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Oxalates in some Indian green leafy vegetables
1Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie et des Industries Alimentaires de Nancy, Vandoeuvre-lis-Nancy, France.
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition
|March 13, 2008
Summary
Spinach and amaranth are high in oxalates. Adding calcium significantly reduced available oxalate in leafy vegetables, crucial for managing kidney stone risk.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Nutrition Science
- Food Chemistry
Background:
- Oxalates in leafy vegetables can impact calcium absorption and contribute to kidney stone formation.
- Variability in oxalate content exists among different leafy vegetables, influenced by factors like species and cultivation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify soluble and total oxalate levels in 11 Indian leafy vegetables.
- To assess the bioavailability of oxalates through in vitro digestion models.
- To investigate the effect of calcium supplementation on oxalate bioavailability.
Main Methods:
- Determination of soluble and total oxalate content using acid extraction.
- In vitro digestion simulating gastric and intestinal conditions.
- Analysis of calcium binding to insoluble oxalate fractions.
- Assessment of oxalate reduction with added calcium sources.
Main Results:
- Spinach, amaranth, and colocasia exhibited high total oxalate levels (5,138–12,576 mg/100 g dry matter).
- Gastric and intestinal available oxalate were lower than acid-extracted values (10% and 20% lower, respectively).
- Calcium addition reduced intestinal available oxalate by 32–100%.
Conclusions:
- Certain Indian leafy vegetables are rich sources of oxalates, necessitating careful consumption.
- In vitro digestion provides a more accurate estimate of oxalate bioavailability than simple extraction methods.
- Dietary calcium can effectively mitigate the intestinal absorption of oxalate from leafy vegetables.
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