 I think someone asked me about oxalates about once a day. It's a buzzword in diet and wellness right now, so today I wanted to share a brief video to shed light on the truth about oxalates, and my opinion may surprise you. But first I need to ask you a quick question. Are there any health topics you'd like to know more about? If so, reply in the comments and let me know what you're curious about. I created this channel for you, and I want to make sure you're benefiting from it. So if there's anything you want to know, go ahead and leave a comment below. But now, back to oxalates. And like I said, I'll keep this video brief. First of all, what's an oxalate exactly? Well, oxalates, sometimes called oxalic acid, are naturally occurring compounds found in lots of foods, especially spinach, rhubarb, black tea, and even chocolate. Its purpose in plants is to get rid of extra calcium by binding to it. And in plants, that's fantastic, because excess calcium can block plants from getting the nutrients they need and kill them. But when it comes to human nutrition, oxalates are a bit more controversial. Because as I mentioned, they bind to calcium and also minerals like iron. Now, for most people out there, this isn't a big deal, because the new compounds formed in your body are simply excreted as waste. No big deal. So why is the nutrition community making such a huge fuss about oxalates? Well, I'll be the first to say, like with many foods, there are people who need to avoid oxalates. Specifically, people whose doctors tell them to skip out on oxalate-rich foods. That's typically people who have struggled with kidney stones in the past, because there's some thought that oxalates can contribute to kidney stones if and only if you're already prone to them. And if you suffer from Crohn's disease, you may also be told to avoid oxalates. So if your doctors suggest you steer clear, skip the high oxalate foods like spinach, rhubarb, kale, and tea. There are hundreds of full lists online. But some people have been claiming oxalates are dangerous even for healthy people, and that eating high oxalate foods can leach calcium from your body, depriving you of nutrients and lead to things like leaky gut, irritable bowel, and numerous other digestive issues. Bacterial issues, including yeast infections, malnutrition, and even autism. In my opinion, those people are dead wrong. I get it. It's easy to look for one simple culprit to explain away all your health issues. And it's true. There are some things that really do cause massive health problems for a lot of people, like sugar, lectins, and unhealthy fats. But based on my research, oxalates are not the nutrition super villain that people in the health community are claiming. Yes, oxalates can cause issues in a very small number of people, so certain people should avoid them. If their doctors tell them to, or you notice that you reacted to them. That being said, for the vast majority of people, oxalates are perfectly safe. And given that some of the healthiest foods in the planet are also oxalate rich, in my opinion, giving up oxalate rich foods is actually bad for most people's health. Because you'll also be giving up all the phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that common healthy oxalate rich foods like sesame seeds, spinach, rhubarb, and dark chocolate, all foods I love and eat just about every week. Now, if you are worried about calcium absorption, the solution is simple. Eat more calcium rich foods. And I'm not just talking about dairy, broccoli, almonds, kale, and even pressure-cooked lentils are pretty calcium rich. Now, if your doctor says it's fine to eat foods with oxalates, but for some reason you still want to limit them, try cooking them. Studies have found that steaming or boiling things like spinach can reduce the oxalate content, so you can still enjoy the other benefits it has to offer. And make sure to drink plenty of water, too. Just remember, oxalates are fine for most people. And 99% of the time, they're not something to be avoided. Especially if you're sticking to foods on my plant paradox yes list. So don't worry too much. Go ahead and eat that piece of chocolate. Because I'm Dr. Gundry, and I'm always looking out for you.