Oxalic Acid Foods List

Oxalic acid is a colorless chemical compound that naturally occurs in many plants, animals and even in human body cells. Organic oxalic acid, in low concentration, is essential to maintain peristaltic motion in our body. However, when it is processed or cooked, it becomes inorganic and may have certain negative effects on the body. This is mainly due to the property of oxalic acid to bind chemically with certain minerals in the body. This results in the formation of oxalate crystals and may be harmful for those prone to gout, rheumatoid arthritis and kidney diseases.

Oxalic acid can also interfere with the absorption of minerals in our diet, such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. Hence it is advisable for people with certain health conditions to limit the oxalic acid intake through the diet. One must be aware of the foods rich in oxalic acid, in order to avoid them. The following list will help you identify the foods you need to stay away from.

Foods High in Oxalic Acid

High levels of oxalic acid can have harmful effects on the body. When the concentration of oxalic acid in the body increases, it precipitates out as crystals, that irritate the body tissues and can get lodged in the kidneys and bladder as 'stones'. When oxalic acid combines with minerals like calcium, it forms an interlocking compound that destroys the nutritional value of both, resulting in deficiency of the minerals. Here are some foods with high oxalic acid content.

Vegetables
There are several vegetables containing high amount of oxalic acid and should be avoided by people with recurrent kidney stones or other such conditions. The United States Department of Agriculture has ranked parsley, highest in oxalic acid content, as it contains about 1.70 g of oxalic acid per 100 g. Your food guide of vegetables high in oxalic acid content are as follows:

• Beets
• Sweet potatoes
• Celery
• Dandelion greens
• Eggplant
• Kale
• Chives
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Green Pepper
• Parsnips
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Spinach
• Squash
• Turnip greens
• Watercress
• Okra
• Collards
• Escarole
• Leeks
• Purslane
• Radish
• Cassava

Fruits
Certain fruits have a high oxalic acid content. They are as follows:

• Concord grapes
• Kiwi
• Lemon peel
• Rubhab
• Figs
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Plums
• Tangerines
• Starfruit

Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds rich in oxalic acid include:

• Peanuts
• Almonds
• Hazel nuts
• Brazil nuts
• Pecans
• Sesame seeds
• Poppy Seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Cashews

Legumes and Grains
Majority of legumes are rich in oxalic acid. Some of them are as follows:

• Black beans
• Kidney beans
• Garbanzo beans
• Lima beans
• Brussels sprouts
• Whole wheat
• Oatmeal
• Buckwheat
• Amaranth

Other Foods High in Oxalic Acid
Oxalic acid is mainly present in plant products. A lot of spices and condiments also contain a considerable amount of oxalic acid. Tea leaves are known to contain among the highest measured concentration of oxalic acid. However, as only a small amount of leaves are used for brewing, the content of oxalic acid in many tea beverages is quite low. Here are some other foods containing oxalic acid:

• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Lettuce
• Soy products
• Chocolate
• Cocoa
• Tea
• Beer

One thing to be kept in mind is that, oxalic acid is harmless if consumed in organic form and moderate amounts. However, too much of oxalic acid can have several adverse effects on your body. Now that you have a high oxalic acid foods list, you can easily limit the foods high in oxalic acid.