There are lots of health benefits of spinach if people want to pay attention to what
they eat and consume. From the moment we were children, we are always told to
eat leafy green veggies that are said to improve our health in the maximum way
– spinach included in the healthy veggie lists. But we have never realized how
important this particular vegetable or how it can really do good stuffs to our
body and its system. So, what’s so good about the spinach, anyway?
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| Health Benefit of Spinach |
The
Important Substances
Spinach can be included in the dark green leafy
veggies that are believed to contain lots of good minerals, vitamins, and
important substances to improve the health. For a starter, it contains beta
carotene, which is a type of antioxidant that can repel all the dangerous and
harmful free radicals. Antioxidants have been known to help people with their
cardiovascular issues, blood pressure, cancer, kidney problems, and also
prevent early aging. They can even help fighting off cataracts and other sight
problems. Due to the dark green color, it contains lutein and lipoic acid.
Lutein is important to prevent any degradation issue related to macular and
age, while lipoic acid is very important to help the regeneration of vitamin E
and C. Lipoic acid is also believed to be responsible for controlling and
managing the blood sugar production and level. Not to mention that it is also
rich in fiber, which is good for daily diet and for those who want to watch
their weight. Those are just a few health
benefits of spinach.
Preparing
and Cooking Spinach
Spinach is also rich in vitamin C, which is very
good to improve and boost body’s natural immune system. However, people should
be careful when cooking and preparing it since this vitamin can be lost easily.
When people overcook it, it will certainly be gone. Spinach is also rich in
calcium, but since it also contains oxalic acid, the calcium is being bound by
it so the body won’t be able to absorb it well. However, since spinach contains
high level of potassium, people who consume spinach on daily basis will
experience great cardiovascular benefit. Be sure to cook it in only short
period of time if people don’t want to lose the health benefits. People won’t
be able to get the maximal health
benefits of spinach if they over cook it; sometimes it is better to consume
it raw.
Spinach Nutritional Values
A small cup can
deliver many health
benefits of spinach, such as:
- It contains 7 calories, so it is
very good when consumed by dieters or by people who want to stay in good
shape
- It contains 0 gram of fat
- It contains 0 gram of saturated
fat
- It contains 0 milligram of
cholesterol
- It contains 1 gram of carbs
- It contains 1 gram of protein
- It contains 1 gram of dietary
fiber
- It contains 24 milligrams of
sodium
- It contains less than 1 milligram
of manganese
- It contains 1 milligram of iron
- It contains 167 milligram of
potassium
- It contains 16 milligram of
vitamin C
- It contains 58 micrograms of folic
acid
Based on the list, people consuming spinach will definitely
get the best benefits from the veggie.
The
Health Benefits of Spinach
Thanks to the healthy substances and
ingredients, there are lots of health
benefits of spinach that people can enjoy, such as:
- Cancer. Due to
the flavonoids substance, people can prevent suffering from cancer since
the substance will slow down the cancerous cell growth.
- Inflammation
issue. Thanks to violaxanthin and neoxanthin substances, people won’t have
to worry about having inflammatory issues since they both will prevent it.
- Antioxidant.
Thanks to the manganese, beta carotene, vitamin E and C, zinc, and also
selenium, people won’t have to suffer from atherosclerosis and
osteoporosis, and blood pressure issue.
- Immune system.
Since spinach is rich in vitamin A, it can protect mucous membranes,
intestinal track, urinary tract, and also respiratory system. Vitamin A is
also responsible for boosting the skin health so people won’t have to
worry about acne, keratinization, psoriasis, or wrinkles.
- Bones health.
Spinach is also rich in vitamin K that can prevent osteoclasts and boost
the production of osteocalcin. Osteoclasts are responsible for bones break
down, while the osteocalcin is important to keep the bones stay intact and
strong. Spinach also contains high level of vitamin K that would produce
carboxylation which will prevent tissue calcification. Not only people
will be able to prevent osteoporosis, they can also prevent stroke or
heart disease.
Spinach
for the Brain
Besides the health
benefits of spinach for the entire body system, spinach can also do good
stuffs for the brain. Spinach will prevent brain oxidation that can cause
memory loss, brain functioning, and premature aging. Thanks to the vitamin K,
which is responsible for controlling the nervous system and protecting the
brain, people can expect to reduce the possibility of suffering from brain slow
function or degeneration. The darker the leafy veggie, the more useful it will
be for the brain.
Tips
for Handling Spinach
When spinach is kept within airtight bag and being unwashed inside
the fridge, people can expect it to stay crisp and crunchy within the following
4 days. Be sure to remove the tie which is usually holding the bunches of
stalks together. Although it is advisable to wash the spinach first before
cooking it – since it is usually full of dirt and grit – it is best not to wash
it too long or by using detergents or whatsoever. People can lose the important
substances which are responsible for the spinach health benefits and remember
not to overcook it.
Spinach is certainly a very healthy and very good vegetable that
should be included in the daily intake and consumption. But pay attention to
the preparation and the cooking. There
won’t be any health
benefits of spinach that people can get
and enjoy if they aren’t careful in preparing anything.