Oxalates: Plant Defense Toxins and Animal Based Diet Connection

Plant Defense Mechanisms: Why Some Plants Can Harm Us Plants may seem harmless, but they can't run away from predators – instead, they fight back with chemicals. In an evolutionary arms race, many plants have evolved natural toxins (antinutrients) to deter animals from eating them. As carnivore diet proponent Dr. Anthony Chaffee bluntly puts it, "Plants are trying to kill us" by using defense chemicals. Anthropologist Dr. Bill Schindler echoes this sentiment: "Plants should scare the hell out of you." He notes that contrary to popular belief, many plants harbor antinutrients that can be harmful to human health.

Examples of plant toxins include lectins, phytates, and oxalates, among others. These compounds serve the plant but can cause problems in animals: lectins can trigger gut inflammation, phytates block mineral absorption, and oxalates (the focus of this article) can form sharp crystals or bind up minerals. Dr. Georgia Ede explains that plants use such chemicals to defend against predators and regulate their own minerals, but in our bodies these same compounds may "interfere with iron, calcium and magnesium absorption" and even damage tissues.

It’s important to note that individual toDlerance varies. Small amounts of plant toxins might be harmless or even hormetic (mild stress that prompts a health benefit), but dose matters. As Dr. Schindler emphasizes, traditional cultures learned to detoxify plant foods (through soaking, fermenting, cooking, etc.) to reduce these hazards. Modern diets, however, often skip these prep steps – and with year-round global produce availability, we may overconsume certain plant chemicals well beyond what our ancestors did. This brings us to oxalates, one of the most prevalent plant defenses affecting human health.

What Are Oxalates? Oxalates (oxalic acid and its salts) are naturally occurring plant compounds found in many vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits. Chemically, oxalate can bind to minerals like calcium and magnesium, forming crystals. Plants produce oxalates as a way to regulate their internal minerals and ward off predators – the crystals can be like microscopic "thorns," deterring insects and animals from munching on high-oxalate plants. These crystals come in various shapes, from fine needles to gritty sand-like particles.

In the human body, oxalates are often labeled "anti-nutrients." When we eat high-oxalate foods, the oxalate can bind to essential minerals in our gut (like calcium, iron, and zinc), preventing us from absorbing those nutrients. For example, spinach is rich in iron, but due to its high oxalate content, virtually none of the iron present in spinach actually gets absorbed. Dr. Georgia Ede describes oxalates as "corrosive compounds" that not only hijack minerals but can also directly irritate tissues.

Common high-oxalate foods include:

• Leafy greens like spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens, and rhubarb

• Nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, sesame seeds) and nut-based products

• Certain vegetables like beets, sweet potatoes, and okra

• Dark chocolate and cocoa, turmeric, and black tea

• Berries like blackberries, currants, and figs

Even "superfoods" can be oxalate bombs. For instance, just 2 tablespoons of turmeric powder pack over 700 mg of oxalate – far above the ~50 mg per day that defines a low-oxalate diet. Many green smoothies combine multiple high-oxalate items (spinach, kale, almond milk, etc.), creating a concentrated oxalate load without people realizing it. Nutrition educator Sally K. Norton warns that oxalate is essentially a plant poison when eaten in excess: "Oxalate's a very serious chemical that is essentially a poison when you eat too much of it."

How Oxalates Affect the Body When you ingest oxalates, they can enter your bloodstream and circulate until filtered by the kidneys. If concentrations get high, calcium oxalate crystals can form. The most well-known effect is kidney stone formation. In fact, the majority of kidney stones are calcium oxalate stones, often driven by high oxalate intake or absorption. A diet high in oxalates (e.g. lots of spinach, nuts, and other "healthy" foods) increases kidney stone risk. Dr. Eric Berg explains: "Oxalates are naturally occurring plant compounds that bind to minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, potentially leading to mineral deficiencies and the formation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidneys."

Beyond kidney stones, oxalate crystals can deposit in joints, blood vessels, skin, and tissues throughout the body. They are sharp and abrasive at a microscopic level, capable of causing pain and inflammation wherever they accumulate. High oxalate levels have been linked anecdotally to conditions like joint pain, arthritis, vulvodynia, fibromyalgia, kidney damage, and even worsening of autoimmune or inflammatory issues. Oxalate nanocrystals are especially sneaky – too small to see, yet highly reactive and able to penetrate cells, potentially triggering chronic inflammation. By activating the immune system, oxalates can contribute to systemic inflammation over time.

