Is it possible to overdose on spinach

However, as is the case with any food, moderation is key. If you have kidney stones, you may have to drastically reduce or even avoid spinach intake along with other oxalate-containing foods. Otherwise, spinach is a healthy vegetable, and if you are a generally healthy individual, you should not miss out on its goodness.

The lethal oral dose of oxalate in humans is between 15 to 30 grams This could be between 3 to 6 pounds of spinach. It is highly unlikely for anyone to consume so much spinach in a short span of time.

However, there is less research to understand if this dose is enough to lead to kidney stone formation. Spinach, raw or cooked, offers great benefits. But if you have kidney stones or are on certain medications like blood thinners, etc.

Like spinach, tomatoes also contain oxalates Hence, if you are someone prone to kidney stones or any drug interactions, you may be required to limit your intake of tomatoes. Spinach, by itself, may not hurt your stomach. However, eating too much of spinach all too soon may mean a sudden increase in your fiber intake. This may lead to a temporary stomach upset. On the other hand, pain in the stomach especially on the side could be a symptom of kidney stones.

If you suspect this could be the case, please visit your doctor. StyleCraze believes in credibility and giving our readers access to authentic and evidence-based content. Every article goes through multiple reviews to ensure this. Our stringent editorial guidelines allow us to cite only from reputed research institutions, academic journals, medically established studies, and highly regarded media and news agencies.

If there is any lack of sufficient evidence, we make sure we mention it. It can also lead to hyperoxaluria i. However, it can cause a number of health concerns in infants. Spinach is rich in vitamin K, which can interact with some drugs or medications and form blood clots. Diabetic drugs are taken to lower blood pressure levels, but the vitamin K present in spinach can combine with it and can lower the blood pressure way too much.

Increased consumption of spinach can result in an excessive build-up of bloating, gas, and cramps, because your body needs time to digest spinach and cannot metabolise it all at once. Spinach is rich in fibre and hence, it takes time to get digested, which can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhoea and fever.

It important to get much of your calcium intake from food, and you want to ensure its properly absorbed by your body. Absorption of calcium may be hindered by a compound called oxalic acid, which occurs naturally in many greens including spinach. Per g, spinach contains 0. Oxalic acid can bind with calcium in your intestines to form oxalates, which are insoluble salts.

These salts may interfere with absorption, making calcium unavailable to your body. An in-vitro study published in the International Food Research Journal investigated the effect oxalic acid has on calcium.

The study demonstrated and verified that oxalic acid decreases the availability of calcium in all salts tested. According to Vegan-health. Read More: Fresh Spinach Vs. Frozen Spinach. Because spinach has one of the highest contents of oxalic acid among green vegetables, too much spinach may also play a part in the formation of calcium-oxalate, which forms the most common type of kidney stones. In rare cases, eating extreme amounts of oxalate-rich foods, like spinach, can lead to hyperoxaluria, which is excessive urinary excretion of oxalate.

When oxalate crystals combine with calcium in the kidneys, they form kidney stones, says Cedar-Sinai Medical Center. Research done in by USDA Crop Improvement and Protection Research studied the possibility of breeding spinach for low-oxalate content to reduce the adverse effect of the oxalate compound.

Nitrates occur naturally in many plants such as spinach and don't usually cause a concern in human digestion. While studies have not shown any apparent toxic effects on humans, too much of the compound can lead to digestive issues.

Tomatine has a much stronger impact on dogs and can lead to a host of dangerous side effects, including digestive and nervous system issues. Nutmeg contains a compound called myristicin, which can lead to myristicin poisoning in large doses, explains Kate. Eating rhubarb leaves can cause a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, and lead to vomiting, nausea, convulsions, and even death, says Kate. One study determined that a pound woman would have to eat about 10 pounds of rhubarb leaves to show symptoms of oxalic acid poisoning.

Kate says if you ever come across a green potato, especially one that has started to sprout, toss it. Green potatoes contain solanine, a natural pesticide that is toxic to humans when consumed in large quantities. Luckily, it would be nearly impossible for an adult to consume enough green potatoes to get sick.