Low-Oxalate Diet
What Are Oxalates?
Oxalates are naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and humans. The kidneys excrete oxalates into the urine.
Why Should I Follow a Low-Oxalate Diet?
Eating a diet low in oxalates can reduce your risk of developing kidney stones . Kidney stones sometimes form when oxalates and calcium bind together. Decreasing the amount of oxalates that are present in the urine lowers this risk.
Low-Oxalate Basics
A low-oxalate diet usually limits oxalate intake to about 50 milligrams (mg) per day. Because oxalates are found in many different foods, it is important to become familiar with which foods are fine to eat in moderation and which foods should be avoided.
Eating Guide for a Low-Oxalate Diet
This chart from the American Dietetic Association spotlights foods that are either low or moderate in oxalates. If you have calcium stones, it is important to decrease your sodium intake, as well.
Foods Low in Sodium or Oxalate | Foods Recommended |
---|---|
Drinks | Coffee, fruit and vegetable juice (from the recommended list), fruit punch |
Fruits | Apples, apricots (fresh or canned), avocado, bananas, cherries (sweet), cranberries, grapefruit, red or green grapes, lemon and lime juice, melons, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, oranges, strawberries (fresh), tangerines |
Vegetables | Artichokes, asparagus, bamboo shoots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chayote squash, chicory, corn, cucumbers, endive, kale, lettuce, lima beans, mushrooms, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, zucchini |
Breads, Cereals, Grains | Egg noodles, rye bread, cooked and dry cereals without nuts or bran, crackers with unsalted tops, white or wild rice |
Meat, Meat Replacements, Fish, Poultry | Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, egg whites, egg replacements |
Soup | Homemade soup (using the recommended veggies and meat), low-sodium bouillon, low-sodium canned |
Desserts | Cookies, cakes, ice cream, pudding without chocolate or nuts, candy without chocolate or nuts |
Fats and Oils | Butter, margarine, cream, oil, salad dressing, mayonnaise |
Other Foods | Unsalted potato chips or pretzels, herbs (eg, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder), lemon juice, salt-free seasoning blends, vinegar |
Other Foods Low in Oxalate | Foods Recommended |
Drinks | Beer, cola, wine, buttermilk, lemonade or limeade (without added vitamin C), milk |
Meat, Meat Replacements, Fish, Poultry | Lunch meat, ham, bacon, hot dogs, bratwurst, sausage, chicken nuggets, cheddar cheese, canned fish and shellfish |
Soup | Tomato soup, cheese soup |
Other Foods | Coconuts, lemon or lime juices, sugar or sweeteners, jellies or jams (from the recommended list) |
Moderate-Oxalate Foods | Foods to Limit |
---|---|
Drinks | Fruit and vegetable juices (from the recommended list), chocolate milk, rice milk, hot cocoa, tea |
Fruits | Blackberries, blueberries, black currants, cherries (sour), fruit cocktail, mangoes, orange peel, prunes, purple plums |
Vegetables | Baked beans, carrots, celery, green beans, parsnips, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips |
Breads, Cereals, Grains | White bread, cornbread or cornmeal, white English muffins, saltine or soda crackers, brown rice, vanilla wafers, spaghetti and other noodles, firm tofu, bagels, oatmeal |
Meat/meat replacements, fish, poultry | Sardines |
Desserts | Chocolate cake |
Fats and Oils | Macadamia nuts, pistachio nuts, english walnuts |
Other Foods | Jams or jellies (made with the recommended fruits), pepper |
High-Oxalate Foods | Foods to Avoid |
---|---|
Drinks | Chocolate drink mixes, soy milk, Ovaltine, instant iced tea, fruit juices of fruits listed below |
Fruits | Apricots (dried), red currants, figs, kiwi, plums, rhubarb |
Vegetables | Beans (wax, dried), beets and beet greens, chives, collard greens, eggplant, escarole, dark greens of all kinds, kale, leeks, okra, parsley, rutabagas, spinach, Swiss chard, tomato paste, watercress |
Breads, Cereals, Grains | Amaranth, barley, white corn flour, fried potatoes, fruitcake, grits, soybean products, sweet potatoes, wheat germ and bran, buckwheat flour, All Bran cereal, graham crackers, pretzels, whole wheat bread |
Meat/meat replacements, fish, poultry | Dried beans, peanut butter, soy burgers, miso |
Desserts | Carob, chocolate, marmalades |
Fats and Oils | Nuts (peanuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, hazelnuts), nut butters, sesame seeds, tahini paste |
Other Foods | Poppy seeds |
Suggestions
- Become familiar with serving sizes. Be aware of how many grams of oxalates you are eating.
- Consider meeting with a registered dietitian to develop an eating plan.
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Additional tips on preventing kidney stones:
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids every day.
- Do not take large doses of vitamin C supplements (limit to less than 1,000 mg/day).
- Keep protein intake below 80 grams/day.
- Eat a low salt diet (less than 2,000 mg/day).
RESOURCES:
American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/
The Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation
http://www.ohf.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Dietitians of Canada
http://www.dietitians.ca/
The Kidney Foundation of Canada
http://www.kidney.ca/
References:
Finkielstein VA, Goldfarb DS. Strategies for preventing calcium oxalate stones. CMAJ. 2006;174:1407-1409.
Limited oxalate diet. Ohio State University Medical Center website. Available at: http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/pdfs/PatientEd/Materials/PDFDocs/nut-diet/nut-other/limit.pdf . Accessed April 18, 2007.
Low oxalate diet. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center website. Available at: http://patienteducation.upmc.com/Pdf/LowOxalateDiet.pdf . Accessed April 18, 2007.
Nutrition care manual. American Dietetic Association website. Available at: http://nutritioncaremanual.org/auth.cfm?p=%2Findex.cfm%3F. Accessed January 3, 2009.
Nutrition care manual: urolithiasis/urinary stones food lists. American Dietetic Association website. Available at: http://www.nutritioncaremanual.org/vault/editor/docs//UrolithiasisFoods1.pdf. Accessed January 29, 2010.
The Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation website. Available at: http://www.ohf.org . Accessed January 3, 2010.
Last reviewed January 2010 by Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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