Are you dealing with calcium oxalate kidney stones? If so, you’ve probably learned that you need to avoid consuming foods high in oxalate content. To help you make better choices, here is an oxalate food list for foods that are high in oxalate content as well as foods that are low in oxalate content.
Let’s start with the foods that are high in oxalate content. These are the foods you want to avoid or consume in very low amounts.
What Foods Do You Need to Avoid?
Here are a list of fruits and vegetables that you’ll want to avoid due to their high oxalate content:
- Swiss chard
- Spinach
- Beets
- Okra
- Rhubarb
- Beans
- Kiwi
- Raspberries
- Cranberries
- Grapes
- Figs
Here is a list of nuts, seeds, and grains that you want to avoid due to their high oxalate content:
- Quinoa
- Pasta
- Wheat germ
- Bran flakes
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Flaxseed
- Sunflower seeds
Here are some miscellaneous foods you want to avoid due to their high oxalate content:
- Miso
- Soy products
- Chocolate
- Tea
This can be quite an extensive list if you’re new to the oxalate diet. But don’t feel like you don’t have many choices. There are many foods with low to moderate amounts of oxalate content.
Here are a list of fruits and vegetables that you can eat:
- Lettuce
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Corn
- Apples
- Avocadoes
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mandarins
- Melons
- Peaches
Here is a list of grains that you can consume with no issues:
- White rice
- Wild rice
- Hummus
- Rye bread
- White bread
As far as protein, you want to limit your intake to 6 ounces or less a day because proteins reduce the amount of citrate in your urine. Citrate helps stop stone growth. You can however enjoy certain meats like chicken, turkey, eggs, and fish without any issues but simply limit your intake. Protein consumption is more of an issue if you are dealing with uric acid stones. The fact that you can still consume various proteins makes it a little easier to stick to the low oxalate food list.
Dairy items like milk, cheese, and yogurt can be consumed as well. It is just best to consume these calcium rich foods at the same time you are consuming foods with oxalates. Some of the calcium will combine with the oxalate before the oxalate is absorbed thus reducing the amount of oxalate that can get to your kidneys.
In addition to consuming foods in the low oxalate food list, there are other things you can do to prevent stones from forming. The first is drinking an adequate amount of water. You should try to drink a minimum of six 8 ounce glasses of water spread throughout the day.
The second is adding citric acid to your water. You can put in some lemon, lime, or even oranges in your water. This will help prevent the stones from forming, growing and becoming larger. As you know, larger stones often cause more pain when you’re trying to pass them through your system!
The third is being proactive about your diet. If you’re going out, it always helps to prepare food beforehand. If you have to eat out, try to choose simple dishes with fewer ingredients. This will help you avoid foods that may have high oxalate content.
Following this advice and adhering to the oxalate food list will help you keep your calcium oxalate kidney stones in check. In addition to focusing on foods with low oxalate content, you should also measure the amount of oxalates you’re consuming every day. You should try to limit yourself to 50 mg to 100 mg of oxalates per day and if you are a person really susceptible to getting calcium oxalate stones then your doctor may even suggest a low oxalate diet consuming less than 50mg a day.