Common symptoms of oxalate overload can include:

• Kidney issues: frequent kidney stones, gravel in urine, or reduced kidney function

• Joint and muscle pain: oxalate crystal deposits may cause aching joints or stiffness

• Fatigue and weakness: possibly from mitochondrial interference or mineral depletion

• Digestive problems: bloating, IBS, or gut irritation

• Skin problems: rashes or tiny oxalate crystal eruptions

• Vulvar pain or urinary burning

Not everyone will react the same. Many people eat spinach or almonds with no obvious issues – the body can handle a certain load if gut flora and genetics allow. But others, especially those with gut problems, dysbiosis, or leaky gut, may absorb more oxalate and be more susceptible to its effects. Certain gut bacteria help degrade oxalate; if you lack these helpers, more oxalate gets into your system.

Sally Norton describes how modern habits have led to oxalate toxicity for some: year-round availability of high-oxalate “health foods” (spinach smoothies, almond flour, sweet potatoes daily, etc.) plus lack of awareness means people inadvertently bioaccumulate oxalate over years. The body can stash excess oxalate in tissues (joints, organs, fat) to keep it out of circulation. But when those stores mobilize or intake stays high, problems arise. In short, oxalate build-up is a silent threat that can manifest as various chronic issues, often mysterious in origin until oxalate is identified as the culprit.

Real-World Evidence: From Case Studies to Testimonials Scientific literature and patient stories are increasingly shedding light on oxalate-related illness. One dramatic case report involved a woman who went on a prolonged green smoothie cleanse. She consumed large quantities of spinach-rich smoothies daily for weeks. The result was acute oxalate nephropathy – a sudden decline in kidney function due to oxalate crystal damage. A biopsy found calcium oxalate crystals clogging her kidney tubules, and her kidneys were injured to the point of near failure.

More commonly, people suffer chronic issues from long-term oxalate overload. These often go misdiagnosed. Doctors might not connect migraines, joint pain, or fatigue with diet, especially if lab tests aren’t showing kidney issues. However, anecdotal testimonies suggest that reducing oxalates can lead to remarkable improvements in certain chronic conditions:

• Joint Pain and Arthritis: Many report relief from joint pain, carpal tunnel, and gout after removing high oxalate foods.

• Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia: People reduce fibromyalgia-like pain and stiffness on low-oxalate or carnivore diets.

• Fatigue and Brain Fog: Some find better energy and clearer thinking after removing oxalate-rich foods.

• Autoimmune Conditions: There’s growing speculation that oxalates might trigger autoimmune flares in sensitive individuals.

• Neurological and Mental Health: Some parents of autistic children and adults with mood disorders report improvements on low-oxalate or carnivore diets.

Perhaps the most compelling evidence comes from personal testimonials. While not scientific proof, they often reveal patterns worth exploring. Even practitioners like Dr. Bill Schindler have shared their own recovery from gout once they learned about oxalates and cut back high-oxalate foods.

Why Ketogenic, Animal-Based Diets Can Promote Healing Ketogenic, carnivore, and ancestral diets stand apart from the standard Western diet in a few key ways:

1. Zero or Low Oxalate Burden: A strict carnivore diet is essentially a zero-oxalate diet. Even animal-focused keto or paleo diets drastically lower oxalate intake.

2. Reduced Plant Toxins: These diets also remove other common plant defense chemicals, giving the gut and immune system a break.

3. Nutrient Density and Absorption: Animal foods provide highly bioavailable nutrients without antinutrients like oxalates blocking absorption.

4. Ketosis and Metabolic Healing: These diets stabilize blood sugar and reduce oxidative stress, especially helpful for neurological conditions.

5. Lower Insulin = Weight Loss: Low insulin levels promote fat loss and reduce inflammation.

6. Gut Rest and Microbiome Reset: Removing fibrous plant foods helps many with IBS or gut issues calm inflammation and repair the gut lining.

Not every diet works for every person, but for those with chronic, unexplained health issues, removing oxalates through a ketogenic or carnivore-style approach can be a powerful reset tool. It's not about demonizing all plants, but about understanding bio~ individuality. Spinach may be a superfood for one person and a toxin for another.

Conclusion: Listening to Your Body Oxalates are one of the many hidden challenges in our modern “healthy” diets. By understanding their role in chronic illness, inflammation, and even weight gain, we can make more informed choices. Animal-based, low-oxalate eating styles like carnivore and ketogenic offer a healing path for many — not because they’re trendy, but because they remove some of the most irritating components of the modern diet.

You don’t have to eat only steak forever, but if your green smoothies or almond snacks are hurting more than helping, it may be time to rethink what “healthy” really means for you. The Relaxed Carnivore way encourages curiosity, self-experimentation, and honoring what truly supports your healing — oxalate-free or not.