Spinach: benefits and properties. Popeye's food

With this busy life we have, spinach has undoubtedly become one of those vegetables that we can prepare at any time and place in a real blink of an eye. In fact, it is one of the food that is most in the frozen state in any supermarket in the world.

Likewise, the 'spinacia oleracea ' It is usually cultivated in all regions of the world and another of the advantages offered is that it can be eaten without problems during any time of the year, whether fresh, cooked or fried.

It is estimated that the first spinach crops were in Persia, hence its name from the beginning was 'Esfenaj'. Century later, the Arabs who settled in the Iberian Peninsula brought the spinach crops until in the middle of the 15th century The consumption of this vegetable expanded throughout Europe.

What are the nutritional values of spinach?

Surely many of you have been the most surprised after reading some curiosities of spinach. Do you want to know more about this family plant of the amarantáceas? Well, pay close attention because then we are going to talk about your most important nutritional values:

An inexhaustible source of vitamins C, E and K

It has been shown that spinach contains Vitamin E, a natural nutrient that acts as a potent antioxidant throughout our body. As well favors the blockade of free radicals, an enzyme of the most toxic that is usually very present after consuming cigarettes or drinking huge amounts of alcohol.

On the other hand, Vitamin K is most beneficial to prevent blood clotting and in fact many newborns receive a dose of this vitamin during the first months of life.

Very rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium

As with any fruit or vegetable, spinach is also an inexhaustible source of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. All these elements are fundamental to strengthen our body and ultimately enjoy a better quality of life.

For example, calcium also strengthens our entire bone system and prevents it from occurring injuries in any of our extremities. For its part, iron is essential for production of hemoglobin and the Magnesium promotes cell regeneration.

It is composed of water almost 90% and enzymes Q-10

It should be noted that spinach is also composed entirely of water. We do not need to tell you that H20 is essential to keep our entire body hydrated while at the same time preventing fluid retention. For this reason, it is a vegetable to be taken into account for all those people who want to lose weight.

Lastly, spinach is also very rich in Q-10, a natural enzyme that is able to treat fatigue and give us a shot of extra energy to face the day with well-charged batteries.

Spinach Nutrition Information

100 grams of spinach provide:

27 calories.
Carbohydrates: 1 gram.
Proteins: 2 grams.
Fat: 0 grams.
Fiber: 2 grams.
Vitamins: A, C, E, B6 and folic acid.
Minerals: iron, calcium and magnesium.

Main benefits of spinach for our health

As we have already described with great detail the nutritional values that we can find in spinach, we are going to close this article from NatureVia to talk to you of other benefits that this vegetable brings to our health. And among all of them, the following stand out:

Improve our vision Spinach promotes the production of what is known as 'rhodopsin', an element that accumulates in the rods of the retina and that promotes the production of receptor cells throughout our entire eye. This will mean that in the long run we can enjoy a better long-term vision.
Very beneficial for intestinal transit. These vegetables are also the richest in fiber, a natural component very present in the kiwis and pears and that will help us enjoy better intestinal health. And for that reason it is of the most beneficial thing to avoid diarrhea and constipation.
They increase muscle strength and endurance. You can also find all kinds of nitrates in spinach that help considerably strengthen our muscles. Hence, it is a food to be taken into account if we are very regular to do sports on a daily basis.

How much spinach is safe to eat? And in babies and children?

As you surely know, some time ago the Spanish Ministry of Health warned about the consumption of spinach (especially in large quantities and especially in certain population groups), due to its high content of mercury and cadmium.

For this reason, its use was not advised in young children or in pregnant or lactating women.

Thus, AECOSAN itself (Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition), taking into account the conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), about the presence of nitrates in vegetables, has made the following recommendations:

Babies:Do not include spinach, chard or borage in baby purées before the first year of life. And if they are included, their spinach or chard content should not be greater than 20% of the total content of the purée.
Children from 1 to 3 years old:Do not consume more than one serving of spinach and / or Swiss chard to children of these ages.
Other useful tips:It is not advisable to give spinach and chard to children who have gastrointestinal bacterial infections, in addition to always keeping them in the refrigerator if they are going to be consumed on the same day, or freezing them if they are going to be consumed later.

However, it is possible to consume it moderately in young people and in adulthood, but as long as we do not abuse it. Only in this way can we enjoy the diverse properties of spinach. This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist. ThemesFoods