Oxalate <25 mg/serving
Oxalate 25-99 mg/serving
Oxalate ≥100 mg/serving
Broccoli is one of the safest vegetables for kidney stone patients — under 5 mg oxalate per serving when boiled or steamed. It's also cheap, widely available, versatile, and belongs to the cruciferous family, which is almost uniformly low in oxalate. The entire category of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale) is a safe zone for stone formers. If you're unsure what vegetable to put on your plate, "something cruciferous" is almost always the right answer.
📊 Nutrition at a Glance
Cooking method is the axis that separates the members of this family. Boiled versions shed part of their soluble oxalate into the discarded water (typically 30-50%), raw versions retain everything, and frozen sits close to raw. Broccoli (Boiled or steamed) measures 4 mg per standard serving, in the middle of the family range — check the form you actually eat rather than the base name. Related forms in this family: Broccoli (Frozen) (1 mg), Broccoli (Raw) (9 mg).
📏 Oxalate by Serving Size
| Serving | Weight | Oxalate | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | 60 g | 4 mg | Low Oxalate |
| 2 x 1/2 cup | 120 g | 8 mg | Low Oxalate |
| ½ x 1/2 cup | 30 g | 2 mg | Low Oxalate |
🏷️ Tags
🟢 See all Vegetables rated Safe for kidney stones →
🔗 Related Foods
🟢 Safe alternatives (recommended)
⚠️ Other foods in this category to watch
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is Broccoli safe for kidney stones?
It's fine. Broccoli has 4 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.
What's the oxalate content of Broccoli?
One 1/2 cup of Broccoli = 4 mg oxalate. Scale it up to 100g and you're at 7 mg. Direct measurement from Harvard, 2024. About as reliable as food data gets.
Is Broccoli a high-oxalate food?
Nope. Broccoli is a low-oxalate food — just 4 mg per 1/2 cup. Well under the 25 mg cutoff. You're in the clear with this one.
What are the best low-oxalate alternatives to Broccoli?
Don't give up the whole category — just pick a safer member of it. The green foods in the related section all work as substitutes for Broccoli with a fraction of the oxalate.
How much sodium does Broccoli have?
Low sodium: 36 mg/100g. That's a non-issue for kidney stones. Just don't undo it by drowning it in salt during cooking.