Like green beans? Spinach? Strawberries? Raspberries? Celery? Of course you should! After all, they are the "socially accredited" fruits and vegetables known for their nutritional values! But do you know that these produces are also the victims of split personality? These fruits and vegetables, which offer us immense health benefits, may also contain a villainous element called oxalate which is associated with a number of health conditions such as kidney stones and various types of pains.
What are Oxalates?
Oxalates are naturally occurring organic acids found in plants, animals and humans. Our body also has a tendency to convert some other chemicals like vitamin C into oxalates.
Effects of Oxalates on Health
- Kidney Stones: Oxalates can become bound to calcium and cause needle-like crystals. These crystals are somewhat like sharp needles that embed themselves in tissue and can cause excruciating pain. Calcium and oxalate stones form around 80 percent of the kidney stones amongst the adults. Around 10 to 15 percent of the oxalate found in the urine of an individual who has calcium oxalate stone, is formed from the oxalate present in the food, while the remaining is thought to be formed by the body itself. It is not only the oxalate intake but the protein, calcium and water intake of the person also have an influence on the oxalate stones.
- Pain: Oxalate can also cause other pain related health problems like fibromyalgia, vulval pain, chronic pelvis pain and some other unexplained pains as well.
Effect of Cooking on Oxalates
Cooking does not have a very great effect on the oxalate content of any food. Boiling and blanching may reduce the oxalate content by only 10 to 15 percent to the max and hence there is no need of overcooking the veggies just to reduce the oxalate content as it will then lead to the loss of vitamins and nutrients.
Foods Containing Oxalates
- Vegetables: Green leafy veggies like spinach, beet greens, parsley and celery and other veggies like leeks, okra, quinoa, green beans and squash are high in oxalates.
- Nuts: Nuts like peanut, cashews and almonds contain oxalates.
- Berries: Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries contain oxalates.
- Fruits: Fruits like plums, kiwi, grapes and figs are high in oxalate content.
- Legumes: Soybean and its products contain high amounts of oxalates.
- Others: Wheat bran and wheat germ, cocoa, chocolate and black tea are considered to be rich in oxalates.
A Useful Tip
The lactic acid in the probiotics binds with the oxalates and helps with their elimination. With the high number of artificial additives, preservatives and antibiotics in our diet, it can make it very hard for our gastrointestinal system to maintain a proper balance. Probiotics are important in every person's diet irrespective of the health condition faced by him.
You should accept that none of us is perfect in every sense. And you cannot expect perfectness in the foods that are considered as "Godly"! It may not be an "all-good" picture every time. A "packet" of "goodies" may also come with some undesirable elements. The cure lies in striking a proper balance!
