Beetroots Health Benefits: Love beets, but worried about kidney health? Here’s how you can reduce oxalates and prevent kidney stone risk |
Earthy, sweet, and silky when roasted, beets aren’t just good for you, they’re downright delicious. They are nutritional all‑stars, beautifully vibrant, packed with fiber, iron, folate, potassium, and dietary nitrates that promote healthy blood pressure and brain function. Yet for people prone to kidney stones, the high oxalate content in beets often raises worry. Oxalates can bind with calcium inside the kidneys and form painful calcium oxalate stones—so knowing how to minimize risk is key to enjoying beets safely.
What makes beets risky
Beetroots and their greens naturally contain significant levels of oxalates—plant compounds that, when ingested in excess, can form calcium-oxalate crystals in the kidney. In fact, beets are listed among common high-oxalate foods, including spinach, nuts, rhubarb, and chocolate.
Studies show that most kidney stones (up to 80%) are made of calcium oxalate, and dietary factors like insufficient calcium or hydration play a major role.
How to reduce stone risk—without giving up beets
Cook it right or ferment it
Oxalate is water-soluble, which means boiling beets and discarding the cooking water can cut oxalate levels by up to 60%. Fermented beet products, like beet kvass or beet-based sauerkraut, also reduce oxalate loads thanks to bacterial breakdown during fermentation.
Pair oxalate with calcium
Instead of cutting out beets entirely, enjoy them alongside calcium-rich foods like yogurt, tofu, kefir, or cheese. Consuming oxalate and calcium together helps them bind in the gut, before they ever reach your kidneys, reducing absorption and stone formation risk.
Watch portions, stay hydrated, limit salt
Moderate intake, especially avoiding eating beets every day or combining them with other high-oxalate foods, is wise. Additionally, drinking plenty of fluids, aiming for around 2–3 liters daily, dilutes urine and helps flush oxalates away. Reducing sodium and limiting animal protein also reduces urinary calcium excretion, lowering stone risk.
Beets bring incredible health benefits, from antioxidants to nitrates that boost circulation and cognitive function. If you’re prone to calcium oxalate kidney stones, you don’t have to give up beets altogether. Instead, focus on smart preparation—like boiling or fermenting—pairing them with calcium-rich foods, and following a hydration- and low-sodium-based diet. This balanced approach lets you enjoy the nutrition and flavor of beets without compromising kidney health.
Watch what you are pairing beets with
When eating oxalate-rich foods like beets, be mindful of what you pair them with. Avoid combining them with other high-oxalate items like spinach, Swiss chard, or sweet potatoes in the same meal. Doubling up on oxalates can increase the risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones, especially if you’re prone to them. Balanced combinations are key.
