It’s no secret that leafy greens are good for you. But if you’re not getting enough in your diet, you’re missing an important source of nutrients and fiber. Leafy greens, including spinach, are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, potassium, and magnesium, all of which are important for heart health. They also contain antioxidants that help reduce inflammation.
The average American eats about half the recommended amount of vegetables each day — not just leafy greens but all kinds of vegetables. So, if you don’t get enough leafy greens in your diet, you’re missing a key source of nutrients.
All about Spinach
Spinach is also a nutrient-dense leafy green, but there are some interesting health facts about spinach you might not know about. Let’s look at some of those.
Spinach Is Packed with Eye-Friendly Nutrients
Spinach is an excellent source of carotenoids called zeaxanthin and lutein. Research links consuming higher quantities of these nutrients with a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration, a common cause of age-related visual decline. Some research also finds that lutein and zeaxanthin may reduce the risk of cataracts. These nutrients help block the harmful effects of ultraviolet light from the sun on the retina and the lens of the eye.
A study found that older folks (ages 55-80) who eat spinach regularly have a significantly lower risk of vision loss caused by macular degeneration. While it’s still unclear why spinach has this beneficial effect, some experts believe the vegetable helps protect the retina from the damage caused by free radicals. It looks like Popeye was right about all those servings of spinach.
Lutein, in spinach, also prevents UV damage to the lenses of your eyes, which can lead to cataracts. One study found that women who had a higher dietary intake of lutein were 23% less likely to develop cataracts than those who had a low-lutein diet. So. eat your spinach! Note that you’ll absorb more lutein from spinach if you enjoy spinach with a source of fat. So, spinach sauteed in olive is a tasty and nutritious bet!
Not only does spinach have plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, but it could also be the key to preserving your vision as you age.
Spinach May Lower Blood Pressure
Beyond being rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, minerals that are key for blood pressure control, spinach contains natural nitrates, chemicals that blood vessels convert to nitric oxide. In turn, nitric oxide helps expand blood vessels so that blood vessel activity (or endothelial function) improves, and blood pressure drops. Spinach alone may not replace the need for blood pressure medications, but it has favorable effects on blood vessel function.
Spinach is a Top Plant-Based Source of Iron
Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen through the body. Iron also supports many other functions including energy metabolism, growth and development, immune function, and brain function.
Spinach is an excellent source of non-heme iron. A hundred grams of raw spinach contains 2.7 grams (mg) of iron, which is around 15 percent of the daily value for adults over 19 years old. Although spinach is an excellent source of non-heme iron, it is not absorbed as well as heme iron found in animal products. This means you need to eat more spinach to get the same amount of usable iron as you would from meat or dairy products.
Spinach May Help With Muscle Building
Could spinach help you build muscle too? One study found that nitrate-rich vegetables, like spinach, can boost muscle growth even in the absence of physical activity. Of course, you’d have to eat a lot of spinach to get these benefits. The greatest benefits would come from taking spinach extract as a supplement. Still, adding spinach to your diet could help you get modestly more benefits out of your strength-training workouts.
Spinach Contains Oxalates and May Affect Blood Clotting
Spinach contains oxalates, which can bind to calcium and iron and make it less available to your body. If you have a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones, the most common type, avoid eating raw spinach. However, boiling spinach will modestly reduce its oxalate content.
Spinach also contains goitrogens (substances that interfere with thyroid function), so people with hypothyroidism should avoid eating too much of this green, leafy veggie. The vitamin K in spinach can affect how your blood clots. If you’re taking a blood thinner, your doctor may recommend limiting the amount of spinach in your diet.
Ways to Add More Spinach to Your Diet
You can eat spinach raw or cooked, but raw spinach contains more oxalates and you may not absorb some nutrients as well from raw spinach, as cooking helps release some nutrients from its cell wall. However, raw spinach retains more vitamin C.
Here are some ways to enjoy spinach raw:
- Whip up a green smoothie with spinach and fruit, like blueberries and bananas.
- Use it as a salad base.
- Blend it into soups, sauces, and dips.
- Make raw spinach pesto.
- Add spinach leaves to sandwiches and wraps.
- Sprinkle it on top of pizza or pasta
Ways to enjoy spinach cooked:
- Stir-fry it with other vegetables such as carrots, red bell peppers, and mushrooms.
- Steam or sauté it until tender and then mix it into scrambled eggs or omelets for breakfast.
- Sauteed spinach is a delicious side dish.
- Add spinach to pasta dishes
Conclusion
Spinach is a healthy food that is easy to enjoy as part of a healthy, whole-food diet. It’s rich in nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and incredibly versatile food. You can enjoy it raw in everything from smoothies to salads to soups. Enjoy this healthy leafy green!
References:
- World’s Healthiest Foods website “Spinach”
- “Spinach 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits.” 14 May. 2019, healthline.com/nutrition/foods/spinach.
- Lutein and zeaxanthin in the diet and serum and their relation to age-related maculopathy, American Journal of Epidemiology. March 2001.
- “Popeye was right: Spinach really does make your muscles stronger.” 24 Mar. 2021, studyfinds.org/spinach-make-muscles-stronger/.
- Chang CH, Wang YW, Yeh Liu PY, Kao Yang YH. A practical approach to minimize the interaction of dietary vitamin K with warfarin. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2014 Feb;39(1):56-60. doi: 10.1111/jcpt.12104. Epub 2013 Oct 28. PMID: 24383939.
- “LUTEIN – Uses, Side Effects, and More – WebMD.” https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-754/lutein.
- “Lutein for Eyes: Benefits for Vision and Eye Health.” 17 Nov. 2020, https://www.healthline.com/health/lutein-for-eyes.
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