Spinach is a nutritious and economically important vegetable in our diet. But, many varieties contain high amounts of oxalate, a natural compound in the plant, that can lead to kidney stone formation.
Researchers have now identified eight spinach varieties with low oxalate levels. They analyzed the genetic code of 310 spinach varieties and identified six DNA markers that contribute to oxalate levels. Knowing the amount of oxalate concentrations in these varieties can help breeders reduce oxalate concentrations.
Spinach contains higher concentrations of oxalate than most crops, but it is an economically important vegetable crop worldwide and it’s considered healthful because of its high concentration of a number of key nutrients. Foods such as beets, rhubarb, strawberries, nuts, chocolate, tea, wheat bran, and almost all dry beans also are known to increase oxalate in the urine and may contribute to kidney stone formation.
Source: www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2017/making-spinach-with-low-oxalate-levels/
