General considerations about the benefits of spinach

Originally from Persia, spinach is a dark green leafy vegetable that has several health benefits. Rich in vitamins and phenolic compounds, spinach helps in the fight against premature aging and also in the development of cardiovascular diseases.

It is also worth mentioning the presence of several minerals in the nutritional composition of the vegetable. Thus, it is very important to prevent diseases such as anemia and also acts in the regulation of blood pressure.

Due to its versatility, spinach can be consumed in many different ways, which ensures ease of inclusion in all types of diet. For its benefits to be obtained, you need to consume, on average, 90g of the vegetable. Want to know more about it? Read along the article!

The nutritional profile of spinach

Spinach has several vitamins, such as A, C and E, in addition to having the presence of essential minerals for the functioning of the human body.

In addition, its nutritional profile is still marked by fiber, protein and carbohydrates, as well as components such as chlorophyll and beta carotene. Want to know more about it? Read on!

Vitamins

The vitamins present in spinach are A, C and E. The first one is responsible for maintaining eye health, ensuring good vision and hydration of the ocular surface. In addition, vitamin A also acts in cell renewal.

Regarding vitamin C, it is worth mentioning the increase in the production of leukocytes, cells responsible for helping defend the body against external agents. Finally, vitamin E protects the cell membrane against the action of free radicals, being great in preventing premature aging.

Minerals

Potassium is one of the main minerals in the nutritional profile of spinach. It is essential for the functioning of muscle and nerve cells, since it participates directly in the constitution of the tissues in question. In addition, it is essential for the regulation of metabolism and energy supply.

Besides potassium, the vegetable also has the presence of calcium and iron. The first helps in maintaining bone health and the second acts to prevent diseases such as anemia.

Fiber, proteins and carbohydrates

The presence of fibers makes spinach excellent for weight loss diets. They increase the feeling of satiety and reduce hunger, helping in weight loss. The vegetable also has proteins, which are present in all body cells and ensure cell integrity.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the vegetable has 3.6g of carbohydrate, which also help in the feeling of satiety and are great for weight loss diets, besides ensuring energy for the body's vital functions.

Chlorophyll and beta carotene

Chlorophyll is a substance present in vegetables and responsible for giving them their green color. It is a great source of nutrients, such as vitamins A, C and E, which are powerful antioxidants and capable of neutralizing the action of free radicals in the human body.

When talking about beta-carotene, it is worth pointing out that it is a natural antioxidant and fundamental to the tissues of the human body exactly by combating free radicals. In addition, it acts by stimulating the production of antibodies, which ensures the proper functioning of the immune system.

The health benefits of spinach

The control of high blood pressure and help in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases are some of the health benefits of spinach. In addition, thanks to its fiber it helps in intestinal transits and helps in weight loss.

Another point that stands out is the ability of the plant to act as an anti-inflammatory. Want to know more about it? See below!

Accelerates and facilitates intestinal transit

Spinach is a source of fiber and these play a key role in accelerating and facilitating intestinal transit. Therefore, the consumption of the vegetable fights constipation and makes the stool less dry, besides increasing its production.

In addition, spinach also helps increase peristaltic bowel movements, which are responsible for aiding evacuation and making the process easier for people who are constipated. Each cup of the cooked vegetable has 2.5g of fiber.

Helps the weight loss process

Due to its low calorie content, spinach is a vegetable that helps in the weight loss process. Thus, every 100g of leaves, whether raw or cooked, it has about 23 calories. This helps a lot in diets and when combined with fiber, increases the feeling of satiety.

Therefore, hunger is reduced through the consumption of spinach. To obtain this kind of benefit the vegetable can be consumed through vitamins, since its contact with milk fat favors the absorption of nutrients.

Acts in the control of high blood pressure

Thanks to the presence of minerals such as potassium and its low sodium content, spinach helps in controlling high blood pressure. According to some studies, the presence of potassium and nitrate in the body is directly linked to the reduction of sodium, something that helps in maintaining the health of hypertensives.

According to the daily needs of an adult person, the ideal is to consume 4700mg of potassium per day. Every 100g of spinach can be found 466mg of the mineral, a very significant amount.

It is beneficial for eye health

The presence of vitamin A in spinach, as well as lutein and zeaxatin, helps a lot with vision. The two substances mentioned belong to the family of carotenoids, as well as beta-carotene, which also acts in eye health and is present in the composition of the vegetable.

As far as lutein and zeaxanthin are concerned, it can be stated that both accumulate in the macula of the eyes, the region located in the centre of the retina. In this way, they prevent degeneration and prevent the development of diseases such as cataracts.

It is efficient in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases

Spinach has vitamins C, E and K, besides having folate and beta-carotene in its nutritional composition. When allied, these substances help in the prevention of heart diseases because they are excellent cardiovascular protectors.

This happens thanks to its ability to prevent the formation of oxidized cholesterol, which contributed to the hardening of the arteries. In this sense, it is worth highlighting vitamin K, which also helps in blood clotting and prevents clogging of the arteries and thrombi, associated with other diseases of the cardiovascular system.

