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Thread: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

  1. #1
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    Default Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    SPINACH CAN BE TOXIC!!!! (adding it to Beef Heart mix)
    I am brand new to the exciting passion of Loving and caring for Discus. But I have to chime in about SPINACH. Spinach given in large doses is one of the most toxic plants for human consumption in the world of edible greens. Please read about 'oxalic acid'. Spinach is also high in Lectins! "Lectins are a type of protein that can bind to sugar. They're sometimes referred to as antinutrients." "Animal studies suggest that certain lectins can reduce the body's ability to absorb nutrients."
    "Spinach is LIKELY UNSAFE for infants that are less than 4 months old. The nitrates in spinach can sometimes cause a blood disorder (methemoglobinemia) in young infants."
    "Consume too much and you may be in for unpleasant symptoms such as kidney stones, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, tremors or convulsions, vomiting, and weak pulse."
    I will NEVER, EVER add SPINACH to my beef heart mix or add vitamins. If Spinach can have this effect on humans imagine what it can do to your Discus Fish you are serving it to every day in their Beef heart meal.
    I use organic Peas with outer skin removed and Spirulina. Peas are Great to help rid the ammonia waste they release there fore lessening the nitrogen in your tank. Peas are an excellent source of A,C and K vitamins.

    VITAMINS CAN BE TOXIC!! We all know this so I am not a proponent of adding vitamins to the Beef heart mix or any other method of introducing vitamins except through natural foods.

    Spirulina is a natural source of nutrition and therefore really great and has no lectins in it and is Super loaded with Vitamin A & K as well as many other vitamins and minerals.

    If you feel you must introduce a leafy green to Your Beef heart mix please consider organic Romaine lettuce. It is at the bottom of the list for least amount of Lectins and is also packed with vitamin C, K and folate.(folate is a B vitamin)

    "What vitamins do fish need?
    Vitamins your fish need:
    Vitamin A - from greens and crustaceans. ...
    Vitamin B-Complex - from greens, eggs, and fish. ...
    Vitamin C - from greens, algae, and fish eggs. ...
    Vitamin D - from snails, shrimps, and earthworms. ...
    Vitamin K - from water fleas, greens, and liver. "

    Thanks! Regina

  2. #2
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Every sentence contains a factual error.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    I’m trying to learn from professionals and as advised be stendker I stopped to use spinach, as it’s high with iron.
    I replaced spinach with spirulina.

    I’m almost sure others hatcheries are using spinach in their beef heart mix ... just too many voices, better to stick with one good source.

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    Registered Member dnkn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie View Post
    Every sentence contains a factual error.
    I don't know about every sentence Willie. Regina may very well be "brand new to the exciting passion of Loving and caring for Discus".

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    Registered Member coralbandit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    I choose and feed Spinach infused Australian blackworms sold on this very site .
    According to Andrew Soh spinach is the fastest most readily absorbed source of iron available .
    It may help to remember that the water these fish prefer has little to no mineral content so all they need must be ingested ..
    Years now with the spinach for me ..
    I choose it .I do Boyds vita chem also !
    I am not a pro or always right but I do alright by and with my fish ...
    It is best to use more then one source to learn IMO .
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhFp68wjRUU
    ^^ My fish room tour by Richsfishes ^^
    Got rams ?

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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    My initial information about spinach came from a person in the medical field/scientist. He informed me of the scientific reasons to be Leary of spinach. Yes..spinach has forever been touted as packed with iron and other minerals. It is the problem with 'Letins' in spinach that is 'one' of my major concerns and this info is not very distributed. There are many other veggies that are just as high in iron and are not as toxic..ie, kale, swiss chard, collard and beet greens. Spinach cooked does reduce the lectins. So if folks love the spinach it is a benefit to cook it. Fruits high in iron.. apples, bananas, black currants..etc..
    I just want to make sure folks are informed about spinach. I have known about spinach for a long time and limit my diet of eating it. So I just hope this is 'food' for thought! I am just a well wisher for all the Discus out there and their loving care-takers!
    Regina
    Last edited by sunsetopal; 01-17-2021 at 03:43 PM.

