Will the ‘Dinosaur Time’ Trend Actually Improve Your Health?

At this stage of my life as a parent to a two-year-old, I’m sitting on the floor playing with tiny dinosaur figures. Heck, we even just went to a fossil park this month because our son is so dinosaur-obsessed. So, to no surprise, when I came across this viral TikTok trend called “dinosaur time,” I had to see what it was about.

I discovered this was nothing like what I imagined it would be. Instead, I was watching clips of people shoving piles of leafy greens into their mouths. That’s it.

Started by a user called @sahmthingsup, the trend literally calls for people to pile things like spinach and kale into their mouths as a quick way of ingesting vitamins and antioxidants. The term “dinosaur time” is an obvious reference to herbivores thriving on large quantities of leafy greens.

@sahmthingsup

I’ve been going strong on dinosaur time for about a week now as a supplement to my normal lunches and I feel pretty good. So maybe try it out #greens #healthy #healthyliving #healthyrecipes #healthylifestyle #fyp #dinosaur #dinosaurtime #Fitness #fitnesstips #nutrition #nutritiontips #macros

♬ original sound – sahmthingsup

What is Dinosaur Time, the Latest TikTok Trend?

The user explained in her video, which has clocked more than 4 million views, that she came up with this method because she’s always trying to eat healthier. By doing it like this, she basically rips off the band-aid in one shot, “I figured out the best life hack for me.”

A dietitian, Alyssa Smolen, told CBS News she supported the goofy hack. She believes it’s a lot easier than preparing a salad, and for some, that’s more than enough reason to take this approach.

That being said, not all of the leafy greens’ nutrients are able to be consumed in their raw and unfiltered state. Smolen says the reasons salads feature oils and nuts is because these vegetables “require a source of fat consumed with them” for proper absorption.

Perhaps this “dinosaur time” approach isn’t the best way after all. Though if you drench the greens in some olive oil, that could do the trick. Then again, maybe this is a smart marketing ploy to use on my son as we try and get him to eat more veggies. Since you love dinos so much, why not eat like them?

I’ll let you know how it goes.