{
  "id": 2821867,
  "title": "Oxalate in spinach and almonds may worsen gut inflammation in IBD",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/oxalate-in-spinach-and-almonds-may-worsen-gut-inflammation-in-ibd",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-23T16:00:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-oxalate-spinach-almonds-worsen-gut.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A recent study published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH) suggests that oxalate, a compound found in foods like spinach, almonds, and sweet potatoes, may worsen gut inflammation in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study, led by Anna Salvador, Ph.D., RD, LDN, at the UNC School of Medicine, found that specialized transporter proteins responsible for oxalate absorption are reduced in gut tissue from patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. This leads to higher accumulation of oxalate in the intestinal environment, which amplifies the inflammation that defines IBD. The research also revealed that Crohn's disease patients have significantly higher stool oxalate levels compared to non-IBD controls, even with similar plant-based food consumption. This is the first time metabarcoding has been used to assess diet in an IBD population, providing evidence that the issue lies not in dietary intake but in how the gut handles oxalate.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}