneys since May of 2018 – laser lithropsies and biopsies. Thank you for your time in reading this message.
Hi MHenness, Your husband needs a full evaluation as to the cause of the stones, and I doubt the juice is a cause at all. Likewise, I suspect a reduced oxalate diet will not be enough to stone them. How about starting with serums and 24 hour urines to find out the real cause and treat it. Regards, Fred Coe
Cranberry juice is good for preventing urinary tract infections. As Dr. Coe responded, there is no evidence or studies indicating cranberry juice as a kidney stone preventative.
Thanks for the article. I just found out I have oral lichen planus. Very painful. So I was researching low oxalate foods. Thanks again.
Hi Dianne, I hope the lower diet oxalate helps. Regards, Fred Coe
Thank you for this article and the lists. I was trying to figure out how to control my Lichen Sclerosis and stumbled upon your article. I hope this diet does it.
I found a discrepancy in your PDF list. You have pancakes, both homemade and dry mix, listed twice and the oxalate amounts are different; reference Breads subcategory under Breads & Grains and Breakfast Items category.
Thank you, Van; I will ask Jill Harris to check it out. Fred
Hi Van,
Typically the reason for the discrepancy is they studied two different products but just listed the product generically. But in this case, not sure why Harvard has it listed that way. Perhaps we can get an answer from one of the PhD’s that studied it. Dr. Coe knows of them personally, and he can inquire. Thanks for your question, we will look into it!
Best, Jill
Thank you for the oxalate information. A friend of mine recommended I look at your site.
I was just diagnosed with Medullary Sponge kidney ( with high LDL cholesterol- genetic too) and am educating myself because my cholesterol dietary nutritional program didn’t support the MSK.
I will be working with a dietician but just want to thank you for your information. I have looked at a lot of sites and there’s a lot of conflicting info on what’s high or not. It can get overwhelming and confusing!
What about spices? I found a site but I’d like to know if smoked paprika is ok? Is nutritional yeast ok for popcorn?
Hi Tama, Be sure about the MSK diagnosis. Such patients have a very unusual renal anatomy and calcium oxalate stones. NEphrocalcinosis from calcium phosphate stones is far more common, and requires other kinds of treatment. If you indeed have calcium phosphate stones, oxalate has little significance and the main issue is urine calcium. Regards, Fred Coe
Hello I see that tomato sauce is high in oxalate so does that mean ketchup and bbq sauce are high as well?
Hi Scott,
You would probably be using little so won’t add up to much oxalate. Sodium, on the other hand, would be high.
Best, Jill
Hello, I am wondering about white rice flour. It is listed as high oxilate. Though white rice is not high in oxilates ? And I am wondering the rating for oxilates for black strap molasses? I assume brown rice syrup is high in oxilates as brown rice is.
Thank you !
Hope to join the class soon. Is it offered anytime ?
Joann
Hi Joann,
The kidney stone prevention program is offered constantly. Meaning there is no start time. It starts when you sign up. Go here to learn more: jillharriscoaching.com. Rice flour is more bc the flour is concentrated. But remember, do NOT just go by the adjectives related to food. Note the oxalate amount per portion. Most of you (unless otherwise stated by your physician) can safely eat up to 100mg/oxalate per day. Getting your calcium is just as important. For bones and stones!
Best, Jill
I’m working with a functional MD and nutritionist to deal with multiple issues. I have an old Lyme infection, leaky gut syndrome, early-onset osteoporosis from prior cancer surgery, mold exposure, and multiple food allergies and intolerances, histamine intolerance, possible mast cell and oral allergy syndrome issues, POTS, and high homocysteine, total histamine, and cortisol levels. I’ve been gluten/soy/seafood/legume and nut-free for over 15 years. My blood sugar indicates I may be diabetic now, even without any risk factors. I’ve been trying to introduce foods to deal with the leaky gut and to increase folate. I can’t eat very many fruits and vegetables, due to allergies- nothing from melon and squash family, no citrus, foods that cross-react with birch, ragweed and grass bother me often, and foods very high in FODMAPs are also on the “avoid” list. I gave up dairy a year ago primarily due to leaky gut diet, and I don’t drink any beverages at this point other than water and fortified rice milk. The new diet includes a smoothie every day that is almost entirely blueberries, with cocoa powder, a date, 2 slices of banana, a high dose of buffered Vitamin C and a few other vitamins, undiluted cranberry juice, rice milk, and some ghee. Although I don’t eat spinach due to histamine content, I now eat a lot more of leafy greens, at least 2 cups a day raw, and often arugula or kale or other greens cooked. I have rice milk hot chocolate made with straight cocoa powder twice a day. The nutritionist has been pushing for me to eat more tubers and varied root vegetables like beets… The only crunchy snack I eat is olive oil potato chips. I have reduced my carbs since seeing the issue with glucose levels to under 100 a day, and nothing with added sugar, but the carbs are coming from the rice milk, potato chips, dates, blueberries, cacao nibs, and potato/quinoa or brown rice at dinner. I am feeling like crap all the time. I hadn’t heard of oxalates before. It seems like a lot of what is left of my diet is very high in oxalates. How do I know if I am poisoning myself with oxalates while trying to increase the vitamins, minerals and folate, and is that worse than the other issues I have to deal with?
Hi Pamela, I gather you do not have stones, and therefore I cannot see any reason for you to be concerned about oxalate. I know of various websites proposing that food oxalate causes harm other than stones, but the evidence has always seemed slight to non existent. Unfortunately your many problems lie outside the range of this site and of my expertise, so I can only hope you have others who will bring you better health. Regards, Fred Coe
Is Cassava/Tapioca flour high in oxalates? Looking at making a low oxalate pancake mix using coconut flour and Cassava or Tapioca flour, commercial mixes have almond flour which is high in oxalate.
Hi Larry,
We do not have studies that say it is high or low. Use with caution. This is a portion game so have a smaller portion and have milk or low oxalate nut milks like coconut or flax when eating them.
Best, Jill
Hi,
Thanks for the excellent article, pitched at the right level to be able to understand and yet still have lots of information.
I am trying to follow a vegan diet, which is challenging when trying to manage my oxalate level. I am substituting soy milk for dairy milk so there is still the same level of calcium in my diet, but does that mean that the oxalate level is higher because of the soy? Is there enough calcium in the soy milk to bind the oxalate from the soy? Will there be any calcium left over for binding oxalate from other foods?
Thanks for your help,
George
Hi George,
If your oxalate level is high you should refrain from drinking soy as it is high. Use flax milk or coconut milk that has added calcium if you can use that.
Best, Jil