🟢 Safe
Oxalate <25 mg/serving
🟡 Caution
Oxalate 25-99 mg/serving
🔴 Avoid
Oxalate ≥100 mg/serving
🟢

Cauliflower, raw, boiled or steamed

🟢 Safe — Low Oxalate
2 mg oxalate / serving
Serving: 1/2 cup (60 g) | Per 100 g: 3 mg
✓ Medically Reviewed Content reviewed by OxalateWatch Editorial Team. Based on Harvard T.H. Chan SPH oxalate data (2024) and NKF/AUA dietary guidelines.

Cauliflower belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family — one of the safest food groups for oxalate, at about 2 mg per half-cup. The cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, and cauliflower-everything trend is genuinely good news for kidney stone patients: you get a low-oxalate, low-calorie base that replaces higher-oxalate alternatives like brown rice or whole wheat crust. Roasted cauliflower with olive oil, garlic, and a sprinkle of parmesan is a side dish with zero oxalate downsides. Steam it, roast it, mash it like potatoes, or eat it raw with dip. Like broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, cauliflower is part of a vegetable family that kidney stone patients can eat freely.

📊 Nutrition at a Glance

2 mg
Oxalate / serving
Low Oxalate
20 mg
Sodium / 100g
Low Na
1.6 g
Protein / 100g
Tier 1
20 mg
Calcium / 100g
Tier 1

📏 Oxalate by Serving Size

ServingWeightOxalateVerdict
1/2 cup60 g2 mg Safe
2 x 1/2 cup120 g4 mg Safe
½ x 1/2 cup30 g1 mg Safe

🏷️ Tags

Vegetables 🟢 Oxalate Safe Low Oxalate Plant-Based

🟢 See all Vegetables rated Safe for kidney stones →

⚖️ Compare this food: · vs Juice · vs Sorrel

🔗 Related Foods

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Should I avoid Cauliflower if I have kidney stones?

It's fine. Cauliflower has 2 mg of oxalate per 1/2 cup. That's low enough that kidney stone patients don't really need to worry about it. Harvard did the measuring, not us.

How much oxalate is in Cauliflower?

One 1/2 cup of Cauliflower = 2 mg oxalate. Scale it up to 100g and you're at 3 mg. Direct measurement from Harvard, 2024. About as reliable as food data gets.

Is Cauliflower high in oxalates?

Low. 2 mg per 1/2 cup puts Cauliflower firmly in the low-oxalate category. Safe for regular eating if you're managing kidney stones.

What are the best low-oxalate alternatives to Cauliflower?

Look at the 'Safe Alternatives' section right below this FAQ. Those foods are all under 25 mg oxalate per serving and in the same category as Cauliflower. Pick from those.

How much sodium does Cauliflower have?

The sodium level is fine — 20 mg/100g. If all your foods looked like this on sodium, you'd be in great shape for stone prevention.

🔍 Explore More About This Food

📚 Data Sources

Oxalate: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2024) via OHF. Nutrition: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy 2018 & Foundation Foods).

📖 Key Scientific References

Taylor EN, Curhan GC. Oxalate intake and the risk for nephrolithiasis. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007;18(7):2198-2204. PMID: 17538185
Borghi L, Schianchi T, Meschi T, et al. Comparison of two diets for the prevention of recurrent stones in idiopathic hypercalciuria. N Engl J Med. 2002;346(2):77-84. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa010369
Fink HA, Akornor JW, Garimella PS, et al. Diet, fluid, or supplements for secondary prevention of nephrolithiasis. Eur Urol. 2009;56(1):72-80. DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2009.03.031
Ferraro PM, Taylor EN, Gambaro G, Curhan GC. Dietary and lifestyle factors for primary prevention of nephrolithiasis. BMC Nephrol. 2020;21(1):267. PMID: 32652950
Pearle MS, Goldfarb DS, Assimos DG, et al. Medical management of kidney stones: AUA guideline. J Urol. 2014;192(2):316-324. DOI: 10.1016/j.juro.2014.05.006
Liebman M, Costa G. Effects of calcium and magnesium on urinary oxalate excretion after oxalate loads. J Urol. 2000;163(5):1565-1569. PMID: 10751889
Holmes RP, Assimos DG. The impact of dietary oxalate on kidney stone formation. Urol Res. 2004;32(5):311-316. DOI: 10.1007/s00240-004-0437-3
Lin BB, Lin ME, Huang RH, et al. Dietary treatment and fluid intake for prevention of recurrent calcium stones. PLoS One. 2021;16(4):e0250257. PMID: 33872340
This is dietary reference information, NOT medical advice. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet. Oxalate tolerance varies by person, stone type, and medication.