St. John’s Regional Medical Center 1600 North Rose Avenue Oxnard, CA 93030 805-988-2500 St. John’s Regional Medical Center 2309 Antonio Avenue Camarillo, Ca 93010 805-389-5800 S tar Fruit Many grocery stores now have an exotic fruit section where you often see interesting, colorful fruits from around the world. Star fruit, also known as Carambola is a decorative and refreshing treat and for most of us, a healthy delicacy. But some people with impaired kidney function, the star fruit can be deadly. The tangy tartness in star fruit comes from high levels of oxalic acid (oxalate). Weakened kidneys can be damaged if high levels of oxalate accumulate in the organ, it also contains a substance toxic to nerves (neurotoxin), and without efficient kidney function, the combined effect of oxalate and a neurotoxin may cause you very serious problems. Even a small amount of this fruit can cause all kinds of symptoms in dialysis patients including: persistent hiccups, nausea, vomiting, mental confusion, muscle weakness, trouble sleeping, seizures and even death. DO NOT EAT STAR FRUIT. This pale green/yellow bell shaped fruit that looks like a perfect star when sliced in cross section is used as a garnish or in a mixed fruit bowl. Don’t buy this fruit for yourself and also pay attention to fruit that you eat while away from home.
