I received a call from a reader who expressed disappointment over a statement I made in my article titled Wonders of Nature: My Personal Experience. In that piece, I wrote, “This is not in any way a ploy to bring down medical science. If I had agreed to take that medication, I would have seen results too.
He attributed the statement to fear, and he also felt it was like giving credit to medical science when, in actual fact, herbal medicine helped me.
Let us address this.
First, in my six years of handling this column, I have never received any threat from any medical body for speaking up for herbal medicine, so saying what I said did not come from a place of cowardice.
So, why did I say it? I constantly get text messages from people with large hernias and fibroids who insist on herbs when, in actual fact, they should go for surgery.
People are running away from orthodox medicine because of this movement on the efficacy of herbs, even to the detriment of their health. This is not a good development.
Coming here to share my experience about how I chose herbal over synthetic medicine to balance my hormones will continue to strengthen the resolve of many to refuse orthodox medicine, and I do not want that; hence the need to say what I said.
I have always said that herbal medicine should be allowed to thrive. However, I am also someone who would not rely on chewing garlic—one of nature’s potent blood thinners- before a long flight to prevent blood clots in my legs; I would rather take Aspirin, a synthetic alternative.
We have succeeded in building a bridge between orthodox and herbal healthcare systems, but we must constantly be reminded that each of them has its place.
Do oxalates affect calcium absorption? Let us start this week’s discussion on this note.
Because oxalates can bind to calcium in the intestines, they can decrease the amount of calcium available for absorption into the bloodstream. However, this binding between oxalates and calcium only happens if they come from the same food source. If oxalates and calcium come from different food sources, oxalates do not decrease calcium absorption.
Let me explain further with an example: if you eat almonds (a food high in oxalates) with milk (a food high in calcium), the almonds will not decrease the absorption of calcium from the milk because they are from two different food sources. But if you eat spinach, which is high in both oxalates and calcium, the oxalates will decrease the absorption of calcium because they come from one food source.
Let us see more effects of oxalates:
- Some people claim that a high oxalate intake may be linked to the development of autism.
Others say oxalates may be linked to vulvodynia, which is characterised by chronic, unexplained vaginal pain.
Based on study results, researchers believe neither of these conditions is likely triggered by dietary oxalates.
However, in a 1997 study, when 59 women with vulvodynia were treated with a low-oxalate diet and calcium supplements, nearly a quarter experienced improvements in symptoms.
The authors of that study concluded that dietary oxalate might worsen, rather than cause, the condition.
- Joint pain and inflammation
Some individuals experience oxalate-related joint pain, as oxalate crystals can settle in tissues and cause stiffness, soreness, and inflammation. This is particularly relevant for people with conditions like fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Potential gut and autoimmune issues
For people with leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory conditions, oxalates can be particularly irritating. When oxalates accumulate in the gut, they can trigger inflammation and gut dysbiosis (an imbalance of gut bacteria).
Certain gut bacteria, like Oxalobacter formigenes, help break down oxalates, but a poor diet or gut dysfunction can reduce their numbers, leading to oxalate buildup.
Let us see ways to reduce oxalate in our food:
- Reduce oxalate intake
People with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones or kidney disease may want to watch their oxalate intake.
Limiting high-oxalate foods in the diet may help reduce the risk of kidney stone formation.
- Increase fluid intake
Drinking plenty of water can help flush out excess oxalate from the body and reduce the risk of kidney stone formation.
- Pair high-oxalate foods with calcium-rich foods
Consuming calcium-rich foods along with oxalate-rich foods can help prevent oxalate from being absorbed into the body and may reduce the risk of kidney stone formation.
One 10-person study found that consuming high amounts of oxalate did not increase the risk of developing calcium oxalate kidney stones when participants were meeting the daily recommended intake for calcium.
We have talked about sesame seeds and how they are high in calcium, even more than milk. You can make milk from the seeds and pair it with foods that are high in oxalate.
- Increase magnesium
You ideally want to consume foods that are high in magnesium in close proximity to your intake of high-oxalate foods.
Magnesium can also help reduce oxalate absorption when taken at around the same time. These effects disappear if your intake of magnesium and oxalate differs by 12 hours or more. You can increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods, like whole grains, legumes, low-oxalate nuts, seeds, and greens.
- Cook oxalate-rich foods before eating them
By the time most foods high in oxalates get to our plates, they may no longer contain enough to cause problems. Research suggests that boiling and steaming can significantly reduce oxalate content. One study found that boiling reduced oxalates in raw vegetables by 30–87%, and steaming reduced them by 5–53%.
- Soak, sprout, or ferment oxalate-rich foods before cooking them
One study found that soaking pulses (the edible seeds of plants in the legume family) before cooking significantly reduced oxalate levels.
The researchers found that approximately 24–72% of total oxalates in pulses appeared to be soluble, meaning their concentrations dissolved in water.
Sprouting may also reduce oxalate content by up to 80% in red kidney beans. (However, it is important to always cook kidney beans well, even if you sprout them, because they contain a type of lectin called phytohaemagglutinin that can be toxic. Fortunately, cooking destroys this and other harmful lectins.)
A study titled Effects of processing on oxalate contents in plant
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