by Diane K. Newman, DNP, FAAN, BCB-PMD
Oxalates in food can be important to know if you are following a low oxalate diet to reduce vulvodynia or chronic pelvic pain symptoms.
There are few resources that publish a comprehensive list of foods with their exact oxalate content. We offer the following oxalate content in foods list that shows comparisons between low, medium and high oxalate fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy foods, oils, starches, beverages and miscellaneous items. Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see the foods high in oxalatess. Use the list as a guide to choosing foods when you are trying a low-oxalate diet.
See also Patient Tip Sheets:
- Understanding Chronic Pelvic Pain And Vulvodynia
- Oxalate Diet for Pelvic Pain and Vulvodynia
- Self Care Practices For Pelvic Pain And Vulvodynia
Low Oxalate Foods
| Foods | Little or No Oxalate Eat as desired |
| Fruits | Avocado Cherries Grapefruit Grapes, (Thompson seedless) Mangoes Melons Cantaloupes Casaba Honeydew Melon Watermelon Nectarines Peaches, Plums, green or golden eye |
| Vegetables | Avocado Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Cabbage Mushrooms Onions Peas, green Potatoes (Irish) Radishes |
| Meat Group | |
| Milk | Buttermilk Low-fat milk Low-fat yogurt with allowed fruits Skim milk |
| Fats and Oils | Bacon Mayonnaise Salad dressing Vegetable oils |
| Miscellaneous | Jelly or Preserves (made with allowed fruits) Lemons Salt, pepper (1tsp/day) Soups with allowed Ingredients |
| Bread/Starch | Cornflakes Macaroni Noodle Oatmeal Rice Spaghetti White bread |
| Beverage/ Juices |
Apple juice Coca-cola (12 oz) (limit/ day) Distilled Alcohol Grapefruit juice Lemonade or Limeade without peel Wine, red, rose Pepsi-Cola (12 oz) (limit/ day) Pineapple juice Tap water (preferred for extra calcium) |
Moderate and High Oxalate Foods
| Food | Moderate Oxalate: 2-10 Oxalate/Serving; Limit: 2 (1/2 Cups) Servings per day |
Rich Oxalate: > 1 Oxalate/Serving; Avoid completely |
| Fruits | Apple Apricots Black currants Cherries, red Orange, edible portion Peaches, Alberta Pears Pineapple Plums, Damson Prunes, Italian |
Blackberries Blueberries Concord grapes Red currants Dewberries Fruit cocktail Gooseberries Lemon peel Lime peel Orange peel Raspberries Rhubarb Strawberries Tangerines |
| Vegetables |
Asparagus |
Beans - Green, Wax, Dried Beets Tops, Roots, Greens Celery Chard, Swiss Chive Collards Dandelion greens Eggplant Escarole Kale Leeks Mustard Greens Okra Parsley Peppers, Green Pokeweed Potatoes, sweet Rutabagas Spinach Summer squash Watercress |
| Meat Group | Sardines | Baked beans Peanut butter Soybean curd - (Tofu) |
| Milk | ||
| Fats and Oils | Nuts: Peanuts Pecans |
|
| Miscellaneous | Chicken noodle soup dehydrated | Chocolate, cocoa Pepper (in excess of 1 tsp/day) Vegetable soup Tomato soup |
| Bread/Starch |
Cornbread |
Fruit cake Grits, white corn Soybean crackers Wheat Germ |
| Beverage/Juices | Coffee, any kind (9 oz. serving) Cranberry juice (4 oz.) Grape juice (4 oz.) Orange juice (4 oz.) Tomato juice (4 oz.) Nescafe power |
Beer Juices containing berries not allowed Ovaltine and other mixed beverage mixes Tea, cocoa |
Adapted from Newman, DK. (2000) "Pelvic Disorders in Women: Chronic Pelvic Pain and Vulvodynia". OstomyWound Management: December 46(12): 48-54.
A low oxalate diet has helped some women with pelvic pain and vulvodynia.
References
Baker, PK. (1993) Musculoskeletal Origins of Chronic Pelvic Pain. Contemporary Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain, 20(4) December:719-742.05-227.
Duleba, A.J., Keltz, M.D., Olive, D.L. (1996) Evaluation and Management of Chronic Pelvic Pain. Journal American Association Gynecologic Laparoscopists, February 1996, 3 (2), 205-227.
Glazer,H.I.,Rodke,G.,Swencionis,C., Hertz,R.,Young,A.W.(2000) "Treatment of Vulvar Vestibulitis Syndrome with Electromyographic Biofeedback of Pelvic Floor Musculature". Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 40(4),11 pp.
Metts, J.F. (1999) Vulvodynia and Vulvar Vestibulitis: Challenges in Diagnosis and Management. American Family Physician, 59(6),1547-1556.
Newman, DK. (2000) "Pelvic Disorders in Women: Chronic Pelvic Pain and Vulvodynia". OstomyWound Management: December 46(12): 48-54.
Paavonen, J. (1995) "Vulvodynia - a complex syndrome of vulvar pain". Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 74,243-247.
Steege,J.F. (1997) Office Assessment of Chronic Pelvic Pain. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol.40(3),554-563.
Steege,J.F.,Metzger,D.A.,Levy, B.S. (1998) Chronic Pelvic Pain: An Integrated Approach. W.B.Saunders,Philadelphia, PA.
Yount,J.J., Solomons, C.C.,Willems, J.J., St. Amand, R.P. (1997) "Effective Nonsurgical Treatments for Vulvar Pain". Women's Health Digest, 3(2),88-93.
Posted October 2007
Updated July 2009
