A TikTok trend has people scarfing down handfuls of raw spinach for health benefits, while others warn that it may not be such a good idea after all.
“Pregaming before girl’s night out,” Jordynn Nicholson (@jordynn.nicholson) wrote on a TikTok that’s been viewed over 494,000 times. The video hows her sitting in her car, pulling a hefty handful of spinach right out of the bag it came in, and eating it in one go.
“Ok now I’m ready,” she added.
@jordynn.nicholson Ok now I’m ready. #morningroutine #healthyliving #spinach ♬ original sound – leauxryda
Nicholson has been sharing her spinach-eating routine—or her “daily handful of self-love,” as she calls it in one clip—on the platform for some time now. And people have certainly taken notice. Some of her videos have racked up millions of views, while many have prompted questions and concerns about the practice.
Why are people eating handfuls of raw spinach?
Spinach packs quite a punch when it comes to health benefits. It’s a good source of vitamins, iron, magnesium, calcium, lutein, and many other nutrients most people need as part of a balanced diet.
And it’s not a bad food to chow down on before a night of drinking, as Nicholson suggested. The fiber content can slow the absorption of alcohol, while the magnesium and potassium can work towards keeping you hydrated.
She and others have also claimed that whatever you eat first thing in the morning can “set the tone” for the rest of the day.
“I saw a video that said eating a handful of raw spinach first thing in the morning can help train your taste buds and set the tone for the rest of the day, making you less likely to crave sugar or snacks,” wrote @lebaneseangel22 in a video posted earlier this month.
@lebaneseangel22 I filmed this yesterday IT WORKS #tiktokmademedoit #healthandwellness ♬ Dolce Nonna – Wayne Jones & Amy Hayashi-Jones
“it could be placebo but it’s been working so imma keep doing it,” she wrote in a comment.
(Meanwhile, one viewer pointed out that just eating “more raw Whole Foods in general” can reset sugar cravings, while another said they stopped craving sweets by just “eating a shit ton of red meat.”)
The viral handful of spinach trend
If there’s one thing the internet loves, it’s viral trends. And even though shoving handfuls of raw spinach into your mouth doesn’t have quite the same “WTF” appeal as climbing stacks of milk crates or trying not to spit out a mouthful of cinnamon, health-conscious TikTokers were quick to give it a go.
@ashnicholel will not be eating a handful of raw spinach ever again 😀🌱 dc @Jordynn.Nicholson . . . #gardentok #spinach #backyardgarden #homegarden #vegetablegarden #raisedbedgarden ♬ the bakery – Ophelia Wilde
@lucasnature_ A handful of spinach a day keeps the rot gut away ✨ #spinach #healthtips #selfimprovement ♬ cold – vowl.
@direena_ It’s the instant regret 🤣🤣 Legend says I’m still chewing 🤣🤣 let’s see how this works #fyp ♬ Monkeyshine-JP – Lt FitzGibbons Men
Some even gave it their own twist or offered advice to make it more palatable.
@aleigha_irene bunny munchin
♬ 10 Minute Portal Radio Loop – The Portal Radio
@ashtongraus My tongue is now green but whatever #spinach #veggies #greens ♬ My little chompers – idiot
As the viral trend spread, naturally others got even more…creative.
@hoooeey I’m gonna do it again tomorrow and check back with u guys
♬ original sound – Zoe
Is eating raw spinach bad for you?
As more and more videos circulate, detractors have come forward warning people to be careful about introducing a daily dose of raw spinach to your diet.
“Spinach contains oxalic acid. And oxalates, when ingested by humans, they bind to minerals in our guts and prevent the absorption of crucial minerals like calcium and magnesium,” @thisgardenwillkillyou shared in response to seeing the trend on her For You page. “Oxalates can also bind to calcium in our urinary tracts and form crystals that then turn into kidney stones.”
She also pointed out that it doesn’t take much spinach at all to introduce potentially dangerous amounts of oxalates to your system. In fact, the handfuls that people are now ingesting daily as part of the trend could easily be enough to create a problem.
Whether it actually will or not depends a lot on the individual—diet and genetic predispositions both play a role in how the body processes oxalates and whether they form kidney stones. Cedars-Sinai warns that an oxalate-rich diet can increase the chances of developing kidney stones, while MedicalNewsToday specifically recommends that people who have a known history of kidney stones, take blood thinners, or have other issues with kidney function limit their spinach intake, with the latter two relating to the Vitamin K and potassium content in spinach, respectively.
But for those who don’t have a history of kidney stones, eat a balanced diet, and want to eat more spinach, there’s an easy way to do so while reducing risk—just cook it first. According to one study, boiling spinach before eating it can reduce soluble oxalate content between 30-87%, and steaming it can result in a reduction of 5-53%.
“And if getting in your raw greens is important to you, then switch over to something like arugula,” @thisgardenwillkillyou added. “Totally safe.”
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