Has the oxalate content of Huel Gluten Free powder been tested? What is the oxalate content per serving?
You have a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones? Just curious. I’ve had several in my lifetime.
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Yes. June 2018 I had lithotripsy to remove several from my left kidney. July of this year I had open surgery to remove many stones, two of which were the size of half a golf ball and a staghorn calculi. I now follow a low oxalate diet to try to avoid having surgery again next year.
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All of my stones have been in the left kidney.
Wow. Those are big. I had cystoscopy to remove one last year.
I am now on Allopurinol and potassium citrate. This is because most calcium oxalate stones originally form as a very small uric acid nidus stone which then allows the calcium salt to precipitate around it. Lowering uric acid levels via Allopurinol actually helps prevent calcium oxalate kidney stones. My urine collection study showed I had moderate oxalate levels but high-normal uric acid, hence Allopurinol was started on me. My father used to have calcium stones and then has been stone free since being on Allopurinol.
Potassium citrate (Urocit-K) alkalinizes the urine (raises the pH) which makes calcium oxalate and uric acid more water soluble and less likely to precipitate in the collecting ducts. Hence it has been shown to reduce both uric acid stones and calcium oxalate stones. Incidentally, drinking lots of lemonade or lemon juice also accomplishes this, and there are actual clinical trials showing lemonade reduces calcium oxalate stone formation.
Elimination of meat in my diet has also reduced my uric acid levels and I may soon be taken off the Allopurinol after my next uric acid measurement.
Staghorn stones are a bit more complicated, though. Prevention of those isn’t as straight forward.
If you have access to a list of high oxalate containing foods you can then compare the ingredients of Huel to it. That’s at least a start.
Let us both hope Huel is low in oxalate. I have been using Huel almost daily for 1 1/2 years. And let us not forget, the universal way to reduce stone formation of any kind is increased water consumption.
I follow up with my surgeon on the kidney stones in December. I had two incisions in my back through which they were removed. The surgery is called percutaneous nephrolithotomy. I do have the list of low oxalate foods and did some comparison that was what prompted my questions (primarily the brown rice and oat proteins).
I also have Gastroparesis and had 18" of my colon removed August 14th (kidney surgery was Aug 29th). So I have other dietary issues. I have to follow a low fat, low fiber, gluten, nut, soy and dairy free, low oxalate diet. I currently only stomach about 800 calories a day. More than that is nearly impossible. So many things make me vomit.
I would love it if Huel offered smaller samples. I hate to spend over $60 only to find out that I can’t tolerate it and have to toss it. If it makes me vomit there is no point drinking it. I try to stay as hydrated as I can, but the Gastroparesis limits that, as well.
I’m happy you found a regimen that seems to be keeping you from forming stones.
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Using the https://oxalate.org/ website, I typed the word oat and looked up several listings for oats and oatmeal. Oats seem to have very little oxalate compared to most foods. Oats are the biggest ingredient in Huel. I think Huel is approximately 60% oat powder by volume.
Next whole ingredient in Huel is ground flaxseed. According to that website flaxseeds have no oxalate.
Brown rice flour 1 cup is listed as 65 mg of oxalate. Keep in mind that Huel uses Brown rice protein isolate. But if we compare this to the food which I consider the source of all evil, spinach, 1/2 cup of spinach has 755 mg giving 1 cup a whopping 1500 mg oxalate. 100 grams of almonds (another food notorious for high oxalate) have 407 mg oxalate. Not even in the same ballpark as those high oxalate foods.
Peas are listed with very very little oxalate. 1 mg for a half cup. 100 grams of canned peas is 0.8 mg oxalate. Pea plant protein is another component of Huel.
Sunflower seeds have a paltry 12 mg oxalate for an entire cup. This is the whole food. Huel uses sunflower oil.
So just from the looks of it, it appears that Huel comes from ingredients that are relatively low in oxalate.
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Thank you for doing that. I am mid Gastroparesis flare and just didn’t have the energy to do the work today.
I guess I will order the gluten free and pray it doesn’t make me vomit.
Again, thank you!
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I would contact CS and beg for a sample, since you have good reason to be concerned.
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We have tried to have Huel tested for oxalates before, we have been told by labs this is not possible because Huel doesn’t contain any. So don’t worry!
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Thank you. I have placed my order. Now keeping my fingers crossed that my Gastroparesis will allow me to drink it without vomiting.
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I’m so sorry Tracy I missed you saying you also have gastroparesis.
Please blend your powder well, and consume it in smaller and more regular servings.
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good luck, keep us updated!
Desert_Way does not know what they are talking about, because they are not a Huel representative.
check with a urologist and a neurologist to ascertain if you need to be concerned with your symptoms. aside from that…
Huel is the best replacement formula that i’ve found since i stated with the program just over two months ago. what you want to do in my experience is take your introduction into the new diet slowly and introduce anything new cyclically
@nachosalad78 what exactly did she say that would cause this reply from you? She recommended that the op reach out to customer service to see about getting a sample. I don’t understand the negativity in your response?
@kris4183 Nacho and I both responded on another thread to a person who was very distressed about not receiving his order. I got the impression that the OP thought that he was talking to Huel reps, and that we could actually help him to track his order. I pointed out that we were not Huel reps, and Nacho seems to have taken it personally. He has made comments like the above more than once. It’s odd.
Good luck. You might (and by “might”, I mean definitely) want to order digestive enzymes + Beano to take with your Huel, esp with having gastroparesis (Amazon). It’s really hard for me to digest. Feels like a brick in my stomach. I like Rainbow Light Advanced Enzyme System. Hopefully you take Reglan or some other prokinetics (though not sure if they’re contraindicated post colectomy).
@Gerrly Reglan didn’t work for me. I take Swedish Bitters with my meals. I have a couple more imaging series scheduled. The results of those will determine if a gastric stimulator is indicated. I currently use Orgain Vegan Protein Powder and use half the recommended amount as the full serving makes me vomit. I figured I would start slow with the Huel.
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