Spinach is a very healthful natural green leafy vegetable. Spinach nutrition plays an important role to make healthy health. The scientific name of spinach is Spinacia oleracea and related to Amaranthaceae family. If you want to add superfood to your diet, then spinach is the best food.
Spinach a green leafy vegetable can consume in many ways, it can consume as raw in a salad, steamed, and blended in a soup, as a juice with other veggies. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, and iron are the key nutrients of spinach.
Spinach nutrition
100-gram spinach has following nutrients and their values.
Principle nutrients: Energy- 23 kcal, Carbohydrates- 3.63 g, Protein- 2.86 g, Total fat- 0.39 g, Dietary fiber- 2.2 g
Vitamins: Vitamin A, Vitamin C- 28.1 mg, Vitamin E- 2.03 mg, Vitamin k- 482 µg, Folate- 194 µg
Electrolyte: Sodium- 79 mg, Potassium- 558 mg
Minerals: Iron- 2.71 mg, Magnesium- 79 mg, Manganese- 0.897 mg.
Phyto-nutrients: Beta-carotene, Lutein-zeaxanthin
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Spinach nutrition benefits
Green leafy spinach is an amazingly rich source of many nutrients which boost up our healthy heath and stop or reduce many health problems like- diabetes, asthma, heart problems, cancer, Bone health problems, elevated cholesterol etc.
1. Immune system
The amazing benefit of spinach is, it provides strength to the immune system. Vitamin A present in spinach and this vitamin A fight against infections and inflammation to a large extent. It provides strength to the mucous membranes of the respiratory, urinary, and also intestinal tracts. Lymphocytes or white blood cells (WBC) are the main component of vitamin A fight against many infections.
2. Fight against anemia
Spinach is a good source of iron, and iron prevents anemia problem. So, a regular and ideal quantity of consuming spinach can stop or reduce anemia problem. Iron is used as an energy booster which is a component of haemoglobin, that carry oxygen to all body cells.
3. Brain and nervous function
Spinach consuming regularly in ideal quantity makes brain young and active. And also increase think intelligence. Vitamin K, vitamin C, and folate present in spinach and that help to modulate the generation of a hormone of the nervous system. Vitamin k advances solid sensory system and mind work by encouraging the combination of sphingolipids, the essential fat that makes up the myelin sheath around our nerves.
4. Eye care
Spinach contains lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants. Harsh effects of UV rays lead to cataract and lutein and zeaxanthin prevent the eye from these effects. The free radical impact reduces by both antioxidant and free radical impact cause cataract and other eye problems.
A good value of beta-carotene, lutein, and xanthene present in spinach and these are good for healthy eyes. Beta-carotene prevents vitamin A deficiency, eye itching, eye ulcers, and dry eyes.
Zeaxanthin is an essential dietary carotenoid which is assimilated into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes, giving light sifting capacities.
5. Bone health
Vitamin K presents in spinach in good value and it is an important component for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K control over activation of osteoclasts cells. Osteoclats cells help in the breakdown of bone structure. Synthesis of osteocalcin protein is promoted by vitamin K and this protein is important to manage bone strength and bone density. Calcium content in spinach is useful in maintaining of bone strength and this calcium also prevent the onset of osteoporosis.
6. Blood pressure
High nutrient value of potassium mineral and low nutrient value of sodium mineral present in spinach. Potassium decrease the high blood pressure but sodium increase the blood pressure. High blood pressure causes kidney disease, heart problem and stroke. Therefore, spinach plays an important role to control blood pressure.
7. Heart attack
A heart attack is a result of hard artery walls and spinach nutrients fight against heart attack. Lutein component present in spinach which prevents thickening of arteries walls and decreases heart attack risk. Thickening of arteries walls is a result of excess fat deposition. Atherosclerosis is also a result of thickening of arteries walls.
8. Anti-cancer
Spinach has a good value of flavonoids (phytonutrient) which have anti-cancer property for various kinds of cancers- like- prostate, liver, lung, and bladder. Studies show that spinach playa an effective role of protection against aggressive prostate cancer.
9. Protect against inflammation
Neoxanthin and violaxanthin present in spinach and both have anti-inflammation properties. By adding spinach to the diet you can prevent inflammation conditions like- arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, and migraine headaches.
10 Skin care
Vitamin B present in spinach in good quantity and this protect the skin against ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Spinach also contents good value of vitamin A and vitamin C. Both are essential and play an important role in repairing skin.
Spinach nutrition side effects
Spinach has some side effects if you consume it regularly in your daily diet. Also, side effects can take place if consuming excess quantity. Side effects are:-
- Organic compound purines present in spinach and this turns into uric acid. Kidney stone risk is generated by increasing of uric acid. Spinach also contains oxalic acid that causes calcium oxalate levels. Calcium oxalate also promotes kidney stones.
- Consuming large quantity of spinach can cause some stomach related problems adding with a gas formation in the abdomen, bloating, cramp and constipation.
- A large quantity of spinach can cause diarrhea along with the fever and abdominal pain because spinach is rich in fiber.
- An oxalic acid of spinach has small crystals that not dissolve in the water. Therefore you, get gritty teeth.
- Consuming of spinach in your daily diet as a regular basis then constipation problem can take place.
Therefore, the green leafy benefits of spinach nutrition are amazing if consume in ideal quantity. Also, it has some side effects if consumed in a daily diet regularly and also in excess quantity.