Guest guest Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 <<<<Just been reading through and am convinced I have been getting too much oxalic acid from eating spinach.>>>>> Hi Peter, Why do you feel that you are getting too much oxalic acid from spinach? Are you eating it in it's natural state? I can't get enough green leafed veggies. They make such a difference in the way I feel. I listened to a very good tape the other day about green foods and the benefits. Of course they were selling a product at the end, but the information was excellent. They play such an important part in our digestion and helping to deliver oxygen to our cells. We have all kinds of varieties of green foods here in the US. Vegigran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Vegigran This explains why I am watching Oxalic acid. Oxalic acid occurs naturally in quite a large number of plants. The human body also synthesizes oxalic acid from ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Oxalic acid may combine with calcium, iron, sodium, magnesium, or potassium to form less soluble salts known as oxalates. Oxalates also occur naturally in plants. Since oxalic acid binds with important nutrients, making them inaccessible to the body, regular consumption of large amounts of foods high in oxalic acid over a period of weeks to months may result in nutrient deficiencies, most notably of calcium. Oxalic acid is a strong acid, and is irritating to tissue all by itself. Extremely high doses are fatal. Oxalates, on the other hand, form tiny little insoluble crystals with sharp edges, which are also irritating to tissue. So, high levels of oxalic acid/oxalates in the diet lead to irritation of the digestive system, and particularly of the stomach and kidneys. They may also contribute to the formation of kidney stones (the most common form of kidney stone is composed of calcium oxalate). Foods containing these chemicals may be consumed in moderation. However, if you suffer from kidney disease, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout, it is usually recommended that you avoid foods that are high in oxalates or oxalic acid. Foods generally found on the list include: chocolate, cocoa, coffee, most berries (especially strawberries and cranberries), most nuts (especially peanuts), beans, beets, bell peppers, black pepper, parsley, rhubarb, spinach, Swiss chard, summer squash, sweet potatoes, and tea. Plant foods with high concentrations of oxalic acid (over 200 ppm) include (but are not limited to): lamb's-quarter, buckwheat, star fruit, black pepper, purslane, poppy seeds, rhubarb, tea, spinach, plantains, cocoa and chocolate, ginger, almonds, cashews, garden sorrel, mustard greens, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, soybeans, tomatillos, beets and beet greens, oats, pumpkin, cabbage, green beans, mango, eggplant, tomatoes, lentils, and parsnips. Vegetable Oxalic acid (g/100 g) Amaranth 1.09 Asparagus .13 Beans, snap .36 Beet leaves .61 Broccoli .19 Brussels sprouts .36 Cabbage .10 Carrot .50 Cassava 1.26 Cauliflower .15 Celery .19 Chicory .21 Chives 1.48 Collards .45 Coriander .01 Corn, sweet .01 Cucumbers .02 Eggplant .19 Endive .11 Garlic .36 Kale .02 Lettuce .33 Okra .05 Onion .05 Parsley 1.70 Parsnip .04 Pea .05 Pepper .04 Potato .05 Purslane 1.31 Radish .48 Rutabaga .03 Spinach .97 Squash .02 Sweet potato .24 Tomato .05 Turnip .21 Turnip greens .05 Watercress .31 Vegigran [vegigran] 17 November 2003 20:06 rawfood [Raw Food] (Peter) Cabbages <<<<Just been reading through and am convinced I have been getting too much oxalic acid from eating spinach.>>>>> Hi Peter, Why do you feel that you are getting too much oxalic acid from spinach? Are you eating it in it's natural state? I can't get enough green leafed veggies. They make such a difference in the way I feel. I listened to a very good tape the other day about green foods and the benefits. Of course they were selling a product at the end, but the information was excellent. They play such an important part in our digestion and helping to deliver oxygen to our cells. We have all kinds of varieties of green foods here in the US. Vegigran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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