🥬 Nutritional Value of Raw Spinach: 7 Surprising Truths That Changed My Health

I Thought Spinach Was Just Salad Filler — I Was So Wrong

I used to laugh at spinach. Like, not even a chuckle — I mocked it. Why? Because I thought it was just… green fluff. Tasteless, squeaky, annoying-to-chew fluff that made you feel healthy for 5 seconds, then left you starving an hour later. I mean, c’mon — how could something with the nutritional value of raw spinach actually make a difference?

That was me about 14 months ago.

Now? I literally panic if I run out.

But getting there? It wasn’t some Pinterest-perfect “clean eating” journey. It was messy. Emotional. Slightly ridiculous. And loaded with unexpected wins (plus one very real poop scare — we’ll get to that 🙃).

My First “Ugh” With Spinach — And the Weird Reason I Kept Eating It Anyway

The first time I bought a clamshell of raw spinach, it wasn’t some inspired choice. Nope. It was on clearance. $1.29 for the whole box. I figured I’d toss a handful in my smoothie like a health influencer and move on.

Spoiler: I tossed in three handfuls.

Because I didn’t know how spinach works.

The smoothie turned swamp green. It smelled like wet lawn clippings. And I drank it anyway, because… I was trying this new thing where I actually followed through on my healthy decisions.

About 45 minutes later, I felt something I hadn’t felt in weeks: energy. Not jittery coffee energy. Not sugar high energy. Just this weird sense of being awake in my own body.

And so began my on-again-off-again-but-mostly-on love affair with raw spinach.

What Even Is the Nutritional Value of Raw Spinach?

Okay, so here’s where I’ll get slightly nerdy — but only because I lived this, not because I memorized it.

From what I’ve felt and figured out:

• It’s insanely low-calorie but weirdly filling (like 7 calories per cup? That’s air with benefits).

• It's loaded with vitamin K — the kind that helps your blood do its clotting thing and keeps your bones not-crumbling.

• It has iron, but not the easy-to-absorb kind, which I learned the hard way (hello fatigue, my old frenemy).

• There’s folate, which is secretly a big deal for energy and mood.

• Plus vitamin A, magnesium, and manganese — basically the underdogs of the nutrient world that quietly keep your brain and body functioning.

But what mattered more than the stats was what happened when I ate it every single day.

The 30-Day Spinach Experiment I Didn’t Mean to Start

This wasn’t some TikTok challenge. I just… kept adding spinach to everything.

Like:

• Tossing it into eggs

• Shoving it into wraps

• Hiding it under pasta (my sneaky fave)

• Blending it into smoothies (but just one handful this time)

• Eating it straight from the box like some bunny-human hybrid when I was too lazy to cook

By the end of week one, I noticed:

• I wasn’t crashing at 3 PM like usual.

• My digestion? Let’s just say things started moving like clockwork. ⏰💩

• My skin — which had been dull and breakout-prone — looked clearer. Not perfect, but like I didn’t need to hide under foundation.

• And weirdly… my mood felt better? Like I wasn’t spiraling into doom over every minor inconvenience.

By week four, I was actually craving it. CRAVING. Like “I need greens or I’m gonna bite someone” level.

When It Didn’t Work: Spinach Burnout, Stomach Drama & The Great Oxalate Debate

Look. It wasn’t all sunshine and glowing skin.

Around week six, I hit a wall. My digestion got too fast (TMI?), I felt a bit bloated, and — not gonna lie — I got paranoid reading all those Reddit threads about oxalates and kidney stones.

So I backed off.

Lesson learned?

• Balance is key. I now rotate my greens — spinach one week, arugula or kale the next. Keeps things exciting. Keeps my gut guessing. Keeps me sane.

• Raw isn’t always best. Some days, I’ll sauté spinach just a tiny bit with garlic and olive oil to reduce those infamous oxalates. Still get the benefits, but my stomach’s way happier.

My Raw Spinach Hacks (That Don’t Suck)

Let’s be real: raw spinach isn’t candy. It can taste weird. It can be slimy. It can go bad way too fast. But these tricks? Lifesavers:

1. Wrap it in paper towels inside the container. Lasts 4–5 days longer.

2. Mix it into warm rice or pasta right before serving — it wilts just enough without cooking out the good stuff.

3. Toss it with olive oil, lemon juice, and flaky salt — turns “ugh salad” into “wait this is kinda good?”

4. Add it to soups right before serving. Sneaky fiber boost. No one notices.

5. Layer it under everything — eggs, sandwiches, even leftovers. It acts like a nutrient sponge.

The Vitamin D Connection That Blew My Mind

So this is gonna sound random, but stay with me.

I learned that spinach is high in magnesium, and magnesium is lowkey essential for helping your body use vitamin D properly.

And guess what I’d been deficient in for years?

Yup. Vitamin D.

Once I started eating spinach daily and getting my vitamin D levels checked and supplemented, it was like my entire nervous system calmed down. I slept better. My stress response was less “panic! destroy everything!” and more “okay let’s figure this out.”

Coincidence? Maybe. But I’m not willing to test that theory by quitting.

FAQ (That I Literally Asked Myself)

Can raw spinach actually help with weight loss?
Honestly, yes — not because it’s magic, but because it crowds out junk. If I load up on spinach at lunch, I’m less likely to be scavenging for snacks at 4PM.

Is it better than cooked spinach?
Depends. Raw gives you more folate and vitamin C. Cooked gives you more absorbable iron. I do both.

Does it cause kidney stones?
If you’re prone, maybe. I balance with calcium-rich foods like yogurt — calcium binds with oxalates and keeps them from being absorbed. Science-y and helpful.

What does it taste like raw?
Um… green. A little grassy. Not bad, just… vegetal. Add dressing or blend it and you’re golden.

Final Thoughts From a Reformed Spinach Skeptic

If you’d told me a year ago I’d write 2,000+ words about the nutritional value of raw spinach, I would’ve laughed in your face. Then thrown a pizza at you.

But here we are.

And I’m telling you — if you’re tired, moody, bloated, or just feel off… adding a couple handfuls of raw spinach to your day might be the easiest thing you’ll ever do to fix it.

It’s not flashy. It’s not trendy. It won’t replace therapy or sleep.

But it might just nudge your body back into balance.

Start small. Add it to one meal a day. See how you feel. And if it turns you into a poop machine — welcome to the club. You'll adjust. 😉

Weirdly grateful for this leafy green. Who knew?

Catch you in the produce aisle,
— Still-Not-a-Nutritionist But Feeling Great 💚