Spinach is famous for its iron. But eating it regularly floods your gut with an aggressive
acid that blocks absorption - and is the main ingredient in 80% of kidney stones.

Human digestion of the plant is complicated. Spinach contains non-heme iron, which the
digestive tract absorbs far less efficiently than the heme iron found in meat. This
absorption is further hindered by the plant's exceptionally high levels of oxalic acid, or
oxalate. This naturally occurring compound aggressively binds to minerals in the gut.

When spinach is consumed, the oxalates bind to the iron and calcium present in the
leaves, preventing the intestines from absorbing the majority of those specific minerals.

Beyond iron and oxalates, regular spinach consumption provides a concentrated dose of
other nutrients. A single cup of raw spinach contains more than the recommended daily
allowance of vitamin K1, which is utilized for blood clotting and bone metabolism. The
body also accumulates high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin from the leaves. These two
antioxidants physically deposit in the retina, where they help protect against age-related
macular degeneration.

For the general population, dietary oxalates are simply processed and excreted through
the kidneys. However, in individuals with certain metabolic predispositions, high oxalate
processing can cause physical blockages. When excess oxalates bind with calcium in the
urinary tract, they crystalize into calcium oxalate - the chemical compound responsible
for approximately 80 percent of all kidney stones. Medical guidelines for patients with a
history of calcium oxalate stones frequently single out spinach as a primary food to
restrict.

The chemical interactions of spinach change based on preparation. Boiling the leaves
leaches a significant portion of the water-soluble oxalates into the cooking water, which
is then discarded. Furthermore, introducing ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to the digestive
process alongside spinach alters the chemical environment in the gut, countering the
effects of the oxalates and significantly increasing the amount of non-heme iron the
body can absorb.

Full story:
https://www.quora.com/What-happens-when-you-eat-spinach-regularly

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