Oxalates are natural compounds found in many foods, especially berries, dark green vegetables, legumes and whole grains. If you suffer from kidney issues, your doctor may suggest limiting your intake of oxalates since oxalates can contribute to kidney stone formation. If you do not have kidney problems, you do not need to worry about your oxalate intake. If you'd like to limit the amount of oxalates in your diet, you can cut back on the amount of high-oxalate foods you eat and add a few oxalate-fighting ingredients to your diet.
Step 1
Avoid eating oxalates when possible. Limit your intake of foods high in oxalates such as dark, leafy green vegetables including spinach. Cut back on soft drinks, tea and chocolate, which are high in oxalates. Avoid eating large amounts of beets, beans, meat and wheat bran to further cut your oxalate intake.
Step 2
Increase your calcium intake. Calcium limits the amount of oxalates your body absorbs, according to the Food and Life website. You can get calcium easily from dairy products or fortified orange juice. Try to get at least 800 mg of calcium into your diet per day. Extra calcium can help break down kidney stones that have already formed.
Step 3
Use lemon juice when you cook. Adding lemon to foods reduces the amount of oxalates that the foods contain, according to Dr. Katherine Poehlmann, author of "Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Infection Connection." Try cooking with lemon juice when preparing foods high in oxalates, such as Swiss chard, squash and asparagus.
Step 4
Get plenty of vitamin B6. Adding vitamin B6 to your diet can reduce the amount of oxalates in your body. Try eating a banana a day to add B6 to your diet. Aim for 10 mg of vitamin B6 per day.
Tips and Warnings
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help your body flush oxalates and other potentially harmful substances. Calcium derived from food sources works better to neutralize oxalates in your body than calcium taken in pill form.
- The National Kidney Foundation states that vitamin B supplements are safe to take if you have kidney stones, but you should talk to your doctor before taking vitamin C or vitamin D supplements. See your doctor to determine the cause of your kidney problems and discuss whether a low-oxalate diet would be beneficial to your health.
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