Properties of spinach for weight loss and health

Spinach is not just a vegetable; the properties of spinach for health and weight loss are countless. Some of its properties are related to its effect on skin and hair, bone health and treatment of diseases.

You will enjoy this vegetable as you eat it, cooked or raw, in food or just as a salad. This characteristic leafy vegetable is known as one of the most popular foods in the world due to its very low calories, many nutrients and minerals.

In this article, we will talk about the properties of raw and cooked spinach in detail and teach several delicious dishes with it.

Nutritional value table of raw spinach

As we said, the properties of spinach, this miraculous vegetable, are many. You can see the nutritional value of 100 grams of raw spinach in the table below.

Carbohydrates in spinach

Most of the carbohydrates in spinach are made up of fiber, which is incredibly healthy. Also, this substance contains small amounts of sugar, mostly in the form of glucose and fructose.

This vegetable is low in carbohydrates, but has a lot of insoluble fiber. This type of fiber is very useful for digestion and also prevents constipation.

Spinach vitamins and minerals

The properties of spinach are due to the minerals and vitamins in it. This food is an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including:

• Vitamin A: This vegetable is rich in carotenoids, which your body converts into vitamin A.
• Vitamin K1: which is essential for normal blood clotting. It should be noted that one spinach leaf contains more than half of your daily requirement of this vitamin.
• Folic acid: This compound, also known as folate or vitamin B9, is vital for pregnant women and is essential for normal cell function and tissue growth.
• Iron: Spinach is an excellent source of iron. Iron helps make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to your body tissues.
• Vitamin C: This vitamin is a strong antioxidant that promotes healthy skin and immune system function.
• Calcium: This mineral is essential for bone health and is an important molecule for your nervous system, heart and muscles.

This food also contains several other vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, B9, and E.

What are the benefits of spinach for health?

The benefits and properties of spinach are endless. This green color has dozens of vitamins and minerals and is a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. In this section, we introduce the most important benefits of this characteristic and nutritious vegetable so that you can use it more.

1. Beauty of skin and hair

One of the most important properties of spinach is that it contains large amounts of vitamins A and C, both of which play a major role in the health and beauty of your skin and hair.

Vitamin A is a natural moisturizer and lubricant for skin and hair that makes your hair shiny and shiny. Vitamin A also protects your skin from wrinkles and premature aging.

2. Blood pressure regulation

You can control high blood pressure by using natural remedies like spinach which is easy to prepare. Consuming this vegetable is always recommended for people with high blood pressure due to its high potassium, folic acid and magnesium content.

Since the lack of potassium in the body is one of the causes of high blood pressure, this vegetable will help you with its abundant potassium so that your blood pressure does not rise too high.

3. Bone strength

This characteristic vegetable is rich in calcium. According to research National Osteoporosis Research FoundationSpinach is a valuable source of vitamin K and calcium, which is necessary to increase the density and resistance of bones.

Also, the abundant calcium and magnesium of this vegetable is very effective for growth, strength and prevention of bone fractures.

4. Cancer prevention

A simple way to prevent cancer is to add this vegetable to your daily diet. Spinach, like other leafy vegetables (cabbage and lettuce), contains pigments called carotenoids, which are found in plants and act as antioxidants to destroy potentially dangerous free radicals.

According to research by the American Cancer Research Institute, carotenoid foods can reduce the risk of some cancers and slow down the growth of cancerous tumors.

5. Relieve constipation

Fiber is a nutrient that helps with bowel problems, such as constipation, and is found in high amounts in spinach. Since these green leaves contain large amounts of water and soluble and insoluble fiber, it helps to remove intestinal obstruction.

One cup of this vegetable, cooked, has 4.3 grams of fiber, which provides a significant amount of fiber needed by your digestive system.

Tip: If you have diarrhea, it is better not to eat it to improve your digestive system!

6. Fix anemia (iron deficiency)

Another property of spinach is to cure anemia. One cup of cooked spinach contains more than 6 milligrams of iron. This may not seem like much, but it provides 36% of your daily recommended amount of iron.

If you eat three cups of this cooked vegetable a day, you have completely eliminated iron deficiency in your body. Iron is an essential mineral for the general health of the body as well as the nerves; This is good news for vegetarians.

7. Increased eyesight

This vegetable is more useful for the health of your vision and eyes than carrots; But only carrots have become famous for the eyes. Another advantage of this special vegetable is that it contains one of the most important vitamins (lutein) for the eyes.

