| A chemical or
chemical compound, usually taken as food, that not only nourishes the
body but also is essential to life. Oxalic acid exists naturally in some
foods — beet greens, chard, rhubarb and spinach, to name four — and
binds with CALCIUM in the body,
forming useless calcium oxalate. For all the calcium in spinach, it's
estimated that only 5 percent is absorbed by the body; the lion's share
combines with oxalic acid, forming the insoluble oxalate. Cocoa contains
oxalates, too, but not enough to block the absorption of the calcium in
hot chocolate or chocolate milk. |
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