Spinach is a very adaptable vegetable among all the leafy greens. It's great in smoothies, a cool salad, steamed or sautéed as an accompaniment, stir-fried, or even mixed into brownies or other baked products.
There are other health advantages of spinach. It has antioxidants and vitamins that help prevent chronic illnesses and support the health of the heart, brain, and eyes. And to get the most out of those benefits, adding spinach to your meals is simple.
Here are some easy ways to include spinach in your meals and snacks, along with six health advantages of eating more of this potently protecting plant.
It's Packed with Nutrients
It's Packed with Nutrients
Three cups of raw spinach supply around 20 calories, less than one gram of fat, two grams of protein, three grams of carbs, and two grams of fiber, according to the Department of Agriculture.1.
Spinach is low in calories but high in nutrients. Three cups of this food supply more than 300% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K. Additionally, the leafy green veggie supplies more than 160% and 40% of the average daily requirements for vitamins A and C, respectively. The National Library of Medicine states that while vitamin C aids in wound healing, vitamins K and A maintain healthy bones.2.
Additionally, spinach provides 45% of the recommended daily intake of folate, a B vitamin that aids in the formation of DNA and red blood cells. In addition, it provides trace levels of other B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
It Has a Lot of Antioxidants
Apart from its many vitamins and minerals, spinach also offers antioxidants that are linked to reducing inflammation and preventing illness.
Among the flavonoids, or antioxidants, found in spinach include kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. Flavonoids are substances that, according to the Department of Agriculture, may help shield you against inflammatory and cardiovascular illnesses as well as cancer.
It Aids in the Prevention of Diseases
The preventive properties of spinach were compiled by researchers in a study that was published in the journal Food & Function in 2016.4. They claimed that the chemicals in spinach could lessen the effects of oxidative stress. Additionally, they have a favorable effect on inflammation and metabolism by "turning on" specific genes through gene expression. Furthermore, after consuming spinach, those components cause the production of satiety hormones, which give you a feeling of fullness and satisfaction.
For these reasons, the researchers came to the conclusion that increasing one's intake of spinach may help prevent chronic illnesses such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.
It Promotes Mental Wellness
Because spinach has anti-inflammatory properties, it is a strong candidate to protect the brain, especially against the effects of aging.
In a 2015 study that was published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, researchers observed around 900 seniors between the ages of 58 and 98 for roughly five years regarding their eating habits and cognitive capacities.5. The rate of cognitive deterioration was shown to be significantly lower in individuals who ingested more leafy green vegetables than in the other group.
Additionally, the findings showed that those who had one to two servings of such veggies every day exhibited cognitive abilities comparable to those of individuals who were around 7.5 years younger than their real age.
It Aids in Blood Pressure Management
Nitrates are another naturally occurring component found in spinach. Nitrates cause blood vessels to dilate or open up. This reduces cardiac strain and enhances blood flow.
Seven women and eleven men participated in a research that was published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2016; they drank four nitrate-rich beverages, one of which was a spinach beverage. After ingesting the beverages, the subjects' blood nitrate levels rose, according to the study.Six
The blood pressure was also reduced by the spinach drink, beetroot juice, and rocket salad drinks. After ingesting the spinach and rocket salad beverages, your diastolic blood pressure, which is the lower figure on a blood pressure reading that represents the pressure in your arteries between heartbeats, stayed low for five hours.
It Could Benefit Eye Health
Lutein, one of spinach's antioxidants, may lower the chance of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). According to the National Eye Institute, AMD is a condition that can cause blurring of the center, crisp vision needed for driving and reading. It is one of the main causes of visual loss in those over 55. Since AMD cannot be cured, prevention is crucial.7.
In one study, which was published in 2016 in the Journal of the Japanese Ophthalmological Society (Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi), researchers looked at the eyes of 11 volunteers who took in 75 grams of frozen spinach with 10 milligrams of lutein per day for two months. The subjects' blood lutein levels and measurements of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) rose after consuming spinach, which is high in lutein.8.
The macular pigment shields the eyes from harm by functioning as internal sunglasses. AMD risk factor is low or reduced MPOD. According to the research, eating spinach may reduce your chance of developing AMD.
The Impact of Cooking on the Nutrients in Spinach
Adding spinach to raw and cooked foods can help maximize its health benefits, but research has shown that not cooking the vegetable retains its lutein content.
In a 2018 study published in the journal Food Chemistry, scientists found that after cooking spinach in different ways, the amount of lutein in the vegetable gradually decreased. When researchers roasted spinach at high temperatures, a significant percentage of lutein was lost after two minutes.9
Therefore, it is important to eat raw spinach to maximize your lutein intake. For example, try adding spinach to your smoothie along with healthy fats like avocado or almond butter. Cutting spinach into small pieces releases the lutein from the leaves. And healthy fats increase your ability to absorb antioxidants for eye disease. Additionally, a 2018 study published in Food Science and Biotechnology examined the effects of different cooking methods on vitamins in certain vegetables, including spinach. Researchers have found that microwaving vegetables is the best way to preserve vitamin K10.
Blanching vegetables or putting them in boiling water to remove the skin can significantly reduce the vitamin C content. Instead, researchers found that steaming the vegetable was the best way to preserve vitamin C. Cooking also decreased spinach's vitamin E content, but increased its vitamin A content. This happens when plant walls soften, allowing nutrients to be released and absorbed.
So, for best results, mix up how you eat your spinach (some raw, some cooked), but avoid overcooking the green leafy vegetable
Simple ways to eat more spinach
Eat one serving (the size of a tennis ball) of green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, every day.
Add a handful of spinach to your meals and add a few spinach leaves to each bite. For a quick and easy side dish, toss spinach in a simple vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and dried Italian herbs. Sauté spinach in extra virgin olive oil with bell peppers and crushed red peppers or steam vegetables with canned olive tapenade or dairy-free pesto. If you're making a grain bowl, add a handful of spinach to the bottom and vary the amount of vegetables and grains to add more vegetables. Blend spinach into everything from fruit smoothies to pancakes and hummus, and add it to soups, vegetarian chili, and tacos. You can add spinach to any dish. Try it and reap the benefits of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that promote healthy living.
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