Green Leafy Vegetables and Oxalates

[Crabby Abby]

Just read on the EH site that "many of the leafy green vegetables contain enzymes called oxalates which can bind with calcium, preventing its absorption. To inactivate these enzymes, the greens must be cooked before serving. Be sure to use dechlorinated water!"I didn't know that so I thought I'd pass it along for others.

[NewCrabber]

I did a little research on oxalic acid a while back and from what I remember, it's not necessarily true that greens have to be cooked. It would depend on how much and how often they're consumed. Too, collard greens for instance, high in oxalic acid, combined with the calcium in the greens, prevent the calcium in that food from being bioavailable, but when eaten with another food contianing calcium, the oxalic acid doesn't interfer with that food's calcium absorption. Other plant foods are high in oxalic acid, too, which includes nuts, peanuts for one. I'm really not sure how this translates to hermit crabs, but if they are getting enough calcium I don't think it's a problem. Oxalic acid, I believe also binds with magnesium and potassium, as well as iron. Not sure about the others, but eating a source of vitamin C at the same time can help counter the binding effect of non heme iron.

[lpshiner]

I agree with NewCrabber- oxalates aren't exactly enzymes, but they are organic chemicals (actually I think the oxalic acid in the plants binds with the minerals, forming oxalate salts.) The oxalate byproduct does bind up some of the minerals in the food, such as calcium, but if there are addn'l sources of calcium it shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't go overboard on amounts fed. Since it is not an enzyme, I'm not sure cooking the greens 'inactivates' the oxalic acid, but there might be some other benefit to cooking I am not aware of. Those oxalates are present in lots of things we eat raw, such as spinach, and for most people it's not a problem. If you are prone to certain types of kidney stones you should avoid eating too much.... but like most things (broccoli can lower thyroid if eaten too much....) moderation seems to be the key... What an interesting topic-thanks for bringing that one up Abby!!