There is bound to be some as there is some in all vegetables. How much? Who knows.

None of the studies I have read have measured the amount in the root. Studies focus on the leafy greens as they are the primary source of oxalic acid But the amounts are so low, even in the highest OA vegetables like amaranth and parsley that you'd have to eat copious pounds of them to even get close to harmfull levels.

I assume you know that the negative claims made against oxalic acid in the diet are highly debatable?

Dave

Hi, Dave. Thanks for your info. This is my understanding of things:

#1 oxalic acid is actually good for some people to ingest, even in fairly generous quantities. These people would be overmineralized, esp. iron and calcium. So eating plenty of oxalate-containing foods would bring them back into a more balanced condition.

#2 the old, traditional way to eat oxalate greens is with dairy products. The people long ago just knew this was the right thing to do, without knowing why.

#3 some folks have to avoid such greens because of some pre-existing weaknesses, as mentioned here.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/oxalate-good-or-bad#section9

Er...that's it. I am not afraid of eating beets at all, but I am careful to not eat oxalate containing greens every day of the week, even though I grow them in my garden. When I eat them, I make sure I cook them and add some dairy product. "Yum!" is all I can say.

I think that between your comments and those of the dietician at the above link, I know what I need to. However, I would still like to find out just how much oxalate is to be found in the root of the beet. When I eat raw grated beets, my throat burns and to me that is some sort of warning. So I usually cook them first. Many thanks.

Try HERE for what appears to be a pretty thorough analysis :-)

Spinach is my favorite "green", don't spoil it for me ;-)

I love spinach, preferring it to lettuce, but hate beet greens. Never knew about oxalic acid. My understanding is that our bodies make it themselves whether or not we eat it, so the greens don't have much impact on us. However, I always have found that spinach settles in my stomach better if I eat some cheddar cheese with it. Thus, when I have my salad every day, I have grated cheddar on it and 5-10 slices of cheddar cheese on the side. That's interesting, what you said about dairy products and spinach. Coincidence?

@jacoblockcuff. In her book Food & Healing Annemarie Colbin explained why greens high in oxalates are a perfect partner for cheese, etc. No coincidence!

I like greens of any sort but spinach wins hands down as my favorite veggie! I eat it several times a week. And while I do like creamed spinach, I eat a lot more fresh, raw spinach in salads and on sandwiches or simply sauteed. My family considers me rather odd as just like Pop Eye, I will eat it directly out of a can. Other than the creamed, I have never consciously had any dairy with it and have never noticed any adverse health issues as a result. In fact, at nearly 70, I have very low cholesterol and blood pressure and am in excellent health!!

That was an informative article, garden gal; I hope that blue skink reads it.

Good luck beating the odds, gardengal! Mortality rises sharply below 180 total. 220 to 240 is the sweet spot.

@rhizo_1 & gardengal 48. Yes, thanks, I am plowing thru that 7-page quite-technical article. Here is what they say right at the end:

Table beet roots and leaves are high in both soluble and total oxalate.

And that's just what I wanted to know: whether it's only the leaves or the roots, too.

Also, it is understood thruout the article that oxalate, at least in the quantities in beets, is not desirable.

Thank you so much to all of you for responding to my question. I like swiss chard with a bit of cream cooked in (the perpetual, thin-stalk type) but not beet greens all that much.

PS: from quirkyscience.com

What are the symptoms that one has eaten too much oxalic acid? These
include burning in the mouth and throat, difficulty breathing, weakness,
stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

So, that might explain why raw beets burn the throat. I'll keep cooking my beets from now on.