If you’ve been scrolling TikTok videos or reading posts in social media and K-beauty communities, you must have realized that there’s a growing rumor about one particular green we’re all familiar with: spinach. But are these rumors really accurate? Does eating a large portion of spinach really suppress your appetite?
As groundbreaking as the world of K-beauty, it is the utmost crucial to see beyond the viral trends and differentiate between rumors and scientific finds. Therefore, today we’re gonna guide you un breaking down one of the latest viral K-beauty trends on spinach. So, does spinach truly suppress your appetite? Let’s find out!
Spinach in K-Beauty: What the Latest Viral Trends Say
As an avid K-beauty enthusiast, it does bring incredible benefit to be socially active and aware of the latest K-beauty trends in the Korean SNS and online communities at core. It brings you the latest news and, most importantly, they get you ahead of your peers especially on viral K-beauty trends from residents who are living in the heart of K-beauty, South Korea.
Now, if you paid attention, there’s one growing rumors on Korean online communities and social media on a particular veggie: spinach. According to these viral claims, as cited on Herald, “eating a large amount of raw spinach every morning can completely suppress your appetite for the rest of the day.”
Along with these online community claims, K-beauty trends on YouTube and TikTok frequently featured spinach as an appetite-suppressing ingredient for dieting. Not only that, but some K-beauty users even insist that eating raw spinach in the morning can actually get rid of their cravings for snacks throughout the day. Herald mentioned that in some videos even showed users chewing mouthfuls of raw spinach first thing in the morning. And this resulted in more people jumping on board and trying it themselves.
But really, is this viral K-beauty trend accurate? Will you really suppress your appetite and eventually lose weight by eating as much spinach as possible?
The answer is: not really.
Spinach and Appetite Suppression: The Truth Behind Viral K-Beauty Trends
Now, let’s dive into the truth behind this viral K-beauty trend and how spinach can actually become an effective addition to weight loss diets—but only when understood in the right context.
At the center of this trend lies a nutrient-rich compound called thylakoids, microscopic membrane structures found inside the chloroplasts of spinach leaves. These thylakoids are the scientific focus of most clinical studies that link spinach to appetite control.
However, before you start filling your morning routine with mouthfuls of raw spinach, there are some crucial details to consider.
What the Science Actually Says
Several peer-reviewed studies, including research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, have examined how spinach extract rich in thylakoids impacts hunger and satiety.
In one controlled trial, a single 5-gram dose of spinach extract helped increase feelings of fullness and reduced cravings for up to two hours after eating. Another 3-month study showed that participants who took the extract daily lost significantly more weight than those given a placebo—about 43% more, to be precise.
Yet—and this is where it matters—the extract used in these studies was not just blended spinach. It was a highly concentrated form of thylakoids, isolated from the leaf.
According to Dr. Frank Greenway, who led some of these studies, it’s practically impossible to get the same effect from eating spinach in its whole or raw form. To match the extract’s potency, you’d need to consume spinach in quantities that are neither practical nor digestively sustainable.
So yes, spinach can help curb your appetite—but only when used strategically and in the right form.
Spinach and Cravings: Understanding What It Really Targets
Here’s where many K-beauty influencers and TikTok creators get it wrong: spinach does not suppress hunger across the board.
What it does—when taken in extract form—is influence your body’s reward system. That’s the part of your brain that lights up when you’re tempted to eat even when you’re not hungry. For example, those times when you’re thinking of eating that piece of donuts after a full meal, or those mindless snackings late at night.
By slowing the digestion of dietary fats, thylakoids trigger hormones like GLP-1, which signal satiety to the brain. They also reduce ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates hunger.
This combination makes you feel full faster and stay full longer—especially after eating meals that contain some fat.
And so, this nuance is key. If you’re skipping meals or following a low-fat, restrictive diet, raw spinach alone won’t magically “shut off” your appetite.
However, if you consume a thylakoid-rich extract or eat spinach alongside a balanced, fat-containing breakfast, it may help you feel more satisfied and reduce unnecessary snacking.
So, Should Spinach Be in Your K-Beauty Wellness Routine?
Absolutely—but with realistic expectations.
Spinach is still one of the most nutrient-dense, low-calorie, high-fiber vegetables you can include in your diet. Its water content (over 90%) also supports hydration, which plays a subtle yet important role in appetite control.
Even if it doesn’t deliver the dramatic appetite suppression promised in viral videos, spinach supports weight management and skin health indirectly through:
- Fiber, which promotes fullness and gut health
- Iron, which supports cellular regeneration and energy
- Vitamin C and antioxidants, which combat inflammation and oxidative stress
- B-vitamins, essential for metabolism and hormonal balance
And if you don’t love it raw? That’s okay. Spinach can still be effective when lightly cooked or added to recipes like:
- Warm salads with eggs or tofu
- Spinach-based pesto (a brilliant alternative to basil!)
- Smoothies, soups, or even savory breakfast pies
Plus, other leafy greens like kale, chard, or broccoli also contain thylakoids. So feel free to rotate them in and out of your meals for a more balanced, nutrient-diverse routine.
Final Verdict: Does Spinach Suppress Appetite?
Yes—but only in the right form, and under the right conditions.
The viral claim that “raw spinach every morning completely shuts down your appetite all day” is misleading.
While spinach has beneficial properties and contains compounds shown to influence satiety, you’ll only get the more powerful effects from concentrated thylakoid extracts—and even those provide modest results, NOT dramatic weight loss miracles.
Spinach is a functional ingredient, not a fix-all. When integrated thoughtfully into a K-beauty wellness lifestyle, it can support your goals—but it won’t replace the need for balanced meals, physical activity, hydration, and consistent skincare.
So the next time you see a TikTok pushing raw spinach as a shortcut to weight loss, take a pause. Your beauty routine deserves truth, not trends. Stick with the science, and let spinach be part of a smarter, sustainable approach to wellness.
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