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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Labels: b, C, calcium, E and K, good for skin and hair, heart health, magnesium, nutritional benefits, potassium, Spinach, type 2 diabetes, Vitamins A, zinc
