Spinach is not only loaded with vitamins and minerals; it is rather stacked with them in great amounts. The delicate leafy vegetable is truly a powerhouse of nutrition. However, among all the vitamins and minerals of the nutritional contents of spinach, there are 4 worthy of a mention: Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin B9 (Folate) and Vitamin C.
Vitamin K nutrition from spinach: Spinach is a very rich source of this vitamin. Vitamin K is not as popular as the others, but it’s just as important. Vitamin K helps in our brain and nervous system functions. It is an anti-inflammatory agent. It helps in our blood clotting, a property essential in healing open wounds and very helpful for women undergoing a heavy menstrual period. Vitamin K also helps promote bone health. It is also a cancer-fighting agent being anti-oxidant in nature.
Aside from spinach, other vegetables with Vitamin K content include broccoli, kale, green pepper and green onions.
Vitamin A nutrition from spinach: I suppose you and I are more familiar with vitamin A. This vitamin promotes eye health, first of all. Spinach has carotenoid elements that may be converted into Vitamin A in the body. It’s one of the many reasons why the nutritional contents of spinach are overflowing number and in scale. Vitamin A promotes skin health, as well. More so, like that of the calcium, Vitamin A helps protect our bones and our teeth.
Aside from spinach, other vegetables that with Vitamin A content includes broccoli, carrots, Bok choy, kale, and sweet potato.
Vitamin B9 (Folate) nutrition from spinach: Folate is one of the nutritional contents of spinach that we should take note of. Perhaps it is more popular as the vitamin that helps in the first developmental stage of a growing fetus. Apart from a baby’s brain and nervous system development, folate also helps prevent cardiovascular diseases like stroke, heart attacks and diabetes. Also, folate helps us get in a better mood when we are tensed, stressed or depressed.
Aside from spinach, other vegetables with folate content include lentils, kidney beans, asparagus, broccoli.
Vitamin C nutrition from spinach: Lastly, but certainly not the least of the nutritional contents of spinach is Vitamin C. We are all so familiar with the benefits of Vitamin C to our body. It helps strengthen our immune system, being an antioxidant in character. It is a detox agent. It also helps in maintaining a healthy blood pressure; and it helps promote bone health, as well.
Aside from spinach, other vegetables that with folate content include broccoli, bell pepper, cauliflower, kale, asparagus.
Nutritional contents of spinach and weight loss
The nutritional contents of spinach are all very important for our overall well-being. Having them in our diets would be beneficial to our health. And speaking of diets, the nutritional contents of spinach also include proper weight maintenance. It is also fitting for a weight loss diet. Spinach has zero fat, zero cholesterol and with only 40 calories of a heaping cup. No wonder Popeye is always at his best shape when he eats spinach!
How to enjoy the nutritional contents of spinach
Spinach is a relative of the beets, quinoa and the chard. This green leafy vegetable has a distinct, mild taste. Spinach has a soft texture which can be eaten raw together with other greens for a cold salad, or cooked with other vegetables. Some people prefer a simple blanched spinach dish with a bit of garlic, salt and pepper. Some like to bake them; others make a dip out of them. Whichever way you like it, it’s always good to add this spinach to your daily meals.
Nutritional contents of spinach and oxalates.
While the nutritional contents of spinach are aplenty; our consumption of iron and calcium decreases by 50% when we eat spinach because of its oxalate contents. Oxalates are chemicals found in some plants, nuts and seeds which bind minerals like iron and calcium.
The best way to eat spinach is to “kill” or eradicate the oxalates by cooking them. For the purpose of reducing oxalic acids in spinach, put as much water as you can when you boil or cook them. However, you can still eat them raw, if you prefer to do so. In this case, make sure to mix them with other vegetables to increase your non-heme iron consumption.
Featured image: Ayurveda and Yoga
Source by Rizza J Gatchalian