What is oxalate?
Oxalate is a compound found naturally in many foods, essentially the "salt" form of oxalic acid. While they are generally harmless, elevated levels of oxalate can lead to kidney stones when they bind with calcium in urine.
Susceptibility varies among individuals due to diet, hydration, and overall health. Adopting a holistic approach to well-being and a low oxalate diet is crucial for effectively managing the risks.
Oxalate Foods and Kidney Stones
Some foods have high oxalate levels. They may increase the chance of getting kidney stones. Especially calcium oxalate kidney stones. But only if you're sensitive to oxalate. Kidney stones begin to form when oxalate combines with calcium in your urine. This causes calcium oxalate crystals, which can grow into stones. Health experts suggest eating fewer high-oxalate foods if you have a history of kidney stones.
What oxalate range is considered safe?
As a general guideline, a daily oxalate intake of 50 to 100 milligrams is often considered safe for most individuals.
Some people may find it necessary to limit their oxalate intake further. Sensitive people may need a range of as low as 10-50 milligrams of oxalate daily. Knowing what are high oxalate foods is important. But following a low oxalate diet can be difficult as many sources of information are conflicting. If you have concerns, speak with a healthcare provider.
What are the oxalate levels in potatoes?
There are many different varieties of potatoes. The thing to be careful with is the cooking method. A very high number can be reduced through methods such as boiling.
Here are some common examples:
Sweet Potatoes: The oxalate in sweet potatoes tends to be lower than other potato types. On average, a 100 gram serving of cooked sweet potatoes contains about 28 milligrams of oxalates.
White Potatoes: White potatoes, including Russet and Yukon Gold varieties, have higher oxalate levels than sweet potatoes. A 100 gram serving of raw white potatoes may contain around 50 milligrams of oxalates.
Milligrams of Oxalate Table
Excess oxalate can potentially increase kidney stone risk. Not knowing what oxalate in foods means that oxalate intake can add up quickly. Being aware of oxalate in food can help individuals reduce their oxalate intake.
Oxalate Level | Food Category |
Very High | 300 mg or higher |
High | 100 – 299 mg |
Moderate | 25 – 99 mg |
Low | Less than 25 mg |
Table of Approximate Oxalate Per 100 Grams of Raw Potato OHF
Please research and speak to a medical professional before making dietary changes. I have listed the sources I use in the Resource Library. I am not a medical practitioner, just someone trying to raise awareness.
Item | Average Ox (mg) per 100 g | Serving Size | Serving Size (g) | Calc Oxalate per serving | Oxalate level |
Hash Browns, Potatoes | 26 | 1/2 cup | 78 | 20 | Low |
New Potato, with skin, boiled 30 min | 21 | 1/2 cup | 78 | 16 | Low |
Red Potato, new, boiled without skin | 13 | 1/2 cup | 78 | 10 | Low |
Russet Potato, baked or microwaved, flesh & skin | 46 | 1/2 cup, chopped | 64 | 29 | Moderate |
Sweet Potato, Orange, baked or boiled with or without skin | 126 | 1/2 cup | 125 | 158 | High |
Sweet Potato, Orange, baked, boiled, or canned without skin | 42 | 1/2 cup mashed | 134 | 56 | Moderate |
White Potato, deep-fried | 32 | 1/2 cup | 112 | 36 | Moderate |
Does cooking potatoes change oxalate?
Oxalate content can vary depending on the potato's size, age, and how it's cooked. Boiling or leaching potatoes in water can reduce their oxalate content compared to baking or roasting.
Boiling Reduces Oxalate: Boiling potatoes lowers oxalate levels as they dissolve in water. Discarding the cooking water reduces oxalate content.
Steaming Decreases Oxalate: Steaming is a gentler method than boiling but still helps lower oxalate while preserving more nutrients.
Baking and Roasting Maintain Oxalate: Baking or roasting potatoes doesn't significantly reduce oxalate. These methods need more water to be able to dissolve oxalate.
Blanching Leaches Oxalate: Blanching briefly in boiling water and cooling can reduce oxalate, similar to boiling.
How to Manage Oxalate Intake
If you’re worried about getting kidney stones, speak to a health professional first. Start a food journal. It’s helpful to know the oxalate levels in the foods you eat every day. Eating a variety of foods every day is great for your health. Tracking foods can help manage your intake of oxalate on a daily basis.
Picking low-oxalate foods as part of your meals can help keep oxalate levels low. It's important to remember that you don’t need to cut out plant foods altogether. Many plant foods have many health benefits. They are healthy and give you lots of nutrients. Just be mindful of your oxalate intake.
Also, try to eat less of foods that have lots of oxalates. Eat calcium-rich foods with high-oxalate foods. Pairing high oxalate with plant-based dairy products can reduce the amount of oxalates your body absorbs.
Calcium can help because calcium can grab onto oxalates in your stomach. When this happens it prevents them from getting into your urine. This is part of a kidney stone diet to help stop calcium oxalate crystals from forming.
When choosing what to eat, think about low-oxalate options. Make swaps that can help you keep your oxalate intake low and reduce the risk of kidney stones.
Stay hydrated to reduce the concentration of oxalate. Drinking plenty of water every day helps flush out extra oxalate from your body. Aim to drink at least five glasses of water daily to keep your kidneys healthy. Five glasses daily is what is recommended by NutritionFacts.org on their Daily Dozen app.
There a many sources of information online. Find a reputable source. I use the Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation (OHF). You can find oxalate resources in the Resource Library menu of this website. Create an oxalate list of foods that you can eat more freely to remind yourself in a positive way to monitor your dietary oxalate.
Summary
There are many different types of potatoes but generally speaking, potatoes are low in oxalate. The best way to reduce oxalate in potatoes is to boil them as the water helps to dissolve the oxalate. I am not a healthcare provider, I have only gathered information from online sources. Please visit the resource section and look under oxalates for my sources.
Want to add more greens to your diet? Read to find out which greens are best for you. Thank you for reading. Arugula Oxalate Rocket