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Due to oxalic acid benefits, plant-based diets1 are really effective in keeping your body internally healthy. People always think about the importance of nutrients in their diet.
But another essential compound generally found in leafy vegetables, plant-based foods are anti-nutrient. One of the most useful anti-nutrient2 is oxalic acid. This article may give you a brief knowledge about oxalic acid benefits.
1. Oxalic Acid: Meaning
Oxalic acid (oxalate) is derived from plants. They can be extracted from leafy vegetables, fruits, cocoa, nuts, various other vegetables, and seeds.
These acids bind with minerals to produce oxalate. Your body can naturally produce oxalate. You can also get this anti-nutrient from plant foods or foods that are linked to plant-based sources.
You can also add foods high in oxalate to benefit from this anti-nutrient. Various studies showed that vitamin C could be converted to oxalic acid in your body.
Oxalic acid benefits can be seen by adding an adequate amount of Oxalate rich foods. After it enters your body, it can produce calcium and iron oxalate after binding with minerals.
Various types of research show that people taking a diet with oxalic acid can have various side effects on the human body.
2. Benefits Of Oxalic Acid
There are various sayings for oxalic acid. People say you can add low-oxalate foods3 as they may not fail in providing oxalic acid benefits.
Diets that are rich in oxalic acid can have various adverse effects on your body as well. Before adding foods rich in oxalic acid, don’t forget to check their side effects as well.
As per many sayings, adding small amounts of oxalic acid to your body may help in the following.
2.1. Oxalic Acid In Vegetables And Fruits
Oxalic acid can be found in various vegetables in a very minimal amount. Vegetables like celery, carrot, broccoli, cucumber, etc. Researchers show these can be added to your diet for various health benefits.
Are you afraid of adding foods rich in oxalic acid? You may not restrict it totally, but you should limit it. Taking excess vitamin C can be a problem for your body as well. Likewise, oxalic acid can be hazardous if not taken in a limited amount (small amounts).
Celery juice on an empty stomach is great to start your morning. They can work as a purifier for the toxins in your stomach.
And even if oxalic acid can turn into a devil for your body, you may not restrict that totally from your diet. But should definitely add oxalic acid in small amounts.
You can definitely add nutritious foods to your diet, even if they contain oxalic acids if you are looking for oxalic acid benefits. You need to take care of how much oxalic acid is present in it.
Read more about matcha health benefits.
2.2. Oxalic Acid In Nuts And Seeds
Nuts are seeds that are always packed with nutrients. Nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew, etc., can work effectively for your health benefits.
Oxalic acid can be found in nuts and seeds added to your diet without any hesitation if you are a healthy human.
Nuts like Brazil nuts are good sources of good fats that your body needs. Seeds like pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and watermelon seeds are considered the safest options as they contain a lower amount of oxalic acids.
Research says that if you are healthy, you can add foods packed with nutrients that contain oxalic acid, but there are some drawbacks for people at risk of kidney stones.
Read more about Pine nut’s benefits.
3. Side Effects Of Oxalic Acids
Various health problems can be seen by eating foods high in oxalic acid. According to medical advice, excess intake of oxalic content4 may have various negative effects on the human body.
Calcium and oxalate can be located inside your urinary tract. The main issue occurs when calcium and oxalate bind to form calcium oxalate crystals.
Further study showed that these crystals might grow into forming calcium oxalate stones5 and may contribute to kidney stones. This can be very dangerous for your body.
This can happen majorly when your urine volume is lower compared to the amount of oxalate in your urinary tract. Reports show that these stones may cause various symptoms if larger in size.
They can cause nausea, maybe pain sometimes, and even blood in the urine. Reports also say that 70-80% of kidneys stone are calcium and oxalate.
This is why people are not advised to have diets with a high amount of oxalic in them. If you are someone without any kidney stone problem, you may add oxalic acid in your higher medium amount to claim oxalic acid benefits.
But people struggling with kidney stones try not to add a higher amount of oxalic acid. They may add foods that have a low amount of oxalic acid after consulting their doctors.
Because kidney stones have different stages, some are quite small and may not cause any pain. At the same time, some are large and are extremely dangerous and painful.
Adding an average of 50 grams of oxalic acid-rich foods can help you get oxalic acid benefits without any side effects.
And if you intend to eat oxalic acid-rich foods, then boiled oxalic-rich foods can provide more benefits to your body.
As boiling reduces the content of oxalic acid in the food. If you are under the fear of kidney stones, try not to include high oxalic acid sources like spinach, swiss chard, cocoa powder, turnip greens, etc.
As these may contain an average between (100-900mg) per serving. It’s always safe to check the oxalic acid content in that food before cooking and eating.
4. Conclusion
If you are someone struggling with kidney stones or any health disorder, then oxalic acid may not be suitable for your progress if taken in a higher amount.
A healthy person can definitely add this to their diet plan. They can add an average amount of foods rich in oxalic acids for various oxalic acid benefits.
These foods may provide you with the benefits of the other nutrients present in the foods as well. Try to follow these guidelines before adding any food to your diet. Also, make sure they may be suitable for your body.
FAQ
1. Which foods contain oxalic acid?
A: Oxalic acid is found in varying concentrations in several plant-based foods, including:
- Spinach
- Rhubarb
- Beet greens
2. Are there any risks or considerations associated with oxalic acid?
A: Kidney stone risk: Individuals who are prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones may need to limit their intake of high-oxalate foods to reduce the risk of stone formation. However, it’s crucial to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized advice.
3. What are the potential benefits of oxalic acid?
A: Antioxidant properties: Oxalic acid acts as an antioxidant, helping to neutralize harmful free radicals in the body and protect against oxidative stress, which is associated with various chronic diseases.
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- Pimentel, David, and Marcia Pimentel. “Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 78.3 (2003): 660S-663S. ↩︎
- Aletor, V. A., and O. A. Adeogun. “Nutrient and anti-nutrient components of some tropical leafy vegetables.” Food chemistry 53.4 (1995): 375-379. ↩︎
- Holmes, Ross P., and Martha Kennedy. “Estimation of the oxalate content of foods and daily oxalate intake.” Kidney international 57.4 (2000): 1662-1667. ↩︎
- Holmes, Ross P., and Martha Kennedy. “Estimation of the oxalate content of foods and daily oxalate intake.” Kidney international 57.4 (2000): 1662-1667. ↩︎
- Massey, Linda K., Helen Roman-Smith, and Roger AL Sutton. “Effect of dietary oxalate and calcium on urinary oxalate and risk of formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 93.8 (1993): 901-906. ↩︎
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