Is Pomegranate Safe for Kidney Stones? (Avoid)
mg oxalate
per serving
Serving: 1/2 medium (141 g)
Verdict: 🔴 Avoid
Per 100g: 78 mg
Data: Harvard T.H. Chan SPH (2024)
What this means: Pomegranate is rated Avoid (🔴). At 110 mg oxalate per serving, it exceeds the 100 mg threshold. Kidney stone patients should limit or avoid this food. If you do eat it, keep portions very small, pair it with calcium, and drink extra water. Check the full food page for safer alternatives.
Among beverages, Pomegranate sits well above the category average of 40 mg. For context, 82 out of 92 beverages (89%) are rated 🟢 Safe (under 25 mg oxalate/serving). The average beverages in our database has 40 mg oxalate per serving — which means Pomegranate is 177% above the category norm. Within its specific category, Pomegranate ranks on the higher end for oxalate. This context matters because two 'Safe' foods can have very different oxalate levels — one might have 5 mg while another has 24 mg. Both are Safe, but the first gives you more dietary flexibility. Browse all beverages rated Avoid to compare within the same verdict level.
Why does the safe threshold matter?
The 25 mg line is the reference point clinicians use to separate everyday foods from ones that need caution. Every value on this page traces back to Harvard's 2024 lab analysis, so the threshold is applied to measured data rather than estimates. Pomegranate comes in at 110 mg oxalate per 1/2 medium (Avoid) in the measured database.
Can I eat this food every day?
Daily eating is fine for Safe foods (under 25 mg/serving). For Caution or Avoid foods, spread them out and alternate with low-oxalate picks. The idea is keeping your weekly oxalate load manageable, not eliminating any single food. Applied to Pomegranate: 110 mg oxalate per 1/2 medium — Avoid per Harvard (2024).
Where does the oxalate data come from?
The numbers come from Harvard T.H. Chan SPH's 2024 laboratory measurements, published through the OHF database. Direct lab analysis, which is why they're treated as the reference values for food oxalate. For context, Pomegranate measures 110 mg per 1/2 medium, rated Avoid.
Should I also check sodium and calcium?
Yes — oxalate alone doesn't decide stone risk. Sodium pushes more calcium into urine, and calcium from food (not supplements) helps bind oxalate during digestion. The main food page covers sodium and calcium alongside oxalate. Applied to Pomegranate: 110 mg oxalate per 1/2 medium — Avoid per Harvard (2024).