Spinach and Oxalic Acid

[casportpony]

I found this article by Patty Jourgensen

"A friend directed me to a comment on another bird site that revealed some serious misinformation regarding oxalic acid. One of the posters listed off all of the vegetables she discovered that contained oxalic acid and recommended that they be discontinued in the diets of everyone’s birds based on concerns that have been circulating for years now. Oxalic acid is a term that is on the lips of many parrot owners and it appears to be only slightly less concerning to them than battery acid. So, let’s get our facts together.

What is oxalic acid?
Oxalic acid is a naturally occurring compound that is found in many of the leafy greens like chard, collard or spinach, and is present in lesser amounts in beets, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and cabbage to name a few other vegetables. It can be found in some nuts, seeds, grains, fruits and legumes as well.

The concern about oxalic acid is that it inhibits calcium absorption. This is true. Calcium is important to our birds, and especially so seasonally when eggs might be produced. But to put the message out there in such simplistic terms causes people to over-react. What most people don’t understand is that oxalic acid does not randomly obliterate the calcium content of a meal. That is a lot of where people’s fears originate.

Since calcium can come from multiple sources, your bird will derive the necessary amounts from the other foods it eats. Most of the foods with oxalic acid have so many other great nutritional attributes that they must be kept in the diet, regardless of the calcium issues.

The fact is that oxalic acid will only suppress the absorption of calcium from food that contains oxalic acid. For instance, spinach contains both calcium and oxalic acid. The oxalic acid in the spinach binds with its calcium and will block its absorption into the blood stream. However, it does not affect the calcium in other foods even when eaten in the same meal.

Are there REAL concerns?
When you stop and reason it out, there are so many common foods that contain varying levels of oxalic acid that our birds (and ourselves) would be starved for calcium if the fears circulating were justified.

However, if spinach is ALL your bird ever eats (and I am not picking on spinach for any reason other than continuity in this article), then your bird will wind up with a calcium deficiency because the oxalic acid will cancel out the bird’s only source of calcium. There would likely be other deficiencies as well if your bird only ate that one food.

If your bird’s diet is varied and well rounded, you don’t really need to give oxalic acid any further consideration because your bird will have its calcium needs met through other foods.

DO NOT eliminate known healthy foods from your bird’s diet based on the fearful words of others. It is true what they say about the relationship between oxalic acid and calcium. But it is the same relationship that has always been and will always be. If we scratched every food with what appears to be a downside off our shopping list, neither we, nor the birds would have anything left to eat. Nature has it all worked out as usual, so don’t worry needlessly.

For a complete guide to parrot diet and nutrition click here: Natural Feeding.

NOTE: The foods that are commonly listed as safe for parrots might contain oxalic acid in amounts that are safe for consumption. However, rhubarb leaves contain a toxic amount of oxalic acid and should not be eaten by humans or fed to the birds at any time.

Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior and nutrition and has been working with and caring for rescue birds since 1987."

Source: https://birdtricksstore.com/blogs/birdtricks-blog/the-truth-about-oxalic-acid-in-the-parrot-diet

 

[casportpony]

from @shawluvsbirds

• http://oxalicacidinfo.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/should-we-eat-greens-high-oxalic-acid-guylaine-lacerte?src=aff-lilpar&veh=aff_src.aff-lilpar_c.partners_pkw.10078_plc.Skimbit Ltd._pcrid.449670_learning&trk=aff_src.aff-lilpar_c.partners_pkw.10078_plc.Skimbit Ltd._pcrid.449670_learning&clickid=S6qzhdTPJxyJWbtwUx0Mo34VUklVgczUKRuYT80&irgwc=1

Spoiler: Article - Click to read

Should We Eat Greens High in Oxalic Acid?
Published on January 29, 2015January 29, 2015 • 29 Likes • 10 Comments

Gila LacerteFollow
Functional Nutrition Coach at Healthy On Raw

• 29
• 10
• Share0

One question I often get asked is whether we should avoid leafy green vegetables, and other natural foods, which are high in oxalic acid.

Problems with oxalates in the body are two-fold:

• The restriction of mineral availability, hence depriving the body of essential minerals
• The potential to form kidney stones in susceptible individuals.

In this article I'm going to elucidate what oxalic acid is, what foods contain oxalic acid, whether we should eat foods high in oxalates if health issues occur from consuming greens high in oxalic acid, and what quantities are optimum for health.

What is oxalic acid?

