Who should avoid eating Malabar spinach?
Besides being used as a vegetable, Malabar spinach is also a medicinal herb in traditional Eastern medicine, helping to promote bowel movements, treat constipation, and lower blood cholesterol. So, does Malabar spinach have any harmful effects? And who should avoid eating it?
Malabar spinach provides many important nutrients for the body such as sodium, lipids, potassium, fiber, carbohydrates, protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins (vitamins A, B6, B12, C, and D). Eating just a small bowl of cooked Malabar spinach a day provides enough vitamin A and iron to meet your body's needs.
Regularly consuming spinach in cooked, stir-fried, or boiled forms helps eliminate excess cholesterol and fat through feces, cleanses the intestines, and thus prevents hyperlipidemia and obesity.
This vegetable is rich in nutrients but contains high levels of oxalic acid and purines. Therefore, you need to be aware of a few things when using it, whether as food or medicine.
Regular consumption of Malabar spinach helps eliminate cholesterol and excess fat. (Illustrative image: NP)
What foods are incompatible with Malabar spinach?
According to Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), spinach should not be eaten with beef. Combining them reduces the laxative effect of spinach and can cause bloating and indigestion. In particular, for those already suffering from constipation, eating spinach with beef will worsen the condition.
Additionally, you should avoid cooking cheese with spinach. Both ingredients are rich in protein, so eating them together will create an excess of energy, increasing the digestive burden on the intestines.
Is Malabar spinach good for pregnant women?
According to nutrition experts, spinach is one of the foods that is extremely beneficial for pregnant women and their fetuses. Pregnant women who regularly eat this vegetable will experience the following benefits:
- Helps to cool the body, reduce fat and sugar in the blood, contributing to weight control for pregnant women.
Pregnant women who frequently experience constipation can use spinach as an alternative to harmful laxatives. It promotes digestion by providing mucilage and soluble fiber, making it easier and more convenient for pregnant women to have bowel movements.
- Active compounds such as carotenoids, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene found in spinach can help inhibit the growth of harmful free radicals, prevent birth defects, and protect the health of women during pregnancy.
- Malabar spinach helps beautify the skin and improve eyesight for pregnant women thanks to its abundant vitamin A and flavonoid content.
- Rich in vitamin C, spinach can improve the immune system and prevent infections throughout pregnancy.
- In addition, spinach provides plenty of iron and folate, ensuring the fetus develops fully both mentally and physically.
Eating too much spinach can increase the risk of kidney stones. (Illustration: NP)
Are there any harmful effects of eating Malabar spinach?
Although Malabar spinach has many beneficial effects, improper use can also cause some negative health consequences, such as:
- It hinders the body's ability to absorb iron and calcium due to its high oxalic acid content. Therefore, when eating spinach, patients are advised to consume it with foods rich in vitamin C to neutralize oxalic acid.
- Eating too much increases the risk of kidney stones.
- Due to its high fiber content, eating too much spinach can cause stomach discomfort.
- Spinach can increase uric acid levels in the blood because it contains a lot of purines.
- May cause stomach upset and diarrhea when used in high doses.
Who should avoid eating Malabar spinach?
You should limit or avoid eating Malabar spinach if you have conditions such as kidney stones, diarrhea, cold stomach and loose stools, stomach pain, a cold constitution, gout, or high blood uric acid levels.
Additionally, you should combine Malabar spinach with animal-based foods to reduce its cooling properties. Medicinal dishes made from Malabar spinach should be consumed within the day after preparation. Each time you eat, reheat the dish to avoid spoilage and potential poisoning if left overnight.
At the same time, we should choose clean spinach for consumption. Spinach that is not contaminated with chemicals usually has small, slightly firm stems, leaves, and shoots. Conversely, spinach contaminated with chemicals often has thick, plump stems, long shoots, and shiny, vibrant green leaves that look very appealing.