Research results USA Optometric Research Centershows that the antioxidants in spinach greatly reduce the risk of cataracts and retinal degeneration (which occurs as a result of increasing age). Maybe you never guessed that this substance is even more useful for your eyes than carrots; But this is a fact.

Properties of spinach for slimming and weight loss

This useful vegetable, with about 7 calories per cup, is a suitable option for people who want to lose weight. You won’t hurt by adding a few cups of this vegetable to your diet. Of course, being low in calories is one of the properties of spinach and is not the only reason that has made it a slimming aid.

The research in Journal of the American Academy of Nutritional Sciences The publication shows that this vegetable is rich in fiber and you will feel full for a long time after consuming it, and your cravings for food will be reduced to a great extent. You can use cooked spinach as a snack or even in your complete meals.

In fact, this vegetable is called a diabetic food; Just one cup of it provides 40% of your daily magnesium requirement for blood sugar regulation.

Leafy vegetables contain alpha-lipoic acid antioxidants that reduce glucose levels and increase insulin sensitivity. Its low glycemic index prevents an unexpected increase in blood sugar.

Properties of spinach for muscle building and bodybuilding

We all know the health benefits of spinach. But, new research shows that this nutrient has an excellent effect on athletic performance and muscle strength.

The main ingredient of spinach extract is Ecdysterone. It’s a phytosteroid—that is, a steroid that occurs naturally in plants and is structurally similar to cholesterol.

Studies have shown that ecdysterone “increases protein synthesis in skeletal muscles. The results also showed that participants who received ecdysterone from spinach “had a significant increase in muscle mass.”

Therefore, considering the protein in this vegetable (three grams of protein per hundred grams of spinach) and its positive effect on protein synthesis, its consumption is useful for athletes.

What are the properties of cooked spinach?

So far we have talked about the general benefits of this vegetable. Now we mention some properties of cooked spinach. When you eat this vegetable cooked, you will absorb higher levels of vitamins A and E, protein, fiber, zinc, thiamin, calcium and iron. Important carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are also more absorbable in cooked spinach.

Iron: Raw and cooked spinach are excellent sources of iron, containing twice as much iron as other leafy vegetables. A 100-gram portion of this raw vegetable contains 2.71 mg of iron, while cooked contains 3.57 mg. Keep in mind that the absorption of this mineral depends on the amount of iron in your body and other nutrients in your meals.

Tip: Look for fresh spinach that is bright green and has just been picked.

What should we eat spinach with?

This delicious and useful vegetable can be consumed in different ways and with a variety of foods. Below are several foods that can be eaten with spinach:

1. Spinach with eggs: For a quick breakfast rich in protein, spinach and eggs are perfect. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and then add a portion of fresh and washed spinach to it. Fry very little (about two minutes and quickly) and pour the beaten eggs into it.
2. salad spinach: Try fresh spinach leaves in your salad instead of lettuce or cabbage. Choose a lean protein (like hard-boiled egg whites), a handful of nuts of your choice, and some shredded cheese. Mix olive oil with fresh lemon and red vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste and add fresh spinach leaves.

3. Spinach soup or food: This vegetable adds a lot of nutrients to soup, stew or food. Try chopped fresh spinach leaves alongside vegetable soup, white bean stew, or chicken stock.
4. Spinach Shake: Make your breakfast smoothie or protein shake more delicious with this vegetable! Put the spinach in a blender and add it to your shake.

5. Pesto sauce with spinach: Pesto sauce is a unique Italian sauce made with fresh basil leaves, but you can also use spinach in it.
6. Spinach sandwich: This plant has more fiber and minerals than lettuce. So you can use a few fresh spinach leaves instead of lettuce for a turkey sandwich, barbecue or hamburger or any other sandwich!
7. Spinach pizza: Reduce the guilt of eating pizza by putting some fresh spinach leaves on a slice of pizza! This will not only fill you up faster. Rather, you’re actually increasing your vitamin and mineral intake throughout the day.

Tip: Because spinach shrinks when cooked, you can easily eat a large amount of it at each meal without taking in too many calories.

final word

Spinach has various benefits and properties for the health of the body. In this vitamin article, we have explained everything about the properties of spinach in weight loss, fitness and health. We also talked about the benefits of spinach for muscle building and exercise, and introduced several great suggestions for adding this delicious vegetable to your diet.

Source: healthline