Is water spinach the "king of all poisons"? Is it true? Many people are still in the dark...

Healthy living is very important nowadays, and it starts with what you eat. You can’t be picky about food, and meat is delicious, but you can’t just eat it.

Combine meat and vegetables and eat more vegetables, this is healthy!

But when it comes to eating vegetables, some of the things you hear online can seem scary.

For example, water spinach is said to be the "king of all poisons" on the Internet. It is also said that it absorbs heavy metals in the soil and eating too much will cause cramps...

Is water spinach really "hopeless"? Are these "accusations" against it true or false? Let's find out today.

Does the heavy metal content in water spinach exceed the standard?

Water spinach, formerly known as Yongcai, also known as vine vegetable, heartless vegetable, Tongxincai, Kongtongcai, and Wengcai, is the most widely cultivated leafy vegetable in southern my country.

Whether the heavy metal content of most agricultural products exceeds the standard mainly depends on three factors: air, water quality and soil. my country has clear regulations on the production areas of agricultural products, and agricultural products with excessive heavy metal content are almost impossible to be put on the market.

In addition, it is true that leafy vegetables are more susceptible to heavy metal pollution. Experimental studies have also shown that water spinach has a stronger ability to accumulate heavy metals than ordinary vegetables. This is a fact, but it does not mean that the heavy metal content in water spinach exceeds the standard.

Tests conducted by authoritative organizations have shown that the heavy metal content of water spinach available on the market in my country is within the normal range.

As for the claim that the hollow structure (stem) of water spinach is easy to absorb heavy metals, it is nonsense. Studies have shown that the stem of water spinach is the least polluted by heavy metals. In addition, this vegetable has extremely high requirements for water quality. It is almost impossible to grow in sewage, let alone be put on the market.

It is true that most foreigners do not eat water spinach, but it is not because of pollution, but because of their eating habits.

Water spinach = cramp-causing vegetable?

Leafy vegetables such as water spinach and spinach contain high levels of oxalic acid, which will combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate precipitates, which may affect calcium absorption.

However, cramps are only likely to occur in people who do not consume enough calcium or are prone to calcium deficiency, and it rarely happens in the general population.

If the water spinach is blanched before cooking (blanch it in boiling water and discard the soup), more than 95% of the oxalic acid can be removed, which has almost no effect on calcium absorption and is less likely to cause cramps.

Can eating water spinach cause gout?

Whether people will suffer from gout is closely related to their own metabolic factors (such as genetic factors, etc.), and food can only be regarded as an inducing factor at most.

The main factor that triggers gout in food is the purine content, as well as factors that affect the excretion of uric acid in our body. For example, excessive intake of alcohol and fructose will inhibit the excretion of uric acid, thereby inducing gout.

The purine content of water spinach is only 17.5 mg/100 g, which is a typical low-purine food. Purine is also soluble in water. If it is blanched as mentioned above, there will be very little purine left. Water spinach does not contain fructose, alcohol and other substances that inhibit the excretion of uric acid, so gout is out of the question .

What are the benefits of eating water spinach?

Modern nutrition research shows that water spinach is rich in nutrients , containing 99 mg of calcium per 100 g, which is almost the same as milk. Of course, its absorption rate is indeed far lower than that of milk.

The carotene content is extremely high (1520 mg/100 g), comparable to that of amaranth.

The vitamin C content (25 mg/100 g) is higher than that of tomatoes, making it a good source of dietary vitamin C.

In addition, it also contains a certain amount of dietary fiber (1.9 g/100 g), which can enhance intestinal motility and play a positive role in preventing and treating constipation and reducing intestinal cancer.

What should you pay attention to when eating water spinach?

You can eat water spinach from regular channels without worry, but you'd better pay attention to these three points:

1. Try to remove oxalic acid . It is recommended to blanch the food when cooking, especially for those who are prone to calcium deficiency.

2. If you are really worried about the problem of heavy metals, you can choose to eat only the stems of water spinach. In low-pollution areas, you can choose to eat the stems and leaves, but no matter where you are, the roots should not be eaten .

3. Patients with chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer should eat less water spinach and choose some melon and fruit vegetables with relatively fine dietary fiber, such as loofah, winter melon, gourd, chayote, etc.

Water spinach is safe to eat

Heavy metal pollution, cramps, and gout do not exist

Develop a good habit and blanch the food before eating

In addition, some information from unknown sources on the Internet

We must look at it scientifically and rationally!

Author: Dr. Wang Wenxiang, Associate Professor of Fujian Medical University, Doctoral Supervisor of Nutrition and Food

Source: Science Popularization China