Oxalic acid is a colorless, organic compound that occurs naturally in plants, animals and in humans. It is made by the human body from other substances such as vitamin C. It can also be ingested from food and readily combines with calcium, which is why some people have concerns. Likewise, our bodies convert many of the things we consume into oxalates. Organic oxalic acid is an important - even essential - element to stimulate and maintain the peristaltic motion in our bodies, so it is not all bad.

What foods contain oxalic acid?

Oxalic acid is found in greens of the Amaranthaceae family such as spinach, Swiss chard, beet tops, lambs quarters and amaranth plus sorrel, parsley, purslane and rhubarb. It imparts a sharp taste to beet greens and chard that is felt in the throat. Oxalic acid generally increases as foods mature, producing increasingly bitter vegetables. Young, fresh vegetables such as baby spinach are less likely to have oxalic acid.

Other foods high in oxalates are almonds, cashews, buckwheat, unhulled sesame seeds, tea, coffee, chocolate, textured soy protein, beets.

Low oxalate greens are lettuce, celery, chickweed, watercress, escarole, asparagus, dandelion, and the members or the brassica family or cruciferous such as kale, bokchoy, collards, mustard greens, turnip tops, cabbage and arugula.

High Oxalic acid/100g food Med oxalic vegetables Low oxalic vegetables

• Lambsquarters (highest) Radish (0.48 g) Chicory (0.21 g)
• Parsley (1.7 g) Collards (0.45 g) Turnip (0.21 g)
• Chives (1.48 g) Beans, snap (0.36 g) Broccoli (0.19 g)
• Purslane (1.31 g) Brussels sprouts (0.36 g) Celery (0.19 g)
• Amaranth (1.09 g) Lettuce (0.33 g) Eggplant (0.19 g)
• Spinach (0.97 g) Watercress (0.31 g) Cauliflower (0.15 g)
• Beet leaves (0.61 g) Sweet potato (0.24 g) Asparagus (0.13 g)
• Endive (0.11 g)
• Carrot (0.5 g)
• Cabbage (0.1 g)
• Onion (0.05 g)
• Pea (0.05 g)
• Tomato (0.05 g)
• Turnip greens (0.05 g)
• Parsnip (0.04 g)
• Pepper (0.04 g)
• Rutabaga (0.03 g)
• Cucumbers (0.02 g)
• Kale (0.02 g)
• Squash (0.02 g)
• Coriander (0.01 g)

U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrition Data Laboratory. Oxalic acid in vegetables

Absorption of minerals

Oxalic acid present in greens and other foods has the potential to bind with calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper in our intestines to form oxalates, insoluble salts, thus interfering with the absorption of these minerals and making them unavailable for the body to use. It doesn't, however, affect the absorption of calcium in other foods consumed at the same meal.

Studies have shown less absorbability of calcium from spinach. The absorption of calcium in spinach is only 5% compared to 30% absorption in kale, a low oxalate greens. The bio availability of calcium from kale is actually better than milk at 27%.

In another study, about 27 percent of the magnesium from spinach was absorbed compared to 37 percent of the magnesium in kale.

However the oxalic acid on iron absorption varies from person to person and meal to meal, and the body absorbs more iron from oxalic acid-rich foods when you are iron-deficient compared to when your iron stores are plentiful. So you get iron from eating spinach if you need iron.

How does cooking affect oxalic acid?

The oxalic acid is lowered by boiling and steaming but so are the minerals and vitamins and phytochemicals which leach in the water. If you discard that water you reduce the oxalates remaining in the food but at the same time you also lose the vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals. So you are better off consuming your greens raw if you want to benefit from the whole spectrum of nutrients.

Health problems with oxalates

Oxalic acid forms insoluble salts such as calcium oxalates which are found in kidney stones. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and may cause health problems such as kidney stones.

There is also a large degree of genetic variability in the ability to detoxify the chemicals that produce oxalates. Perhaps twenty percent of the population has a genetic variance that increases their likelihood of producing oxalates, even when not consuming a high-oxalate diet. For this reason, certain individuals need to be careful about their intake of oxalic acid - those who have existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems, a vulnerability to kidney disorders, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, or certain forms of chronic vulvar pain. People with hyperoxaluria (a genetic predisposition to this disorder occurs in less than 1 percent of the population) should highly minimize their intake of oxalates.

