Is the oxalic acid in spinach harmful? What should I do?

Don’t eat spinach directly. Many people will wash the spinach and put it directly into the pot, or put it in the pot for a short while before eating hot pot. This is wrong because spinach contains a component called oxalic acid, which poses a potential threat to human health. So, is the oxalic acid in spinach harmful? What should we do?

After people eat spinach, oxalic acid is generally absorbed in the stomach and upper small intestine. Most of it combines with free calcium ions in the alkaline small intestinal fluid to form insoluble calcium salts, with a bioavailability of only 2% to 10%. For normal and healthy people, a very small amount of oxalic acid is generally not absorbed without much impact. As long as you drink more water to dilute the concentration, you can prevent the occurrence of urinary stones. However, people who already have urinary stones have a higher utilization rate of oxalic acid than normal people.

Usually people eat spinach by throwing the washed spinach directly into the pot, or making soup. Experts believe that this way of eating is unscientific. Experts say that spinach has the highest oxalic acid content among all foods, and oxalic acid easily combines with calcium in the human body to form insoluble calcium oxalate. Calcium oxalate is not only unable to be absorbed and utilized by the human body, but also hinders the body's absorption of calcium. Therefore, the cooking method is crucial when eating spinach.

There are many ways to cook spinach, but stir-frying it directly or making it into soup are both wrong. For pregnant women, in order to prevent the adverse effects of spinach on the human body, prevent the formation of stones, and affect the absorption of calcium, it is best to blanch the spinach in boiling water when cooking. After blanching, most of the oxalic acid can be released. At this time, pour out the water, take out the spinach, and either mix it with cold salad or stir-fry it, which can reduce the destructive effects of oxalic acid to a certain extent.

In addition, people who are taking calcium tablets should also be careful to eat less or no spinach. Spinach contains dietary fiber, which can detoxify and clear the orifices, so it has a laxative effect. It is best not to eat it when you have diarrhea. The oxalic acid contained in spinach is also a taboo for patients with urinary tract stones, and it may aggravate the condition. Therefore, if you suffer from urinary tract stones, it is best to eat spinach in moderation.

Everyone knows whether the oxalic acid in spinach is harmful and what to do. Since it contains oxalic acid, this ingredient needs to be removed. In fact, the method is very simple. Just blanch it in hot water before eating, and the oxalic acid will be almost gone. Of course, the effect will be better if you match spinach with other ingredients.