Is Chocolate High in Oxalates? Does It Matter?

In certain online health circles, you may have heard chocolate, and dark chocolate specifically, referred to as “high-oxalate foods”, ones that contain a larger amount of the natural compound. This is true, though importantly, they contain much less than other foods generally considered very healthy, such as spinach, rhubarb, swiss chard, and even almonds.

But this begs certain questions: what exactly are dark chocolate oxalates, what effect do they have on the body, and should they be avoided in higher concentrations? Are claims of dark chocolate being a healthier alternative to milk chocolate counteracted by its higher amount of oxalates? If chocolate was bad for the kidneys and toxic to the body, wouldn't there be tens of millions facing renal disease from high chocolate consumption? Can dark chocolate contribute to the problem but not cause it alone? Read on for a deeper dive:

Like other compounds we have talked about, such as flavanols, oxalates are naturally occurring and appear in high concentrations in many plant-based foods. Is Chocolate High in Oxalates? Let's Compare.  While dark chocolate may contain up to 700mg of oxalates per 100g (around 3.5 ounces), and cocoa powder may contain even more, foods like swiss chard and spinach contain upwards of 1,000mg in similar servings. Other high-oxalate foods include sweet potatoes, black tea, blackberries, soy protein, and several other kinds of nuts.

In plants, oxalates are used for physical defense through the sharp crystals they form and regulation of the minerals (such as calcium) they absorb. They detoxify heavy metals, help keep a balanced pH, and even support photosynthesis. With this in mind, it is easy to see that oxalates are likely in many foods you are already eating, potentially even in larger concentrations than in dark chocolate. So why are Chocolate Oxalates concerned about frequently? 

While many plants use oxalates to protect themselves and regulate their mineral absorption, it is true that in some cases they can affect humans slightly differently. They can, for instance, bind with minerals such as calcium to form calcium oxalate, which can lead to formation of kidney stones in people who are particularly susceptible.

This, however, is not a major concern for the majority of people. As discussed, several healthy foods are more oxalate-dense than dark chocolate and remain perfectly safe. In addition to that, healthy kidneys are usually quite good at filtering out oxalates efficiently, and especially if you keep well-hydrated and have a good amount of calcium in your diet already, you likely do not have much to worry about. Some people may need to watch their oxalate intake per a doctor’s recommendation, but the average person does not.

If you have read our or any other previous article on the subject, you have likely heard that dark chocolate is healthier than milk or white chocolate, and may even be familiar with some of the reasons. With the potential issues high oxalate intake can cause, however, you may wonder if dark chocolate’s oxalate content counteracts this, making it not much better of a choice after all. 

How is cacao superior at preventing oxalate absorption into the kidneys than other foods high in oxalates? Chocolate Oxalates are not as risky to the kidneys because cacao is inherently high in magnesium. Read more about how magnesium assists in the safe and proper of chocolate oxalates into your body:

• Magnesium assistance: Additional supplemental magnesium binds to oxalates in the gut, and prevents penetration into the kidneys.
• How does it work? The formation of calcium kidney stones are reduced by the magnesium binding to the oxalate, creating magnesium oxalate, which is 100x more soluble than calcium oxalate.
• How can you make this more effective? Pairing with citrate and also calcium to lower the risk of oxalate penetration into the kidneys
• The recommended magnesium type is magnesium citrate and cacao is also a food that is already high in magnesium. You can also ask your cacao provider for tests of the magnesium content.

However, it should be noted that magnesium supplementation does not prove helpful for everyone and you should consult with a doctor before eating pure cacao or dark chocolate if you are facing chronic kidney issues. 

But while it is true that milk chocolate’s calcium content and overall lower oxalate content could make it better in moderation for someone who requires a low-oxalate diet, the benefits of cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate from cardiovascular to cognitive health and daily energy still stand. However, to achieve any real benefits from cacao and chocolate, you need to identify a brand selling high flavanol cocoa. Plus, as discussed, high-oxalate foods do not need to be watched very closely by the average person, so adding high flavanol dark chocolate and high flavanol cocoa powder to your diet can still prove a smart choice.

https://scielo.pt/pdf/nep/v33n4/v33n4a08.pdf

The short answer: Dark Chocolate is higher in oxalates than milk chocolate because it is pure ground up cacao beans with nothing added to dilute it. However, if you're nervous about the chocolate oxalates, supplement your chocolate consumption with magnesium citrate and get your kidneys checked.

If you're eating chocolate for health, you should be more concerned that your chocolate is doing absolutely nothing for you. Chocolate is not inherently healthy. Cacao has antioxidants called flavanols at the time of harvest that need to be preserved intentionally for chocolate to have any positive contribution to your health. 

Check out brands that are focused on preserving flavanols and sourcing cacao with low heavy metals, if you want to enjoy chocolate and be careful with your health.

Writer / Researcher: Trey Norbey