For others, the extent to which foods high in oxalic acid are a potential health problem varies from person to person. For normal, healthy persons, that risk is almost negligible provided that great amounts of oxalic acid are not consumed on a continuing, long-term basis.

For those who have a healthy digestive tract, good bacterial flora, who chew their foods well in a relaxed state, and minimize animal protein, will have the potential to lower oxalate absorption/urinary excretion from foods containing oxalic acid.

Although calcium oxalates play a part, it is the consumption of animal protein that is the main culprit in the formation of kidney stones. The acidification of the urine and increased animal protein are linked with the most common stone - uric acid stones. A plant-based lower protein diet will prevent the formation of kidney stones.

Being well hydrated and a daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids are also very effective in preventing oxalate deposition.

How much oxalic acid to eat?

It all depends on whether you have trouble excreting oxalic acid or not. Generally I recommend that high oxalic food be a smaller portion of your leafy green intake. Stone formers should look at minimizing those portions.

However we don't have to avoid high oxalate foods completely. Spinach, beet leaves, lambsquarters and purslane have much to offer nutritionally: they're an excellent source of folic acid, phytonutrients carotenoids and lutein, antioxidants, other minerals as well as vitamin K, E and C.

Don't base your smoothies on spinach or Swiss chard. It is large amounts of consumption over several months that you should be aware of. I know people who put spinach in their smoothies all day and all year long without varying their greens. They are depriving themselves of calcium and other minerals more readily available in other low oxalate greens.

Rotate your high oxalate greens with low oxalate greens. The best spinach substitute in smoothies is baby bokchoy. It is mild in flavor, has soft fiber and a high calcium level.

Mix high oxalic greens with a variety of low oxalic greens. For example instead of using 2-3 cups of spinach in a smoothie, cut it down to half and make up the other half with other greens low in oxalic acid. This way you won't ingest too much oxalate and will benefit from both worlds.

You can put spinach in your salad and soups but make sure the spinach is less than half of your total consumption of greens.

In general you should not eat more than 8 ounces of spinach a day, juiced or raw. If cooked, 10 ounces is not too much, but eating it every day can't be as good as consuming a mix of other greens throughout the week.

And if you do experience a 'burning' sensation in your throat, however mild, you should stop eating those greens immediately, rather than ignoring it. Once I made a green smoothie containing Swiss chard stems and leaves. The smoothie tasted so strong that I couldn't even have a sip without feeling an intense burn in my throat. I had to throw away the smoothie. On another occasion I made the same smoothie with Swiss chard and it tasted great. Not all chards are the same. Likewise with raw beets. Some beets burn my throat while other beets don't. Don't ignore those messages from your body. A food that burns your throat is not beneficial.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Guylaine Lacerte, Functional Nutrition Coach and author of the enlightening 40 page eBook 'Your Raw Food Guide, 1 Day Menu Plan Plus 10 Raw Food Recipes' you can get for FREE by signing up on her website: www.healthyonraw.com . She publishes "Revitalize" - an inspiring and informative free bi-weekly eZine for health seekers and raw food lovers.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I remember this discussion. That has been a long time ago!
I started letting ducks have spinach again occasionally after that. They love it.

 

[rjohns39]

Good articles

 

[casportpony]

I remember this discussion. That has been a long time ago!
I started letting ducks have spinach again occasionally after that. They love it.

The subject of spinach came up again today so I went on a search. I must confess that I have been guilty of spreading the misinformation about it depleting calcium stores. oh the shame!

 

[Shadrach]

Rather like the oats scare.
Can't imagine which site would promote such nonsense.

 

[CSAchook]

Thanks for the articles! “Oxalic acid myths” are pretty pervasive in the reptile owner community too. On many bearded dragon forums, kale really is a four letter word (Beardies, like laying hens, have very high calcium requirements). However my favorite book had this to say on the matter:

 

[casportpony]

Rather like the oats scare.

I have not heard this, what is it?

Can't imagine which site would promote such nonsense.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks for the articles! “Oxalic acid myths” are pretty pervasive in the reptile owner community too. On many bearded dragon forums, kale really is a four letter word (Beardies, like laying hens have very high calcium requirements). However my favorite book had this to say on the matter:

Thanks for your post! Maybe together we can undo the myth!

 

[rjohns39]

I have not heard this, what is it?

I'm likely the source of the oats thing. It's one of those complicated subjects where too much of a great thing becomes bad and it's hard to define what too much is, because there are other variables and factors. Read up on beta-glucans and you'll see the complexity.