Why you should not eat spinach in excess and people who should avoid it | The Times of India (2024)

The leafy green vegetables always find a special place in a healthy diet plan. Due to their high nutrient quotient, leafy greens are considered one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. But just because they are healthy does not mean you can have them three times daily because any food taken in excess may negatively impact your health and the same goes for a leafy green. Spinach is one such leafy green which needs to be consumed carefully and in limited quantities to reap the benefits of this green vegetable without harming your health. These green leaves are versatile and can be included in both raw and cooked forms. You can make smoothies, soup, add to omelette or pair with lentils and any other vegetables, they go well with all. Here we will discuss what happens when you eat spinach in excess and who should avoid it.

There are many reasons to call spinach a superfood like it is low in calories, it is loaded with healthy nutrients and supports your health in numerous ways. It is rich in essential minerals and vitamins like calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, C, and K. Including this superfood regularly in your diet may help to reduce the risk of cancer, manage blood sugar levels, maintain good health, lose weight and increase the haemoglobin level in the blood. As spinach has a low glycemic index (GI), it can also help to control diabetes.

Read more: People are quitting this popular diet; here's what they’re doing instead

Having a small bowl of spinach every day is not harmful to health or lead to any side effects. Eating excess spinach every day may slowly start impacting your health in the following ways:

Nutrient deficiency: Spinach contains oxalic acid, a naturally-occurring compound in plants. When the amount of this compound in the body exceeds the normal level it starts affecting the ability of the body to absorb other minerals. Oxalic acid binds with zinc, magnesium, and calcium may lead to a mineral deficiency.

Allergy: The leafy green vegetable contains histamine, a chemical found in some of the body's cells that may trigger a minor pseudo allergic effect in some cases.

Toxic reaction: Too much spinach intake at one time or over a period of time may have a toxic effect on the body.

Stomach issues: Gas, bloating, and cramps, spinach may also lead to these stomach issues due to high fiber content.

If you have a history of kidney stone: When too much oxalic acid is present in the body due to high spinach intake, our body finds it hard to flush it out from the system. It results in the accumulation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidneys, increasing the risk of kidney stones.

If you are suffering from joint issues: Along with oxalic acid, spinach is also rich in purine, a type of compound. These two compounds together may trigger gout, a type of arthritis. For those who are already suffering from joint pain, swelling, and inflammation, excess spinach intake may worsen the symptoms.

If you are taking any blood thinners drug: Being a rich source of vitamin K, spinach may react with the anticoagulant drug, used for the purpose of thinning the blood. It may also affect other coagulation factors present in the blood.