“Just because it’s green doesn’t mean it loves you back.” — A spinach skeptic
Oxalates are naturally occurring compounds found in many plant foods—especially spinach, beets, almonds, and sweet potatoes. While they’re not harmful to everyone, high oxalate intake can lead to kidney stones in susceptible individuals and may contribute to joint pain, fatigue, or inflammation. Oxalates bind to calcium and can form sharp crystals that deposit in tissues. People with gut issues (like leaky gut or dysbiosis) may absorb more oxalates than usual, leading to higher body burden. That said, you don’t need to cut out all high-oxalate foods—just eat them with awareness and balance.
Preparation of oxalate rich foods can help: boiling reduces oxalate content in vegetables significantly. Pairing high-oxalate foods with calcium (like yogurt or sesame seeds) helps them bind in the gut and exit the body safely.
3 Easy Action Steps:
Balance oxalates with calcium-rich foods. Helps prevent absorption of excess oxalates. My favorite is creamy full-fat yogurt.
Boil high-oxalate veggies like spinach or beet greens. It can cut oxalate levels by up to 50%.
Don’t go overboard on almonds, chia, or dark chocolate. Even healthy snacks have their limits.
Action Steps
Schedule a One-on-One talk on wellness with Dr. Gillian Lockitch.
Check out the Growing Older Living Younger podcast EP82 with Sally K Norton. Beware of the Toxins in Your Superfoods and also the book : Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick.
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