Nutritional Beneffits Of Spinach ( Palak/ pasalai keerai)

Spinach is a dark green leafy vegetable belonging to the Amaranth family. It has a slightly bitter taste but is considered as one of the functional foods due to its nutritional, antioxidants and anti-cancer constituents. Its tender, crispy, dark green leaves are used as ingredients in a variety of cuisines. This green vegetable comes into the category of healthiest plant based foods. Besides being rich in iron, it is one of the principal resources of pigments, manganese, folate, copper, vitamin A, vitamin C,  vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and calcium.Researchers found that including 1.15 servings (a little more than a cup) of spinach in your every day diet reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 14 percent. 

To get the most out of the spinach that you eat, make sure that you've some Vitamin C in your diet, which can come from amla pickle or as amla raita ( Indian gooseberry) or lime pickle, as our body is able to absorb the iron contents from food only with the help of Vitamin C. Recipes having spinach, please feel free to view my recipe blog.

1. Aids in Weight Loss:Spinach leaves benefits in weight reduction as it is low in calories and fat. It is very nutritious and has a good quality of fat soluble dietary fibre. This fibre aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar and curbs overeating. Thus, this leafy vegetable is often recommended to dieters because in dieting, it is important to avoid repetitive eating.

2.Prevents cancer: One of the foremost qualities of eating spinach on a regular basis is that it helps in the prevention of cancer. This is due to the fact that the level of chlorophyll that you may find in spinach, is absolutely apt when it comes to blocking the entry and effect of carcinogenic material and elements in your body. These are the elements that may enter your body due to pollution as well as through some of the processed foods that we consume. Therefore, you should eat plenty of spinach, especially in today’s day and age of adulterated food and pollution, to mitigate the effect of these elements and to prevent cancer. Spinach is also highly recommended for those who have a history of cancer in their family and are at a higher risk of developing the same.

3.Promotes Eye Health: Spinach contains antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin in plentiful which protect the eye from cataracts and age related macular degeneration (ARMD). Zeaxanthin is an important dietary carotenoid which is absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes, providing light filtering functions. Spinach also contains vitamin A which is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and essential for normal eyesight.

4. Maintains Healthy Bones:Spinach is rich in vitamin K which is vital for maintaining bone health. A cup of boiled spinach provides around 1000% of the RDA of vitamin K which lowers and controls the over activation of osteoclasts. These are the cells that aid in breaking down the bone structure over a short period of time. Vitamin K also promotes the synthesis of osteocalcin, the protein that is essential for maintaining the strength and density of bones. Spinach is a good alternative to dairy products as it gives proper substitute to calcium, thus preventing the occurrence of osteoporosis. It is an important protein diet for vegans as it helps in building the muscle tissues as well as supporting the collagen growth.

5.Lowers blood pressure: Spinach is of great value for patients who have been suffering from problems like hypertension as it brings down the blood pressure levels. This is because spinach manages to negate the effect of sodium, which may be found in the body. This happens due to the high potassium content, which is present in this leafy green vegetable.

6.Helps in managing diabetes: Alpha lipoic acid is one of the most well-known antioxidants that can be found in spinach. This is one of the rare elements that help in lowering the glucose levels in the body even as it increases sensitivity towards insulin. This, in turn, helps in taking care of your diabetes without constant medication. 

7.Relaxes the Body: Spinach keeps the body relaxed and completely stress free. It contains tremendous amounts of zinc and magnesium which enable you to sleep better at night, thus making way for more effective healing. Magnesium helps in replenishing your lost energy within seconds. A good quality sleep rests your tired eyes, thus relaxing your body as a whole.

8.Brain and Nervous Function: Spinach maintains proper brain functioning specially during old age. Consumption of spinach on a daily basis makes your brain young and active, thus enabling you to think intelligently. Spinach contains folate, vitamin K and vitamin C which help in modulating the hormone production of our nervous system. Vitamin K promotes healthy nervous system and brain function by facilitating the synthesis of sphingolipids, the crucial fat that makes up the Myelin sheath around our nerves. Thus, spinach can prove beneficial for correcting behavioral and cognitive issues.

9.Promotes Gastrointestinal Health: Consuming more of spinach promotes gastrointestinal health. The beta-carotene and vitamin C present in it protect the cells of the body’s colon from the harmful effects of free radicals. Besides, folate prevents DNA damage and mutations in colon cells.

 10.Prevents Heart Diseases:Excessive fat deposition can cause thickening of the human artery wall resulting in Atherosclerosis. Heart attacks are caused due to the hardening of the artery walls. Spinach is rich in Lutein content which prevents thickening of the walls of arteries, thus reducing the risk of heart attack. Besides, spinach contains a high quality nitrite which not only helps in preventing the occurrence of heart attack but also cures the heart diseases associated with fat deposition.

11.Anti-inflammatory Properties: Spinach contains Neoxanthin and violaxanthin, the two anti-inflammatory epoxyxanthophylls that regulate inflammation. Thus, it is beneficial in preventing inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine headaches and asthma.

12.Boosts Immunity:Vitamin A in spinach protects and strengthens the entry points into the human body, such as mucous membranes, respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts besides being a key component of lymphocytes (white blood cells) that fight infection. One cup of spinach provides as much as 337% of the RDA of vitamin A.

13.Aids in Calcification:Being rich in vitamin K, spinach aids in calcification. This is because this vitamin is a crucial component of the process called carboxylation which produces the matrix Gla protein. This directly prevents calcium from forming in tissue, thus fighting atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and stroke.

14. Boosts Immunity:Vitamin A in spinach protects and strengthens the entry points into the human body, such as mucous membranes, respiratory, urinary and intestinal tracts besides being a key component of lymphocytes (white blood cells) that fight infection. One cup of spinach provides as much as 337% of the RDA of vitamin A.

15.Prevents Anaemia:Regular consumption of spinach can prevent anaemia as it is an excellent source of iron. This mineral is particularly important for menstruating women and growing children and adolescents. Moreover, it is much better than red meat as it provides a lot less calories and is fat and cholesterol free. Iron is also needed for good energy as it is a component of haemoglobin which carries oxygen to all cells of the body.

16.Anti-ageing Benefits: Spinach is loaded with tons of antioxidants that destroy free radicals in your body. These free radicals damage your skin, thereby causing pre-mature ageing. Thus, eating spinach regularly will maintain the youth of your skin and slow down age related degeneration, making your skin look younger and rejuvenated.

17.Protects from UV Sun's rays: Spinach is rich in vitamin B which protects your skin from the harmful ultra violet rays that cause sun damage, skin cancer and pre-mature ageing of skin.

18. Improves Complexion: Being rich in vitamin K and folate, spinach gives you a clear complexion by minimizing acne, bruising on the skin and dark circles. The bounty of vitamin and minerals in this vegetable give you quick relief from dry itchy skin, thus providing you with a radiant complexion.

19.Promotes Hair Growth: Spinach is a super food comprising of vitamins B, C and E, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids all of which are required for healthy hair growth. Iron helps the red blood cells carry oxygen to hair follicles which is essential for healthy hair growth and strong strands.

 20.Fights Hair Loss:Hair loss is often caused due to the deficiency of iron. This mineral strengthens the hair strands by enabling the blood cells to carry oxygen to the hair follicles. Deficiency of iron causes anemia which results in hair loss among other adverse effects. Spinach is rich in folate and iron. While folate aids the creation of red blood cells, iron helps them carry oxygen, thus combating hair loss.

 THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.   

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