Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), native to central Asia, is one of the most versatile leafy green vegetables. It contains vitamins and antioxidants that protect you from chronic diseases and promote brain, heart, and eye health.
You can enjoy cooked, fresh, frozen, and raw spinach. You can add spinach to smoothies, eat it in a chilled salad, steam and sauté it as a side dish, mix it in a stir fry, and even blend it into baked treats like brownies. Read on to learn about spinach's nutrition and health benefits.
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Spinach is also a source of nitrates, which are naturally occurring chemicals. Nitrates open up blood vessels, which improves blood flow and eases stress on your heart.
In a study published in 2016, a group of seven women and 11 men consumed four nitrate-rich drinks, including a spinach beverage. The researchers found that the participants' blood nitrate levels increased after consuming the drinks.
The spinach drink also lowered blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure, or the bottom number on a blood pressure reading, indicates the amount of pressure in your arteries between heartbeats. The researchers noted diastolic blood pressure remained low for five hours after consuming the spinach and rocket salad drinks.
2. Helps Protect Against Diseases
Research has found that compounds in spinach may reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is an imbalance of antioxidants and free radicals, or harmful substances that damage your cells. Some evidence suggests that oxidative stress increases the risk of several chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Those compounds also positively influence gene expression, or the "turning on" of certain genes, in inflammation and metabolism. Eating more spinach may protect against chronic diseases.
3. Is a Source of Antioxidants
Spinach provides antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and protect against diseases. Antioxidants in spinach include kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and isorhamnetin, all of which are flavonoids. Those compounds help protect you against cancer, heart disease, and inflammatory diseases.
4. Is Full of Nutrients
Spinach is full of nutrients, although it’s low in calories. A three-cup portion provides over 300% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin K. The leafy green vegetable also provides over 160% and 40% of the DVs for vitamin A and vitamin C. Vitamins K and A support strong bones, and vitamin C helps heal wounds.
Spinach contains 45% of the DV for folate, a B vitamin that helps form red blood cells and DNA. Spinach also supplies iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and small amounts of other B vitamins.
5. May Support Eye Health
Lutein, an antioxidant in spinach, may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This eye disease can blur the sharp, central vision essential for reading and driving. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss for people older than 55. Prevention is key since there’s no cure for AMD.
Research has found that lutein-rich spinach increases macular pigment optical density (MPOD). This pigment acts like internal sunglasses to protect your eyes. Decreased MPOD is a risk factor for AMD.
6. Might Lower the Risk of Cognitive Decline
The anti-inflammatory effects of spinach make it a key contender for protecting age-related cognitive decline. A study published in 2015 tracked the eating patterns and cognitive abilities of more than 900 adults aged 58–98 years for about five years. People who ate one to two servings of leafy green vegetables daily had the same cognitive abilities as those aged 7.5 years younger than them.
Nutrition of Spinach
Spinach is low in calories, and about 91% of its mass is made up of water. A one-cup portion of raw spinach has the following nutrients:
Calories: 6.9Fat: 0.117 gramsSodium: 23.7 milligrams (mg)Carbohydrates: 1.09 gFiber: 0.66 gAdded sugars: 0 gProtein: 0.858 g Risks of Spinach
Incorporating spinach into raw and cooked dishes can maximize its health benefits. Mix up how you consume spinach—some raw, some cooked—but avoid overcooking your leafy green vegetables.
Some evidence suggests that not cooking the greens preserves their lutein content. A study published in 2019 found a considerable decrease in lutein after two minutes of frying spinach at a high temperature.
It's important to consume spinach raw for maximum lutein intake. Research has found that microwaving spinach, in contrast, is the best way to preserve vitamin K. Blanching significantly reduces the vitamin C content, whereas steaming vegetables is the best way to preserve vitamin C. Cooking also diminishes vitamin E levels but increases the vitamin A content.
Tips for Consuming Spinach
Try to eat one cup (about the size of a tennis ball) of some type of spinach per day. Here are some ways to eat more spinach:
Blend spinach into anything from a fruit smoothie to pancakes to hummus, and add it to soups, vegetable chili, and tacos.Add a handful of spinach to your meals as a bed for whatever else you eat.Sauté spinach in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with sweet red bell peppers and crushed red pepper.Steam and toss the greens with jarred olive tapenade or dairy-free pesto.Toss spinach with a simple vinaigrette made by whisking together EVOO, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and dried Italian herb seasoning.Try incorporating spinach into a smoothie, combined with healthy fat like avocado or almond butter.Health Benefits of Watercress A Quick Review
Spinach is a superfood that's a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and K. Those nutrients help protect you against cognitive decline, heart disease, and eye problems. You can add spinach to nearly any dish. Give it a try and reap those vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that promote overall health.