What harm does oxalic acid do to the human body

In high school chemistry, we will learn about various acids, especially the distinction between strong acids and weak acids. Strong acids are very harmful to the human body because they are highly corrosive. Weak acids are relatively less corrosive and are classified as weak acids because of their weak acidity. Among them, oxalic acid is the representative of weak acids. Many grasses contain oxalic acid. So will oxalic acid cause any harm to the human body? Let’s take a look together.

Oxalic acid is not easily oxidized and decomposed in the human body. The products formed after metabolism are acidic substances, which can cause the acid-base balance in the human body to be unbalanced. Eating too much can cause poisoning.

Moreover, when oxalic acid meets calcium and zinc in the human body, it will produce calcium oxalate and zinc oxalate, which are not easily absorbed and excreted from the body, affecting the absorption of calcium and zinc.

Children need a lot of calcium and zinc for growth and development. If the body lacks calcium and zinc, it will not only lead to poor development of bones and teeth, but also affect intellectual development.

Excessive intake of oxalic acid can also cause kidney stones.

Oxalic acid is a metabolite of organisms, widely distributed in plants, animals and fungi, and plays different functions in different living organisms. Studies have found that more than 100 plants are rich in oxalic acid, especially spinach, amaranth, beets, purslane, taro, sweet potatoes and rhubarb. Because oxalic acid can reduce the bioavailability of mineral elements, it easily forms calcium oxalate with calcium ions in the human body and causes kidney stones. Therefore, oxalic acid is often considered to be an antagonist of the absorption and utilization of mineral elements.