  7. #7
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    1. Pureed spinach is a common baby food.
    2. Even food grade spirulina has been taken off the shelf for high levels of mercury, lead and arsenic.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  8. #8
    Registered Member 14Discus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Quote Originally Posted by coralbandit View Post
    I choose and feed Spinach infused Australian blackworms sold on this very site .
    According to Andrew Soh spinach is the fastest most readily absorbed source of iron available .
    It may help to remember that the water these fish prefer has little to no mineral content so all they need must be ingested ..
    Years now with the spinach for me ..
    I choose it .I do Boyds vita chem also !
    I am not a pro or always right but I do alright by and with my fish ...
    It is best to use more then one source to learn IMO .
    I no doubt feel the originator of the thread, Regina, meant well. That said, I agree w Coralbandit....especially since I, too, have fed the same Australian FDBW infused w spinach cubes from here to my fish with fine results. Also, from having a science background in my profession (now retired), I feel that more than one source should be examined before determinations are made with all facets of this hobby.

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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Quote Originally Posted by sunsetopal View Post
    My initial information about spinach came from a person in the medical field/scientist. He informed me of the scientific reasons to be Leary of spinach. Yes..spinach has forever been touted as packed with iron and other minerals. It is the problem with 'Letins' in spinach that is 'one' of my major concerns and this info is not very distributed. There are many other veggies that are just as high in iron and are not as toxic..ie, kale, swiss chard, collard and beet greens. Spinach cooked does reduce the lectins. So if folks love the spinach it is a benefit to cook it. Fruits high in iron.. apples, bananas, black currants..etc..
    I just want to make sure folks are informed about spinach. I have known about spinach for a long time and limit my diet of eating it. So I just hope this is 'food' for thought! I am just a well wisher for all the Discus out there and their loving care-takers!
    Regina
    I also feed my discus blackworm cubes that include spinach and I love it myself, it seems to popular with both discus breeders and human nutritionists.

  10. #10
    Registered Member dnkn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    I've read more extensive accounts elsewhere, but here's an abridged version, an interesting story about the myth within a myth of the high iron content of spinach: https://www.businessinsider.com/spin...n-myths-2017-6

    If you don't want to read the article, this is it in a nutshell. We've all heard that spinach is a great source of iron. I even heard that it was as rich in iron as red meat by weight. That turns out to be false. It does have iron, but it's on par with many other similar green vegetables.

    Then there's a story I've heard for years that the "iron in spinach myth" arose because a German researcher accidentally put the decimal in the wrong place in a study he published, and the world accepted that errant study as fact.

    The final layer is an article written by another researcher who tried to find this German study, or any real evidence that such a mistake occurred. Apparently, no evidence exists that it really happened. It appears to be just another story ...

    It's one of my favorite anecdotes to make this point, make sure you really know the things you think you know.

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    By the way, Regina, welcome to SimplyDiscus! We would love to read about your Discus and see pics of your tanks.

  12. #12
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Quote Originally Posted by sunsetopal View Post
    My initial information about spinach came from a person in the medical field/scientist. He informed me of the scientific reasons to be Leary of spinach. Yes..spinach has forever been touted as packed with iron and other minerals. It is the problem with 'Letins' in spinach that is 'one' of my major concerns and this info is not very distributed. There are many other veggies that are just as high in iron and are not as toxic..ie, kale, swiss chard, collard and beet greens. Spinach cooked does reduce the lectins. So if folks love the spinach it is a benefit to cook it. Fruits high in iron.. apples, bananas, black currants..etc..
    I just want to make sure folks are informed about spinach. I have known about spinach for a long time and limit my diet of eating it. So I just hope this is 'food' for thought! I am just a well wisher for all the Discus out there and their loving care-takers!
    Regina
    I think that the vast majority of knowledgeable people would disagree with your “expert”
    There is not a single, reputable doctor or scientist who would suggest that spinach is toxic.
    This is exactly how conspiracy theories are started

  13. #13
    Silver Member Willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Quote Originally Posted by captainandy View Post
    I think that the vast majority of knowledgeable people would disagree with your “expert”...
    And don't forget Popeye.
    At my age, everything is irritating.

  14. #14
    Registered Member dnkn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Popeye is behind the whole conspiracy.

  15. #15
    Registered Member dprais1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Spinach and Toxicity!!! Please Read!

    Dihydrogen monoxide can also be fatal. Just Google it. That is why I always wipe down my discus after a waterchange.

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