Friday, April 17, 2009

Benefits of Spinach in our diet


Spinach is a delicious green leafy vegetable which has been crowned as the ‘Powerhouse Of Nutrients’.

What Are The Nutrient Contents Of Spinach?

Vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, calcium, phosphorus manganese, iron, selenium, zinc, and omega 3 fatty acid.

Some of the health benefits of spinach are as follows:

- Diabetic patients benefit from spinach as they help to stabilize the blood sugar levels. Just boil some spinach leaves, extract the water, add a dash of salt and drink a cup of spinach juice daily.

- Spinach protects against ‘hardening of arteries’ as it contains substances such as inositol and choline.

- Spinach has antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. The flavonoids and carotenoids present in them fights against cancer such as colon, breast and prostrate cancer.

- Spinach helps in the formation of blood and prevents blood clotting. This is due to the presence of Vitamin K.

- Spinach increases longevity.

- Spinach contains calcium, proteins, minerals and folic acid which protect against anemia, insomnia, obesity, blood pressure, osteoporosis, nerve inflammation, tumors and many more.

- Spinach helps to retain memory.

- Spinach contains lutein which helps to prevent cataract formation in the eyes. It also helps against the onset of blindness by preventing macular degeneration which normally takes place in the adults. Thus, spinach helps elderly people to retain their eyesight and protect from night blindness and Celtic disease too.

- Spinach has a lower count of calories- 23 calories per 100 gram thereby making it a good food for obese people.

- Spinach helps in kidney and liver problems.

- Women during post-menopause period should increase the intake of spinach as it contains Vitamin k which will help in maintaining the bone health; otherwise, there are chances of getting osteoporosis (bone degeneration) and Crohn’s Disease.

Ways to have spinach- salads, raw, juices, soups, noodles, frozen, sandwiches etc.

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