Improved vision, stronger bones and more, not bad for a small green leaf…
Eating spinach is what gave Popeye his herculean strength. It may not give everyone the ability to punch someone to the moon or pull the Grand Canyon closed with a rope.
However, there is little doubt that this leafy green vegetable is a megastar in the nutritional world. Children often turn their noses up at the simple mention of spinach, but moms do not doubt the power in those deeply colored leaves. So, what exactly are the health benefits of spinach?
Spinach is one of the most densely nutritious vegetables available. It is low in calories, only forty-one per one cup serving.
The Health Benefits of Eating Spinach Are Abundant:
1: Improved Vision
Spinach is very good for the eyes because it contains vitamin A. Just one serving of spinach each day provides over three times the RDA of vitamin A, which is crucial for maintaining healthy vision, especially night vision.
Spinach is also an excellent resource for lutein, which is a carotenoid plant pigment that helps protect against macular degeneration of the eye related to aging.
2: Heart Health
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, which are needed to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol, which may result in the formation of plaque in the coronary arteries.
Failure to get enough of these valuable vitamins in your regular diet may be a precursor for a heart attack. Spinach is also an ideal resource for folate, which is regarded as one of the most important nutrients for reducing the chances of heart disease.
In addition, spinach contains an abundance of important minerals, including calcium, potassium and magnesium, which all work to control blood pressure effectively.
3: Cancer Fighter
Spinach is packed full of compounds proven to fight cancer known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants that are needed in order to decrease inflammation. In addition, the flavonoids found in spinach have been linked to a reduction in the risk of several cancer types, including lung, colon and ovarian cancer.
Spinach is also an excellent source of carotenoids, which have been known to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
4. Improved Blood Cell Construction
Another amazing health benefit of eating spinach is the high iron content. Just a single serving of spinach provides close to forty percent of the daily recommendations for iron. Iron is essential for building strong red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the entire body efficiently.
An iron deficiency can lead to energy loss and fatigue. Severe iron deficiency can lead to a condition known as anemia.
5. Strong Bones
Spinach is one of the best sources of vitamin K, which is necessary for the prevention of osteoporosis. The body needs vitamin K in order for the bones to be able to hold onto calcium properly.
In addition, spinach is also an ideal source of magnesium and calcium, which are both very important for bone health.
Spinach can be added to your diet in a number of different ways. No matter how you choose include spinach in your dietary routine, the benefits are endless.
There are so many good reasons to eat spinach. It’s easy to prepare – eat it raw in a salad or just saute with a little olive oil and garlic and you’ve got a great side dish. Just be careful to buy a lot, as it really shrinks when you cook it. Even kids will typically eat creamed spinach.
Spinach is such a great choice for women to help them keep their iron counts high and help them get all the calcium they need. It’s actually just as good a source of calcium as dairy, and without all the fat and calories.
Spinach is also especially good for women who are trying to get pregnant as it’s a very good source of folic acid. Women need plenty of folic acid in their systems at conception to prevent birth defects. There are few foods better than spinach for your body, for so many reasons.
Spinach is one of my favorite foods for the unbelievable health benefits. And, I happen to think it tastes great, too. This is a great article. As often as I eat spinach, even I didn’t know that it helped to prevent clogged arteries in the heart. Keep it coming with the great articles. I look forward to reading all of them.