On Thu, 6 Jan 2000, Michael Audette wrote:

> Another example: oxalic acid.  Like phytic acid, oxalate binds to
> iron and interferes with its absorption.  While phytate is found
> mainly in grains, oxalate is found in tea, spinach, rhubarb, and
> sardines -- all paleo foods.  I mention these foods because they
> are rich enough in oxalate that doctors typically tell people to
> avoid them if they have a problem with oxalate kidney stones.
>
> Todd Moody
>
>   Would these foods be plentiful enough, in nature, to wreck as much havoc
> on a human, who eats a much broader food range, and has a stronger immune
> system?

The oxalate has no specific effect on the immune system that I
know about.  The foods I mentioned are just example of common
foods that are rich in oxalate, but I'm sure there are others.

> I would think that phytates and an agrarian diet would be far more
> detrimental to health. In small amounts, oxalate, is probably handled well
> by a paleo eater, who occasionally comes upon types of food with oxalates.

My guess is that the phytates and oxalates are not a problem for
people who get plenty of meat.  I suspect that the iron-binding
properties of these substances (tannic acid, too) are only a
problem for people whose iron intake is marginal to begin with.

Todd Moody
[log in to unmask]