It has anti-inflammatory action and prevents premature aging

The presence of alpha lipoic acid in spinach ensures its action against premature aging. The component in question also has anti-inflammatory action, which helps prevent the formation of wrinkles and swelling. When this nutrient is associated with vitamins A and C, the impacts become even greater.

Both mentioned vitamins defend the skin against damage caused by free radicals, thus preventing the aging process. Therefore, the consumption of spinach intensifies the natural protection of the organism in these issues.

It is beneficial for bone health

Spinach is a vegetable rich in calcium and essential for bone health. Thus, the consumption of this mineral helps fight diseases such as osteoporosis, besides leaving the human body less vulnerable to the possibility of fractures.

Other factors that contribute to this vegetable to help maintain bone health are vitamin K and phosphorus. In addition, spinach also has sulforaphane, capable of helping the body in the differentiation of bone matrix cells, performing resorption and remodeling.

It is indicated for anemic

The presence of iron and folic acid makes spinach suitable for fighting anemia. It can be used both as a protective tool and as part of the treatment of the disease;

However, it is worth mentioning that as the iron present in spinach is a non-heme, it needs to be combined with other nutrients so that the benefits are felt. Therefore, it is indicated that the vegetable is always consumed along with other foods rich in vitamin C, ensuring the good absorption of nutrients and the good use of the component by the body.

It is indicated for diabetics

The inclusion of fibers in the diet causes the glycemic index to be inhibited, especially when this inclusion happens after meals that contain carbohydrates. Due to the delay in gastric emptying provided by fibers, the absorption of sugar becomes lower.

Therefore, the glycemic indexes are automatically reduced and it is exactly the increase that characterizes diabetes. Thus, for those who aim for these benefits, it is recommended to consume 25 to 30g of fiber a day and 2.5g can be found in 100g of spinach.

Ways of consuming spinach and contraindications

Spinach is a vegetable whose consumption can be done in several different ways, facilitating its inclusion in diets even for people who do not like its taste so much. Thus, below some ways to add it in your routine will be commented. Continue reading to learn more about it.

Raw

The raw form of spinach can be one of the most difficult to consume and is certainly one of the most unusual. However, like all vegetables, it preserves more of its nutrients in this version. Thus, it is indicated that it is present in juices and smoothies, for example.

In addition, the raw form of spinach can also appear in salads, accompanied by other vegetables and greens that make its flavor more palatable, as well as by seasonings.

However, it is worth remembering that it is important to sanitize spinach properly, as it can be a vehicle for E. coli bacteria if not properly cleaned.

Stew

When spinach is prepared in its cooked form, it should have a small amount of fat, since this helps improve the absorption of phytonutrients. Thus, you can use butter or olive oil to fulfill this purpose.

Ideally, the food should be eaten soon after it is ready so that the concentration of oxalic acid is lower. In addition, this form of consumption ensures that the other minerals and vitamins will be properly absorbed by the body. In general, it is recommended to consume one and a half servings three times a week.

In salads

Although it is not very common to consume spinach in salads, since its stewed versions are the most traditional, the vegetable can appear this way. The various possibilities of combinations and seasonings make this type of dish ideal to include spinach in the diet.

In general, some options that combine well with the taste of the vegetable are cheeses, tomatoes and proteins, such as chicken. However, it is worth noting that in the case of cheeses there is still the advantage that the milk fat helps improve the absorption of nutrients.

Juices

In juices, spinach appears in its raw form and mixed with some fruit, which makes its taste more palatable. In general, orange is used, since the consumption of this vegetable is recommended alongside good sources of vitamin C, which is the case of the fruit cited.

It is important to note, however, that you should not strain the juice. This causes part of the nutrients to be lost and decreases the benefits of including spinach in the diet. Another way to ingest the vegetable through drinks are smoothies, made from fruit, milk and ice.

Contraindications in the consumption of spinach

Due to the presence of vitamin K in spinach, its consumption should be controlled by people who take anticoagulant medications. Moreover, in these cases, the ideal is that the vegetable is always eaten cooked.

It is also worth mentioning that people with a tendency to form kidney stones should be careful when consuming spinach due to the presence of oxalate, one of the main causes of this condition. Therefore, the consumption of the vegetable should be moderate and always associated with other sources of calcium, since this mineral helps reduce the absorption of oxalate.

Add the vegetable into your routine and enjoy all the benefits of spinach!

Spinach has an impressive nutritional wealth. This vegetable is a source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help maintain health and act in the fight against several different diseases, from anemia to diabetes and.

Therefore, it is an important natural source of nutrients and can still help in weight loss diets due to its high fiber content and low caloric value. So, if this is your case and you do not fit the cases of contraindication, consumption can help you a lot.

There are several ways to include spinach in the diet and these range from stews, most common with this type of leaf, to juices and smoothies. The important thing is to enjoy the benefits to keep the body increasingly healthy.