Spinach and health
When popeye eats spinach, he develops amazing power with which he can bulldoze anyone. This is where we can pick up the benefits of eating spinach. Spinach is always listed among the top foods.
Low on calories, available throughout the year and can be regarded as a nutrition power house.
The vitamin A and C plus the fiber help in controlling cancer especially of the colon,lung and breast. The phytonutrients act as anticancer agents which researchers say that there are more than 13 such agents. The carotenoids help to protect against prostate cancer.
The flavonoids in spinach help protect against age related memory loss.
Spinach’s secret weapon, lutein, makes it one of the
best foods in the world to prevent cataracts as well as age related
macular degeneration, the leading cause of preventable blindness in the
elderly. Foods rich in lutein are also thought to help prevent cancer.
The folate present in spinach helps to lower heart disease by reducing a protein called as homocysteine that damages the arteries and also can lead to stroke if the levels of homocysteine get too high. Vitamin A and C can help prevent a lot of complications of the heart.
Vitamin K rich spinach is very important for maintaining bone health. The high calcium content 81 grams for 100 grams helps in strengthening the bones and also our teeth and so also magnesium which strengthen our bones.
Beta carotene( precursor of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and K also provide anti-inflammatory properties which prevent osteoarthritis, asthma,osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Iron in Spinach prevent anemia in menstruating women and others too. Beta carotene gives you better eyesight.
Hence to sum up,a cup of cooked spinach daily
- reduces the risk of Heart disease and stokes
- prevents Cancers of the colon and prostate
- reduces the incidence of Anemia
- promotes bone health
- prevents arthritis and other bone related diseases.
- gives us better eye sight.
- Gives us fiber in our diet.
- better skin
- and lastly better health
Eat a cup of spinach daily to live a healthy life with minimal diseases.
- Milk and its health benefits
- Good health with greens
- Peanuts and health
- Cheese and its health benefits
- Snack on pumpkin seeds
This post was written by:
Sanjana - Dietitian - who has written 311 posts on Nutrihealth – Your Daily Diet Gyaan.
A dietitian from Mangalore, India. A post graduate diploma holder in “Dietetics” and a university topper from Welcomgroup School of Hotel Administration from the prestigious Manipal University. At present working as a Dietitian for the Manipal Group of Hospitals namely KMC hospital Mangalore, India. Consultant for corporates like Infosys and others, conducting talks and presentations for various associations and local television shows.
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