Nutritional benefits of spinach; Spinach may constitute a complete mine of value and benefit, as the body obtains an abundant amount of vitamins and minerals necessary to promote the health of the body, so it is considered essential for healthy diets.
Spinach contains high levels of iron, calcium, vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as a high percentage of folic acid. Learn about its wonderful health benefits and its most important nutrients.
What is spinach?
Spinach is a type of leafy vegetable classified under the amaranth family. It originated in Persia. Spinach is one of the foods that are full of fiber and low in calories. It is noteworthy that the consumption of spinach remains safe in the absence of diseases.
It is also recommended to consume it in moderation for those who are qualified to suffer from kidney stones and kidney failure in general. However, spinach is one of the beneficial plants for the body and provides it with the important nutrients it needs. So you get better health.
Spinach is a vegetable that helps the body make red blood cells. The nutritional value of spinach for folate content is important for pregnant women because it can help prevent birth defects in the baby's brain or spine.
"Also read: kale nutritional benefits"
nutritional elements of spinach
It is a leafy green vegetable that is packed with nutrients and is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K as well as folic acid, magnesium, and potassium. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, iron, and protein. The following are the most important nutritional elements of spinach, which include:
Nutritional value of a cup of spinach
- Calories: 7 calories.
- Protein: 0.86 g.
- Calcium: 29.7 g.
- Iron: 0.81 g.
- Magnesium: 24 grams.
- Potassium: 167 g.
- Vitamin A: 141 mcg.
- Folic acid: 58 mcg.
"Also read: Nutritional benefits of parsley"
most important nutritional benefits of spinach
Based on the abundance of many nutrients in spinach, spinach is a good source of antioxidants, lots of vitamins and minerals, and a good source of dietary fiber. Here are the main nutritional benefits of spinach:
Iron
Spinach contains an abundant amount of iron; It's even a great plant source for it, thus boosting oxygen transport in the blood, improving the immune system's performance, and making digestion better. It is noteworthy that it stimulates the body to absorb iron, and it is good to eat it alongside foods full of vitamin C.
magnesium
The body gets 24 micrograms of magnesium from 1 cup of spinach, thus improving nerve and muscle performance, strengthening the heart and immune system, balancing blood pressure levels, and improving biochemical reactions and energy metabolism.
Calcium
The spinach plant also contains many rich minerals necessary to enhance the efficiency of the nervous system and bones, and improve the performance of muscles and the heart more, and you can get about 30 mg of calcium from a cup of spinach that meets the daily need for this element.
"Also read: Unexpected foods hinder weight loss"
carbohydrates
Spinach is one of the leafy vegetables rich in nutrients that give a feeling of satiety for a long time because it provides the body with carbohydrates and fiber. Therefore, it is considered low in calories, and it is indicated that it does not affect our blood sugar levels.
Fats
It has been proven that eating spinach with a little fat stimulates the body to better absorb beta-carotene, especially if it is eaten steamed or raw, for example, but spinach alone does not contain fat at all.
vitamins and minerals
Among the nutritional benefits of spinach is also supplying the body with the necessary vitamins such as vitamin B2, B6, B1, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E, as well as providing the body with folic acid, and vitamin K, carotenoids, antioxidants, and flavonoids.
plant compounds
Spinach contains many important plant compounds, including lutein, kaempferol, nitrate, quercetin, and zeaxanthin.
Folic acid
The folic acid in spinach is essential for healthy DNA formation and helps in regulating homocysteine levels, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
"Also read: lettuce-nutritional-benefits"
Health benefits of spinach
Depending on the vitamins and minerals that spinach provides, the nutritional benefits of spinach come with many great health benefits, and the following includes the most important health benefits of this wonderful plant:
- Balancing blood sugar levels.
- Protection from excessive weight gain.
- Cancer prevention thanks to the abundance of antioxidant-boosting chlorophyll.
- Promote eye health, due to the abundance of vitamin A and vitamin C in their composition.
- Treatment of anemia, because it contains an abundant amount of iron.
- Preventing bleeding, by containing vitamin K, which is effective in blood clotting (Coagulation).
- Alleviate asthma symptoms thanks to vitamins and minerals that enhance lung function.
- Maintaining the health of hair and skin and treating their problems, because it contains vitamin A in abundance.
"Also read: White flour side effects"
Frequently asked questions about the nutritional benefits of spinach
Although spinach has a high degree of safety when consumed, there are some common questions about its consumption, including the following:
Is eating spinach daily harmful?
Yes, excessive consumption of spinach limits the body's ability to absorb necessary minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and calcium, in addition to the possibility of allergic reactions; It contains an amount of allergens histamine.
Which is better to eat spinach raw or cooked?
Spinach is a leafy vegetable that can be eaten raw and cooked, as it is very useful, and it can be added to dishes for additional benefit.
What is the longevity of spinach?
Spinach does not hold for long; It can keep for about four days in the refrigerator, although you can freeze it or buy frozen baby spinach, which can last for months.
What are the benefits of spinach for weight loss?
The benefits of spinach for weight loss may be numerous. It is rich in nutrients and low in calories, while it helps reduce cravings and controls blood sugar, making it a sensible food if you are following a healthy weight loss plan.
How does spinach harm the stomach?
Spinach can be a little difficult to digest. Moderation in consuming spinach inevitably protects against the harms of excessive consumption, including stomach upset, as it contains an abundant amount of fiber that causes diarrhea when consumed in excess. Spinach is prescribed to get rid of constipation when eaten with a group of leafy vegetables due to its abundance of fiber.
We also learned about 8 uses for this wonderful plant, in the event of suffering from diseases or taking medication pills, it is preferable to consult a doctor first about the possibility of consuming them or the permissible quantities.
