Products containing oxalic acid: list of products, composition, nutritional value

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Oxalic acid is inherently a poison, thanks to which plants protect themselves from insects and small animals. This substance can bring a person both harm and benefit. Oddly enough, foods containing oxalic acid are the most recommended for consumption. There is a lot of it in garden greens, fruits and berries. Why it is dangerous and how to protect yourself from the negative effects of this substance, everyone should know.

Properties of oxalic acid

Only in small quantities, this substance can be safe and not cause harm to he alth. Oxalic acid interferes with the absorption of calcium, which causes its accumulation. Metabolic disorders negatively affect the joints and cause diseases such as gout, arthrosis and arthritis. People with kidney disease, arthritis, and gout should follow a specific diet that eliminates the ingestion of oxalic acid. Everyone else can use it in limited quantities.

Benefits for the human body

When consumed in moderation, oxalic acid can bring exceptional benefits. Entering the body, it acts as follows:

• Helps sexual function in men and prevents infertility and impotence.
• Oxalic acid acts on motility and cleanses the intestines.
• It has antibacterial properties and protects the stomach from infection.
• Regular use of oxalic acid can prevent migraines, tuberculosis and rhinitis.
• Scientists note the positive effect of this substance on the functioning of the nervous system. People who constantly receive oxalic acid from foods are more resistant to stress and mentally balanced.
• It is recommended for athletes to strengthen muscles and ligaments.

In a word, the benefits of this substance are beyond doubt. Unfortunately, along with the benefits, oxalic acid can also be harmful.

Contraindications for use

As a rule, harmful compounds appear after the culinary processing of products. In the presence of failures in the human body, even a small dose of oxalic acid can cause irreparable harm. In such cases, the following symptoms may be observed:

• The functions of the respiratory system are disturbed.
• The state of blood vessels and the heart is noticeably worsening.
• Diarrhea or constipation appears.
• Uncomfortable feeling in the groin area.

However, it is not an indispensable product. Rather, it is an intermediate element of metabolism. Scientistscalculated the norm of oxalic acid, which is no more than 50 mg.

Which foods contain oxalic acid

The greatest amount of this substance are products of plant origin. Among them, the leaders are rhubarb and spinach. For example, one serving of stewed rhubarb contains more than 800 mg of this substance. Frozen spinach has 600 mg of oxalic acid, while boiled spinach has 720 mg. Carambola is especially dangerous. It contains a substance that adversely affects the kidneys. Together with oxalic acid, this component is highly undesirable for people with kidney failure.

The list of foods containing oxalic acid is as follows:

• The safest foods in terms of the presence of this substance are eggplant, eggs, cottage cheese and kefir, as well as orange pumpkin and fresh peas.
• A little more acid in bananas, boiled potatoes and white cabbage. Of these, you can safely prepare dishes for the daily menu, without fear of getting a large dose of acid.
• People with sore joints should refrain from tomatoes, onions and boiled beets. It is also undesirable to drink black tea and coffee.
• If you have kidney stones, avoid sorrel, chocolate and celery.

A lot of oxalic acid is also found in exotic fruits. List of foods containing oxalic acid in ascending order: lemon, okra, lakonos, chard. Spices include ginger and white pepper. Some cerealsalso contain oxalic acid. These include: corn, beans, roasted peanuts and lentils.

Tea and drinks

One cup of black tea or instant coffee contains about 30 mg of this substance. Much less oxalic acid would include chamomile, raspberry leaf, or sage tea. Green tea contains only 12 mg of this product, and white tea has a little more than 15. Dried fruit compote, on the contrary, significantly reduces the amount of oxalic acid in the human body. Dried pears and apples have been noted to have this effect.

Who is in the lead

Each group of products containing oxalic acid and oxalic s alts has its leaders. So, among meat and fish products, pork liver, sardine and bacon have the largest amount of oxalic acid. Unlike them, chicken meat contains almost no acid.

Among confectionery products, chocolate comes first, followed by marmalade and cookies.

Thus, we can conclude that the following foods provoke the appearance of stones: sorrel, spinach, chocolate, peanuts, sardines, coffee and black tea. The last two products remove fluid from the body, which leaves a large amount of s alts that transform stones. Sardines and mushrooms, among other things, significantly increase the amount of urine that the body does not have time to excrete. This, in turn, leads to the formation of stones.

Due to the heat treatment of greens containing a large amount ofoxalic acid, its transition from an organic state to an inorganic one occurs. Therefore, dishes such as rhubarb jelly or sorrel borscht should be reduced to a minimum. Spinach is best eaten fresh and not cooked.

Oxalates in the human body

According to statistics, most often these substances are found in people with various kidney diseases. To identify stones and get rid of them in time, you should take urine for tests at least once every two years. The norm of the content of oxalates should not exceed 20 mg. Their presence in the urine indicates that the metabolism of oxalic acid has been disturbed in the body. There may be several reasons:

• Sometimes this happens due to the characteristics of the body. The tendency to form stones is inherited, and people who already have such cases in the family should follow the diet.
• Doctors note the relationship between synthetic vitamin C and the formation of oxalates. Thus, fans of vitamin supplements are at risk.
• Stress and heavy physical activity also provoke urolithiasis.

Symptoms of high oxalate levels can include abdominal pain, blood in the urine, reduced performance and frequent dizziness.

How to get rid of oxalates

Effectively get rid of these substances will help clinical nutrition. All products containing oxalic acid are excluded from the daily menu.acid. First of all, these are sorrel, rhubarb, chocolate, strawberries, beets, tea and coffee. It is recommended to use decoctions from the following compositions:

• The peel of apples, pears and quince is poured with cold water and boiled over low heat for 30 minutes. In the resulting broth, you can add a little sugar to taste and use it as compote.
• Blackcurrant and pear leaves are dried and used instead of tea in winter. Brewed like regular tea with the calculation: two tablespoons per half liter of boiling water.
• Doctors recommend eating dried fruits and making compotes out of them.

In case of urolithiasis, the list of products containing oxalic acid should be excluded from consumption.

To neutralize the acid, all meals are prepared with alkaline foods. These include garlic, oatmeal, white cabbage, cottage cheese and other dairy products, as well as boiled fish and eggs. It is recommended to consume as much calcium, antioxidants, potassium and magnesium as possible.