Popeye Was Wrong—Beware of Oxalate Toxicity

What is Oxalate Toxicity?

Sally K. Norton, a known expert on oxalate poisoning, defines oxalates as “a naturally occurring tiny molecule that is a toxic, corrosive acid. When it has minerals attached to it, it is called Oxalate (OX) … chemically a salt—sodium oxalate, potassium oxalate, magnesium oxalate, and calcium oxalate. Oxalate likes to form crystals. Most kidney stones contain calcium oxalate.” However, oxalate damage is not a sensitivity or allergy but rather a toxicity problem.

The Symptoms of Oxalate Toxicity

Seasonal consumption of oxalates normally does not cause a problem. However, daily consumption such as raw spinach, beets, and Swiss chard, concentrated in green drinks, can accumulate and may cause the following symptoms:

• Leaky gut
• Achy joints
• Kidney stones
• Chronic fatigue
• Mineral depletion
• Chronic inflammation
• Autoimmune conditions

Oxalates—Was Popeye Wrong About Spinach?

Unlike lectins—another plant acid—oxalates tend to crystalize, settle in the joints and organs, become like tiny shards of glass, and can cause immense pain. Many functional medicine doctors attribute rheumatoid arthritis, neurological issues, torn ligaments, kidney and bladder complaints, and other widely assorted ailments to the presence of oxalates. However, M.D. doctors rarely diagnose oxalate poisoning due to the lack of reliable testing protocols.

Moreover, oxalates are difficult to dissolve and flush from the body. Vegans and vegetarians are more prone to oxalate poisoning due to increased consumption of almond and soy flours, nuts, meat replacements, and “healthy” processed foods that often contain dangerous oxalate levels. Be aware that plants, especially when processed and concentrated, can be toxic.

What is a Safe Level of Oxalate Consumption?

Medical researchers suggest that you consume less than 150mg of oxalates daily. Vegetables high in oxalates are listed below, along with the approximate amount of oxalates in a 100-gram serving.

• Swiss chard – 700mg
• Spinach – 600mg
• Rhubarb – 500mg
• Cocoa & Chocolate – 500mg
• Almond flour – 400mg
• Beets – 300mg
• Soy flour – 183mg
• Peanuts – 150mg
• Tofu – 235mg
• Almonds – 122mg
• Potatoes – 97mg
• Beans – 76mg
• Raspberries – 48mg

Does Oxalate Toxicity Cause Kidney Stones?

It was widely reported that Napoleon died from poison. In a long-running medical saga, Arne Soerensen wrote in a new book, Napoleon’s Nyrer (Napoleon’s Kidneys), that Napoleon died of chronic kidney and urinary toxicity.

“From a young age, Napoleon suffered chronic shrinking around his urinary canal, chronic infections in his withered bladder, a kidney illness, and obstructive nephropathy that led to deadly complications,” he said. “He had pain urinating for a long time, to the point that one day he said: ‘It will kill me,'” Soerensen told AFP, adding that Napoleon suffered these symptoms from the 1790s until his death in 1821, at the age of 51.

What was one of Napoleon’s favorite foods? Almonds—which are high in oxalates.

Calcium oxalate kidney stones are the most common type of kidney stone. Stones form when calcium in your urine combines with oxalates. Low-oxalate diets are often prescribed for people prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones. Adhering to such a diet means consuming less than 100 mg of oxalic acid daily.

If, like me, you are concerned about your calcium, zinc, or magnesium levels, you may want to limit your oxalate consumption. Consume plenty of these minerals from sources low in oxalates. This is especially important with calcium, as it regulates dietary oxalate absorption.

Are Oxalates Dangerous?

From my research, the answer is, yes—they can be. In the book, Toxic Superfoods, Sally Norton details the effects of oxalates on the body. She predicts that oxalate toxicity is the root of many serious health conditions—especially for those who shove handfuls of spinach into smoothies. That described me before I learned about oxalates.

In high amounts, oxalates can possibly damage the esophagus. The kidneys are one of the most precious organs. From my 40 years of experience, many of my autoimmune-compromised clients have vulnerable kidneys. Do you experience frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs)? If so, you check your oxalate consumption and to learn more about oxalate toxicity read Salle Norton’s book Toxic Superfoods. While oxalates as a part of a balanced diet are not problematic for most—especially when eaten seasonally.

The same is true as far as mineral deficiencies and malabsorption issues—check for oxalate toxicity. If you experience a leaky gut, which also leads to malabsorption—check for oxalate toxicity. Due to these common factors, I believe that oxalate dangers are greater than previously known.

Popeye Was Wrong About Spinach

To protect yourself from oxalates, limit or avoid spinach, chard, and peanuts, and go easy on the other high-oxalate foods. Take note of achy joints or lower back pain. When I consumed red chard—a former favorite vegetable—I always ached the next day. Now I know why.

I hope this article has given you food for thought! For those who grew up with Popeye touting the virtues of spinach, it is indeed a blow. Yet, knowledge is power. Forgive me, Popeye, for popping the bubble. Sorry, Popeye—my job is to protect the Happy Gut Tribe.

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