Know2eat

Sorrel

Rumex acetosa

What sorrel has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About sorrel

A perennial dock with arrow-shaped leaves and a sharp lemon acidity that comes from oxalic acid rather than citric acid. It collapses to a khaki purée within seconds of hitting a hot pan, which is how it is usually used in soups and sauces.

Also known as Garden sorrel, Common sorrel, Spinach dock, Oseille

Gut & Digestive Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Digestive comfort

Gut & Digestive Health
Insufficient evidence

Sorrel has a European folk history as a spring tonic and appetite sharpener. No human research has tested it for any digestive outcome, and its oxalate content is the more consequential fact about it.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Sorrel

Ask about Sorrel

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories22 kcal1%
Protein2 g4%
Total fat0.7 g1%
Carbohydrate3.2 g1%
Fibre2.9 g10%
Water93 g—
Fats
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Vitamins
Vitamin A200 µg22%
Vitamin C48 mg53%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.04 mg3%
Riboflavin (B2)0.1 mg8%
Niacin (B3)0.5 mg3%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.041 mg1%
Vitamin B60.122 mg7%
Folate13 µg3%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium44 mg3%
Iron2.4 mg13%
Magnesium103 mg25%
Phosphorus63 mg5%
Potassium390 mg8%
Sodium4 mg0%
Zinc0.2 mg2%
Copper0.131 mg15%
Manganese0.349 mg15%
Selenium0.9 µg2%
Other measured compounds
Ash1.1 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Dock, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170076).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces soluble oxalate

    Boiling and discarding the water removes a substantial share of soluble oxalate. Because sorrel is normally cooked into a sauce that keeps its liquid, that reduction rarely happens in practice.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Avoid

    Very large amounts have caused fatal poisoning

    Oxalic acid is the reason sorrel tastes sour and the reason quantity matters. Deaths have been documented following ingestion of very large amounts of sorrel soup or foraged dock leaves, through acute kidney injury and calcium binding in the blood. Culinary amounts used as a seasoning sauce are a different matter from eating it as a bulk green.

  • Worth knowing

    Calcium oxalate kidney stones

    Anyone with a history of calcium oxalate stones is routinely advised to avoid sorrel. Among common foods it is at the extreme end of the oxalate range.

  • Worth knowing

    Reacts with aluminium and cast iron

    The acidity strips unlined aluminium and reactive cast iron, turning the sorrel metallic and grey. Stainless steel or enamelled pans are the standard recommendation.