Why Are TikTokers Eating Handfuls of Spinach in the Morning?

We all know the age-old adage that says breakfast is the most important meal of the day — but have you ever thought of breaking your morning fast with a handful of spinach?

On TikTok, it seems many creators indeed have, as videos of people shoving handfuls of spinach into their mouths first thing in the morning have begun circulating all over the app.

The idea, according to social media users, is that the first thing you eat sets the tone for what you crave for the rest of the day. The participating TikTokers believe that starting their day off with spinach will reduce their cravings for sugar and salt later on, while hopefully also encouraging them to eat more fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

Some also say they’re doing it in an effort to train their tastebuds to enjoy vegetables more, while others are simply eating mouthfulls of raw spinach to get a vegetable serving in in a quick and convenient way.

With all that in mind, you may be wondering: is this really an effective way to consume your greens, and does it have the potential to make you a vegetable lover?

The answer, according to experts, isn’t entirely straightforward, but there are some benefits to starting your day off with spinach.

“It certainly sets the stage for improved vegetable intake,” says Sheri Gaw, RDN, CDCES, a registered dietitian and the owner of Sheri The Plant Strong Dietitian. “Since so few Americans are eating enough fruits and vegetables, I am onboard with a trend that encourages spinach.”

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 1 in 10 adults get enough fruits or vegetables despite the fact that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of many leading causes of illness and death, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and obesity.

Can eating spinach first thing influence your cravings for the day?

Eating spinach as your first food of the day won't entirely alter the cravings you experience later on, but Catherine Gervacio, RND, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant for WOWMD, says it can help.

Spinach is rich in fiber and water, she explains, both of which help you to feel full, satiated, and energized. As a result, eating it early in the morning can reduce hunger and cravings throughout the day.

“It helps you feel more balanced and less likely to crave sugary or salty foods later,” she says.

But the extent of this impact will likely be minor, she says, so eating a handful of raw spinach on its own probably isn’t the key solution to ensuring a blanched day of eating.

“It works best as part of an overall healthy routine, not just one leafy bite in the morning,” she says.

Can you train your taste buds by eating spinach?

When it comes to whether eating spinach can help train your taste buds to like vegetables more, Gervacio says it is possible, as taste buds do adapt over time.

If you keep eating veggies regularly, even if you don’t love them at first, your body starts to adapt and will likely find them more familiar and enjoyable as time passes.

“Taste buds can adapt to favor meals with less salt or sugar and the same can apply to the taste of vegetables,” Gaw says. “However, I think this is more likely when vegetables are consumed in an enjoyable way — they don’t have to be raw and consumed mindlessly.”

Is this the best way to get nutrients?

Spinach contains important nutrients, including iron, fiber, and folate, Gaw explains. It also contains fat-soluble vitamins A and K, which can only be absorbed by the body when consumed alongside a source of fat.

“It would do more good to eat spinach with foods that contain fat, like in a salad that is drizzled with an olive oil dressing, in a smoothie with nuts or nut butter, or on a slice of avocado toast,” Gaw says.

On top of that, Gervacio says that while a handful of spinach is a good start, it’s not nearly enough to meet your veggie intake needs for a day.

“The goal is a few cups of veggies per day, ideally a mix of colors and types,” she says.

Better ways to incorporate spinach into your diet

Instead of forcing raw spinach down your throat in the morning, Gaw says you can always try adding a bag of frozen spinach or other veggies to pasta sauces, soups, stews, casseroles, smoothies, or even frozen prepared meals like Kung Pao Chicken.

To make your veggies taste more palatable, Gervacio recommends roasting them with olive oil and spices or tossing them in stir-fries with garlic and soy sauce.

“Texture and flavor matter,” she says. “Most people don’t love raw spinach by itself, but cooked spinach with some seasoning could work.”

Ultimately, however, it’s up to you whether you choose to incorporate your spinach into real meals or eat it in all its natural, leafy green glory. As long as you’re eating vegetables, Shaw and Gervacio say you’re on the right track.

“This trend isn’t harmful and it’s actually kind of clever; it’s simple and it gets people thinking about veggies early in the day,” Gervacio says. “But don’t stress if raw spinach doesn’t sound appealing — what matters more is finding your favorite way to eat veggies consistently.”