What are oxalates?
Oxalates, and phosphates are major villains in foods. Do not know why? We explain.
Present in food considered as highly healthy, like spinach, you need to pay attention to the exaggerated consumption of these substances. That is, it’s not because you eat healthy foods that you will reap its benefits. Like the phytates, present mostly in legumes, cereals, and oilseeds, oxalates prevent your body from properly absorbing some of the nutrients present in these foods.
They are considered, therefore, as anti nutrients by association with minerals forming insoluble compounds, impossible to be assimilated by the human body. Oxalic acid derivatives, these compounds are present in spinach, beets – although these are in low doses – chards, pepper, basil or cocoa powder. Oxalates, specifically, hold the absorption of calcium and may even be responsible for the formation of kidney stones.
The consumption of foods rich in potassium oxalate shall be limited. To decrease the number of oxalates from your diet without having to delete these foods, which nevertheless bring other benefits, you should consume them only after having them scalded in boiling water. In addition, you should not take advantage of the water in your cooking, as it is it where they settle.
Another of the tricks that you can use to remove oxalates from food is, at a meal with foods rich in these compounds, providing extra doses of calcium for oxalates to settle, and are eliminated through stool, preventing its absorption by the body.
