Number 12 on the Oxalate Clean Fifteen is eggs. While we've already discussed animal products (meat, dairy & organ meats), eggs are in a class all their own. For nutrient density, high bioavailable protein & healthy fats, yet still inexpensive, eggs need a place on the list.
Each egg is essentially zero oxalate. And how many ways can you use them? I've even recently found a low carb "bread" option that uses eggs and cream cheese. yummly.com/recipe/Low-Car…
Eggs can be as simple as scrambled in a pan, as complex as soufflé. It's a wonderful binder for many baked goods, adding nutrition wherever it goes. And just today, I saw someone who was making thin omelets and then keeping them in the fridge as snacks. Brilliant!
Frankly, a thin omelet made with a bit of cream cheese would make a great wrap - and that's my experiment this week as a handy fridge staple. But keep in mind - adding an egg to your meal adds no oxalate. And that's a definite bonus.
Number 11 in the Oxalate Clean Fifteen is flax seed. (Been working on finishing our list; Twitter messed me up yesterday). Flax seed is very low oxalate, very high fibre + a source of plant-based omega 3's. These seeds have become beloved in the keto world for baked goods.
If you've seen flax seeds used in baking, you may have seen small amounts to help replace eggs. But one of my favourite low carb/ low oxalate bread recipes uses ground flax and egg whites. Check this out! Just 1g net carb & a couple mg oxalate per slice!
There is also interesting research that links intake of flax to lower rates of diabetic complications in rats. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20570704/
Number 10 in our Oxalate Clean Fifteen can be used to up the nutrition in baked goods: it's cricket flour! I remember vividly being on vacation in Mexico & having a chance to eat crickets on my omelet (sauteed with the head & legs). I declined. But the nutrients!
So recently, I bought some. I actually added extra flour to a muffin recipe - about an additional 1/4 cup. It didn't seem to need more liquid. What was fascinating was "nutty" flavour it gave the muffins. It pumped up the nutrients, adding less than 3mg additional oxalate.
While it hasn't exactly caught the North American world by storm, crickets (and other insects) are definitely eaten in other parts of the world. Regardless, I do recommend cricket powder - whatever you think an insect should taste like, you'd be wrong! Definitely "nutty".
Number 9 in our Oxalate Clean Fifteen is Baru nuts. These are a new entry into the market, which is good news to those of us who love nuts (but not oxalate). These beauties are just under 2mg oxalate per ounce, which means you can eat a lot of them.
And you might want to eat lots of them! The taste is a cross between an almond and a peanut (in my opinion). Like a peanut, they are technically part of the legume family. They are a bit higher in carbs, at 9g per ounce. But you do get 7g of protein in your serving as well.
You get a healthy dose of minerals in your ounce serving as well, including 5mg iron, 833mg potassium and 167mg calcium. They may also have anti-inflammatory effects similar to other nuts. nutritionadvance.com/baru-nuts/
Number 8 in our Oxalate Clean Fifteen is the humble cranberry. Known for its therapeutic benefits as a juice for women dealing with UTI, cranberries are very low in oxalate; 1/2 cup of cooked cranberries has less than 1 mg of oxalate but a taste that gets your attention!
You don't have to load cranberries with sugar to eat them; you can sweeten with erythritol or other sugar alternatives to reduse that tart flavour. While dates are a bit higher in oxalate, you could use some of these to help take away cranberry's sting - just watch your amount.
I use brown-sugar style erythritol with my cranberries, and sometimes pair them with lamb. You can also mix cranberries with another fruit (like blueberries) and reduce the overall oxalate in your final dish. Cranberry-apple is great for a "crumble" style dessert.
Number 7 on the Oxalate Clean Fifteen are the squashes with hard skin. Butternut as one of the best options (lowest oxalate squash that's easily available). But there are other great squashes, including Kabocha, Delicata, Spaghetti, Acorn, Carnival and others!
Many squashes are great options if you want to replace sweet potato; texture & colour may vary, but firm-flesh squash should be able to handle most of your sweet potato recipes. I love Kabocha as a sweet potato sub; you could use Hubbard as a medium oxalate option.
And who doesn't like pumpkin? (In North America, pumpkins are the rounded, apple shaped squashes that may be used for pie.) I often buy many types of pumpkins and squashes in the fall, to roast and freeze. I still have squash and pumpkin puree on hand in my freezer!
Number 6 on the Oxalate Clean Fifteen is Bok Choy. After all, you didn't think you wouldn't be able to eat greens, did you? There is good news in this area! Bok choy happens to be a family favourite here; at just over 3 mg oxalate in 100g (3.5 oz) of bok choy, it's a good option.
This also means you can prepare your bok choy however you like - It's low enough that you can steam, roast or eat raw. (It makes a nice salad addition, by the way). Like all cruciferous veggies, you are going to get a variety of nutrients when you eat this veg.
Carbs are low - but that doesn't stop you from getting minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, manganese and selenium). And while we think fruit for vitamin C, a serving of bok choy will get you 35% of your daily value. There's 27% of your vit K too.