Abstract
Oxalic acid, calcium and phosphorus contents, calcium/oxalic acid and calcium/phosphorus ratio of 10 leaves, edible portion of 14 oxalate rich leafy vegetables and 105 other foods are presented in this paper. Three leafy vegetables, viz., Amaranth and twoChenopodium species were found to accumulate abnormally large amounts of oxalic acid. Substantial amounts of oxalic acid were also detected in the edible portions of 14 leafy vegetables examined. Moderately high contents of oxalic acid were recorded in all varieties of tea leaves. Appreciable amounts of oxalic acid were also observed in almond, brinjal, carrot, coconut, colocasia, gingelly sleeds (black and white), kamrak, karonda, tamrind (pulp), wood apple and yam. It could not be detected in 15 food items. Stem part present in edible portion of leafy vegetables decreases the oxalic acid intake but not substantially. 28 foods had calcium/oxalic acid ratio less than 0.3 and out of these 23 had below 0.2. Calcium/phosphorus ratio was less than unity in 75 foods items.
Zusammenfassung
In dieser Arbeit werden Untersuchungen veröffentlicht über Gehalte an Oxalsäure, Calcium und Phosphor sowie über das Verhältnis von Calcium/Oxalsäure and Calcium/Phosphor in 10 von 14 oxalatreichen Blattgemüsen (Blätter als eßbarer Anteil) und 105 anderen Nahrungsmitteln. Drei Blattgemüsearten, nämlich Amaranth und zwei Chenopodiaceen speichern abnorm hohe Oxalsäure-Mengen. Wesentliche Oxalsäure-Mengen wurden in eßbaren Anteilen von 14 untersuchten Blattgemüsen gefunden. In den Teeblättern verschiedener Handelssorten wurden mittelhohe Oxalsäuregehalte registriert. Merkliche Oxalsäuremengen wurden beobachtet in: Mandeln, Auberginen, Möhren, Kokosnuß, Taro(Colocasia antiquorum), Sesam (schwarz und weiß), Karambolo(Averrhoa carambola), Tamarindenfrucht (Pulpe), Karanda(Carissa carandas), Holzapfel und Jams. In 15 weiteren Nahrungsmitteln konnte Oxalsäure nicht nachgewiesen werden. Sofern Stengelanteile im eßbaren Anteil von Blattgemüse enthalten sind, vermindert sich, wenn auch nicht wesentlich, die Oxalsäureaufnahme. Bei 28 Nahrungsmitteln ist das Verhältnis Calcium/Oxalsäure kleiner als 0,3 und von diesen liegt es bei 23 unter 0,2. In 75 Nahrungsmitteln liegt das Calcium/Phosphor-Verhältnis unter dem Durchschnitt.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ackermann, H. & Gebauer, H. (1957). The toxicity of oxalate containing vegetables and feed plants.Nahrung 1:278–85.
Anderson, W., Hollins, J. G. & Bond, P. S. (1971). The composition of tea infusions examined in relation to the association between mortality and water hardness.J. Hyg. 69:1–15.
Baker, C. J. L. (1952). Determination of oxalates in fresh plant material.Analyst 77:340–4.
Bau, A. (1920). The determination of oxalic acid in tea, coffee, marmalade, vegetables and bread.Z. Untersuch. Nahr. -u. Genussmitt 40:50; quoted from Anderson. Hollins & Bond (1971).
Bravermann, J. B. S. (1949) Citrus products. Chemical composition and chemical technology. New York Inter-science.
Hoover, A. A. & Karunairatnam, M. C. (1945). Oxalate content of some leafy green vegetables and its relation to oxaluria and calcium utilization.Biochem. J. 39:237–38.
Iengar, N. G. C. & Rau, Y. V. S. (1952). Green leafy vegetables as source of calcium.Ann. Biochem. Exptl. Med. 12:41–52.
James, L. F. (1968). Serum electrolyte, acid base balance and enzyme changes in acuteHalogeton glomeratus poisoning in sheep.Can. J. comp. Med. 32:539–43.
James, M. P., Seawright, A. A. & Steele, D. P. (1971). Experimental acute ammonium oxalate poisoning in sheep.Aust. Vet. J. 47:9–17.
Jeghers, H. & Murphy, R. (1945). Practical aspects of oxalate metabolism.New. Eng. J. Med. 233:208–15 &238–246.
Johri, P. N. (1966). Effect of high ingestion of phytic acid phosphorus in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in the presence and absence of oxalate.Indian J. Dairy Sci. 19:10–13.
King, E. J. & Woolton, I. D. P. (1956). Microanalysis in medical biochemistry. London, J. & A. Churchill Ltd. Ed. 3 P. 77 & 102.
Kuhlen, H. (1966). Comparative methodical investigations of the determination of oxalic acid in plant material.Gartenbauwissenschaft 31:101–13.
Majumdar, B. N. & De, N. K. (1938). Oxalic acid content of some Indian food stuffs.Indian J. Med. Res. 25:671–75.
Richet, C. C. & Meyer, R. (1949). Antinutrition factors.Rev. Pathol. Gen. Comparee 4:576–8.
Shirley, E. K. & Nielson, K. S. (1967). Oxalate metabolism in pack rat, sand rat, hamster and white rat.J. Nutr. 9:496–502.
Singh, P. P. & Sur, B. K. (1962). Unknown bond oxalate in the leaves of Bathua (Chenopodium album L.)Curr. Sci. 31:333–34.
Singh, P. P. & Sharma, D. C. (1968). Significance of some leaf flours in animal nutrition II. The effect of feeding the diets containing kulfa leaf flour.Indian Med. Gaz. 7(12):28–33.
Singh, P. P., Sharma, N. C. & Sur, B. K. (1969). Value of green leaves as sources of available calcium.Indian J. Med. Res. 57:204–9.
Singh, P. P., Sharma, D. C. & Mongia, S. P. (1971). Clinical aspects of oxalate metabolism I. Hazards of exogenous (dietary & pure) oxalates.Indian Med. Gaz. 11(8):29–36.
Srivastava, S. K. & Krishnan, P. S. (1959). Oxalate content of plants.J. Sci. Ind. Res. 18:146–48.
Varela, G. & Murillo, A. (1967). Influence of sodium oxalate and EDTA on the digestibility and endogenous fecal elimination of calcium in rats.An. Bromatol. 19:91–112.
Zarembski, P. M. & Hodgkinson, A. (1962). The determination of oxalic acid in food.Analyst 87:698–702.
Zarembski, P. M. & Hodgkinson, A. (1962 a). The oxalic acid content of English diets.Brit. J. Nutr. 16:627–34.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, P.P. The oxalic acid content of Indian foods. Plant Food Hum Nutr 22, 335–347 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01099524
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01099524