These are the symptoms that your diet is rich in oxalates and is causing inflammation

If you suffer from intestinal problems, joint pain, inflammation or other symptoms that leave doctors speechless, there is a good chance that the invisible culprits are oxalates, toxins produced by many plants.

Oxalates: what they are and their relationship with inflammation

For most plants, the oxalic acid and oxalate crystals are essential for their growth, survival and reproductionand they are also secret weapons in defensive warfare to avoid being ingested. They use their toxic power to evade various predatorssuch as infectious fungi, other microorganisms, insects or other animals that ingest plants, including humans.

They promote kidney stones: Dietary oxalates are key drivers of calcium oxalate kidney stones and kidney disease. Differences in our individual biology explain the predisposition to this problem, but even if that is not our case, we are not protected against the development of oxalate problems in other places in the body.
They cause cell damage: During the hours after consuming foods rich in oxalates, a flow of ions occurs through the blood circulation that travel through the body, damaging cellular structures, generating oxidative stresscausing inflammation in the tissues and entering cells, where they alter their function and interfere with cellular energy production.

Harmful crystals: Calcium oxalate tends to become nanocrystals that not only damage cellular metabolismbut they have the potential to accumulate in tissues and form larger microcrystalssimilar to glass, anywhere on the body. This gritty residue creates complicated cleansing problems for tissues and the immune system.
Mineral deficiencies: In addition, oxalate ions act as «thieves» that steal minerals from our food. Consequently, a diet rich in oxalate is intrinsically deficient in minerals, especially calcium and magnesium. Excess oxalate also generates additional demand for the vitamins B6 and B1which contributes to creating functional deficiencies of these nutrients.

Beyond the kidneys

Although oxalates are related to increased risk of developing kidney stones In some people, its effect can go much further. Dietary oxalate can damage any organic system –or all– and cause serious and chronic health problems.

It is easy to overeat them, so you may already have occasional aches and pains related to some part of your body, from a stiff neck to itching, joint pain and lack of mood. Reducing oxalates can help.

Excess oxalates: a difficult diagnosis

The first ones are not well known signs and symptoms of oxalate poisoning: they can be quite common and diversecan appear gradually and intermittently, and vary from person to person.

Clinically identified oxalate diseases include a group of genetic disorders very rare, in that the liver produces excess oxalate due to enzymatic defects. Current medical protocols do not recognize a relationship between oxalate provided by food and symptoms in most cases, possibly because it is difficult to establish a relationship between the level of oxalates in the urine, diet and symptoms.

The Excretion of oxalates through urine occurs in cyclesin the form of two or three brief, but very marked, peaks a day. Seasonal cycles have also been observed (more is eliminated in summer and autumn). The researchers calculate that to truly calibrate the average amount of oxalate released by any person would require nine urine tests in 24 hours. And yet, averages are not a useful indicator of oxalate-related problems.

Symptoms of oxalate poisoning

Various basic signs are warning signs. Any combination of these indicators should raise suspicions:

Cloudy urine It may indicate excess crystals in the urine.
Recurrent urinary tract infections or intense discomfort in the groin.
Irritable bladder episodic, frequent nocturnal urination, painful urination or high urinary frequency.
kidney stones recurring.
Joint swelling, pain, or weakness periodically, with bursitis, tendonitis or arthritis.
digestive upset or unexplained abdominal pain.
Brain fogmood problems, other unexplained neurological problems.
Signs of vasospasm (low blood flow): coldness, numbness, pain, Raynaud’s syndrome in hands or feet.
Stinging in the mouth and pain in the teeth, or itching in the genitals, anus or urinary tract.
Unexplained bone fractures.
Slow recovery or incomplete from an injury or surgery.
Low bone density or mixed with a high and a low region.
Skin or vision problems.

How to identify a problem with oxalates

Certain tests may indicate that we have a problem with oxalates:

Invisible blood in urine (found in urine analysis).
Creatinine in serum slightly elevated.
Glomerular filtration rate at the lower limit or below normal.
White or red blood cell counts at the lower end of normal or below.
Anemia not explained by any other cause.
Elevation of glycolate and L-glycerate in the urine (could indicate elevated internal production).
Glyoxal high in plasma (this indicator is not found in the usual analyses).

How to reduce oxalate load

At least the 50% of the total oxalate in the body comes from food. The rest is formed inside the body (metabolic oxalate) from two sources: breakdown of vitamin C and the metabolism of amino acids and other substances. To reduce the load, it is necessary to reduce oxalate intake and body production, due to metabolic stress.

Most people absorb between 10-15% of oxalates that he ingests. In some people, the ratio may be drastically higher, up to 72%. Hyperabsorption is a reality in people with gastrointestinal inflammationwhether obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome or another inflammatory disease. If you suffer symptoms that can be related to overload, you can try a low oxalate diet for three months.

The foods with more oxalates In a usual serving they are:

in the book Toxic superfoods(Alienta publishing house) you will find complete tables, as well as a detailed program to reduce the oxalate load in three months.

Additionally, to reduce the body’s production of oxalate, it is advisable avoid metabolic stress caused by:

The use of polyunsaturated seed oils (soybeans, corn, safflower, sunflower, etc., which are used in ultra-processed foods and in restaurant kitchens).
He excess sugars and starches in the diet that increases blood glucose and insulin.
He excess calories in general.
Furthermore, it is advisable to avoid excess oxalate precursors, such as vitamin C (no more than 250 mg per day) and collagen supplements (no more than one tablespoon a day).

Natural aids to avoid excess oxalates

Take note of these natural aids to help you avoid the accumulation of oxalates.

Citric acid: Binds to and weakens oxalate crystals, helping to dissolve deposits in the kidneys and elsewhere. It is located in the lemon juice (at least two a day) and can be taken as supplement (in the form of Potassium or potassium-magnesium citrate).
baking soda: If lemons or citrate supplements don’t agree with you, you can take a quarter teaspoon of sodium or potassium bicarbonate between meals, three times a day. Increases urinary citrate and reduces inflammation.
Vitamin B group: Its deficiency increases the internal production of oxalates. They are found in the legumes, whole grains, eggs and dairy.

Foods with oxalates and foods that help reduce them

The following tips on plant-based foods and drinks may be helpful for oxalate overload:

Vegetables: Avoid or reduce spinach, chard, celery, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes and tomato sauce in favor of cabbage, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, turnips, endive, lettuce, cucumber, endive and peppers.
Drinks: Black tea, homemade almond milk, and chocolate shakes contain too many oxalates. Better options are water, coffee and fruit juices (in small quantities or diluted with water).
spices: Cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and pepper contain quite a few oxalates. To add flavor you can use aromatic plants, horseradish, chili, mustard or cardamom.
Fruit: Those with the most oxalates are apricots, bananas, raspberries and kiwis. On the other hand, blueberries, cherries, coconut, dates, apples, plums, grapes, peaches, mangoes or bananas are low in oxalates.
Legumes: Soaked and cooked white beans, split or fresh peas, and mung beans are better choices than black and pinto beans, textured soybeans, and veggie burgers.
Nuts and seeds: Pumpkin and flax seeds are preferable to poppy, chia, sesame and hemp seeds. It is advisable to reduce almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans and pine nuts.

Sally K. Norton, nutritionist, is author of Toxic superfoods (Encourages Editorial)