One of the most useful vegetables turned out to be unexpectedly dangerous

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There are many health benefits , associated with spinach, including improvements in blood pressure and cognitive function. However, a new study shows that this plant can increase the number of certain gut bacteria that cause unpleasant effects.

Microbiologists from the Universities of Vienna and Konstanz found that a sulfur-containing sugar called sulfoquinose promotes the growth of important bacteria. in the intestine However, research has shown that spinach causes the growth of bacteria in the intestines that produce hydrogen sulfide.

In small concentrations, this gas can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, but in large quantities, its production is associated with the development of cancer. “We were able to show that, unlike, for example, glucose, which feeds a large number of microorganisms in the intestine, sulfoquinose stimulates the growth of certain key organisms in the intestinal microbiome,” said the lead author of the study, David Schlehek.

This means that hydrogen sulfide, in fact, is produced in the intestines not only by cells in the body, but also by a group of specialized microbes after eating leafy greens. According to the scientists, this is a surprising discovery, because previous studies have shown that the sources of the gas were sulfate and taurine (two substances that are mainly found in proteins and fats, including meat), and not vegetables.