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I used to eat a lot of spinach

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Does Spinach Deserve Its Health Halo?

I was never a fan of iceburg lettuce. There is nothing to it! And don't we all know the deeper the color, the healthier the vegetable? For that reason, I embraced spinach.

In my early days of clean low-carb eating, I enjoyed great big spinach salad for lunch almost every day.

And I admit, I was very pleased with myself for such a wise choice.

Then I heard about oxalates.

Let's talk about it.

🥬 Spinach, an OG Superfood

Spinach has had a remarkable reputation for a very long time. We were told it made us strong.

Popeye certainly thought so.

Everyone is eating it, in big salads green smoothies, wilted into omelets.

It is one of the darlings of the low-carb community.

Rich in iron, vitamins, antioxidants.

Fiber.

And, of course, it's low-carb.

Spinach was one of those foods that practically glowed with virtue.

And yes, I bought in.

🥬 But... Oxalates?

Then I started hearing whispers about oxalates.

If you’ve never bumped into this conversation, oxalates are naturally occurring compounds found in certain plant foods, including spinach, almonds, beets, sweet potatoes, and even dark chocolate.

The concern is that higher oxalate intake may increase the risk of kidney stones because oxalates can bind with minerals like calcium and form crystals.

I have never had kidney stones.

But I know people who have.

And I absolutely want no part of that.

This alone was enough to make me rethink my daily spinach salad lunch habit.

I won't say I eliminated spinach from my diet. But I certainly demoted it.

Recently, a viewer tipped me off to a bolder theory about oxalates.

🥬 Enter Sally Norton

Sally K. Norton, MPH, is a nutrition educator and author of the book Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload Is Making You Sick—and How to Get Better.

Her central argument is simple, though certainly provocative:

Some of the foods we have crowned as “superfoods” may cause problems when eaten in large amounts because of their oxalate content.

Not just kidney stones.

Broader issues.

  • Inflammation.

  • Joint pain.

  • Fatigue.

  • Digestive complaints.

  • Even brain fog and other neurological symptoms.

Whoa. Wait. Spinach might contribute to brain fog?!

That was news to me.

If oxalates cause inflammation, then I can see the argument. Makes sense.

But I must confess. I have not read her book or done a deep dive on this topic myself.

If you embrace spinach these days, you might want to.

“Some of the healthiest foods may be making you sick."

— Sally K. Norton, Toxic Superfoods

🥬 But... Nutrition?

The truth is, I wrote off spinach, and honestly, most vegetables, quite a while ago.

Not because I believed they were harmful.

Because I stopped seeing the point of eating them.

The question I keep coming back to:

If a food is not rich in protein or natural fat, why am I eating it?

That is my current philosophy: Nutrition First.

So for me, spinach already had a weak case.

And now?

Apparently there may be additional reasons to think twice.

Does that mean never eat spinach again?

Maybe not. But certainly not regularly. Because: why?

Giant daily salads and spinach smoothies?

Done with those for sure.

I am not a scientist, a researcher, an expert.

I am just an older woman who got her mind back by becoming far more deliberate about what went into her body.

And for me?

Spinach no longer makes the cut.

Were you raised on The Standard American Diet?

If you’ve been meaning to start eating for Nutrition First but don’t know where to begin, I made a simple one-page guide you can use right away. You can find it here.

And if you’re ready to take the next step, the 14-Day Clear Mind Reset is now open.

Are you eating for Nutrition First?

Hope so!

Thank you for your time.

Until next week, let’s all stay strong, wise, and good.

☀️ Question Every Bite

I am not here to police anyone's salad bowl.

If you love your spinach, eat your spinach... just maybe look into oxalate theory between bites to see if it still deserves space in your fridge and your body.

I'm Glad You're Here

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Until next time, stay strong, wise, kind, and good.

Choose real food for real health.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, scientist, or nutritionist. I do not provide medical advice. I share personal experience and ongoing learning about health through real food.

Good morning!

I am a late boomer spreading the gospel of good health through good food.

My bona fides?

Beating back Alzheimer's by eating clean low-carb.

And dropping a little weight effortlessly as a bonus.

Real food for real health.

Join me?

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