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Amazing Health Benefits of Spinach
- Written by : Healthpind Staff
- Reviewed by: Mónica Sayuri Ramos Imuro
Anybody who has watched the famous cartoon “Popeye – the Sailor Man” would be familiar with Spinach. It is a green, leafy vegetable full of nutrients and belongs to the same family as beetroot. You can eat Spinach raw in salads, steam and blend it as a soup, or relish it with other vegetables in a curry. Whether on its own or being a part of different vegetables, it is always delicious. It is a versatile green vegetable that you can use as you want. Spinach is source of vitamins A, K, and C, iron, magnesium, and manganese.
Spinach has so many health benefits and is certainly a superfood. Regularly having Spinach can protect you from iron deficiency anemia and promote a healthy cardiovascular system. It is full of phytonutrients that are potent antioxidants, and they can save you from oxidative stress damage and cancer-related diseases. There is every reason that you must include this leafy green in your dietary list.
Here are some of the evidence-based health benefits of Spinach
Prevention of iron deficiency anemia
In Anemia, there is a decreased count of red blood cells or a lowered quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. Anemia may occur for various reasons, iron deficiency being the leading cause, and it is more common in children and adolescent girls.
Learn about iron deficiency anemia.
Most commonly, it occurs if you cannot get sufficient iron from your food. Without enough iron, your body can not produce enough hemoglobin. It can result in symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue, and breathlessness. Iron deficiency anemia is particularly dangerous in pregnancy. Intake of Iron-rich foods such as Spinach can be an excellent option to fulfill your iron needs. A cup of cooked Spinach leaves can provide you with about 36 % of the daily recommended value of the mineral. It is a significant source if you are a vegan.
Note: Eating iron-rich vegetables with citrus fruits can enhance iron absorption in your body. Squeezing lemon juice onto a salad containing spinach leaves can help you maximize your intake of both iron and vitamin C. [1]
Spinach keeps your bones strong and healthy.
The deficit of Vitamin K in your body is associated with a high risk of bone fracture. Vitamin K aids in the development of strong bones by acting on bone matrix proteins. Also, vitamin K increases calcium absorption and reduces its loss in the urine. The vitamin is involved in bone mineralization.
Spinach, a rich source of vitamin K, can help you have strong and healthy bones.[2] Besides, Spinach also contains other minerals such as copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. All these minerals also contribute to sturdy and robust bones. Spinach can aid in delaying the development of osteoporosis in the elderly. These minerals are also vital for maintaining healthy teeth and nails.
Spinach Promotes your eyes’ health.
Spinach leaves are a rich source of Vitamin A and antioxidants. A deficiency of vitamin A may cause Xerophthalmia. It is the abnormal dryness of the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye. If prolonged, it may cause night blindness. Spinach can help you to prevent vitamin A-related night blindness.
Besides, Spinach leaves also contain antioxidants such as lutein, chlorophyll, and zeaxanthin. All these compounds can aid in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is another cause of vision loss. It is more common in elderly persons. A beta-carotene-rich diet like Spinach can lower the risk of macular degeneration by about forty percent. [3]
It keeps your heart healthy.
Heart diseases are one of the top causes of death globally, an emerging epidemic. One of the main factors in heart conditions is oxidative stress-related damage. Oxidative stress plays a role in thickening blood vessel walls and forming cholesterol plaques. The vitamins and phytochemicals in spinach act as potent antioxidants, significantly decreasing the risk of developing heart conditions by protecting your heart from oxidative stress.
Spinach contains lutein that inhibits the thickening of the blood vessels’ walls. Thickened walls have less elasticity, resulting in a high risk of heart attacks. Besides, it contains nitrite that improves circulation in blood vessels.
Protect you from certain cancers.
Spinach contains many active compounds that can protect you from various cancers. These include liver, lung, prostate, and bladder cancer.[]
These phytoactive substances act in different ways to provide a protective role in cancer patients. Scientific studies have shown that the intake of Spinach is particularly beneficial in an aggressive form of prostate cancer. This protection is due to the presence of epoxy xanthophylls, neoxanthin, and violaxanthin in Spinach. These compounds directly reduce tumor cell activity and inhibit the spread of disease in the body. [5]
It keeps your skin and hair healthy.
Vitamin C in Spinach can help you in multiple ways to have healthy skin. Besides being an antioxidant, Vitamin C supports the production of collagen. Collagen prevents aging signs in the skin, promotes wound healing, and enhances skin strength. It provides strength and structure to the skin. A review study in 2015 found that Vitamin C improved the appearance of the skin, decreasing the signs of wrinkling and roughness. Vitamin C can also reduce the various signs of aging and provide a glow to your skin. [6]
Spinach also has the right amount of vitamin A, which aids in regulating oil production in the skin pores. It helps to keep the hair and skin moisturized. A buildup of this oil in excess may result in acne. [7]
In daily life, our hairs have to bear the brunt of pollution. Besides, the lack of proper nutrients results in hair loss at an early age. It is worth mentioning that iron deficiency in the body is also one of the chief causes of hair loss. Consumption of iron-rich Spinach has a beneficial role in keeping your hair healthy. Spinach also provides vitamins A and C that aid in the growth of all body tissues, including hair. [8]
Spinach supports the development of the Fetus.
Spinach is a rich source of folate and is prescribed for pregnant women—a growing fetus needs folate for proper nervous system development in the initial months. Deficiency of folate in pregnancy may result in neural tube congenital disabilities in children. These include congenital disabilities such as cleft palate or spina bifida. [9]
An expecting mother must also consume Spinach to fulfill her daily needs for Vitamin A. Vitamin A helps in the development of lungs in the fetus.
However, you must not take spinach leaves in excess if:
- You suffer from Kidney Stones
Spinach has large amounts of oxalates. These may react with the calcium in your body and can lead to the formation of calcium oxalate stones. [10] - It may interact with Blood-Thinning Medications like Warfarin.
The vitamin K present in Spinach is a critical factor in forming blood clots. Hence, you must avoid Vitamin K-rich vegetables like Spinach if you are on blood thinners. [11]
- Pubmed
The Effects of Fruit Juices and Fruits on the Absorption of Iron From a Rice Meal - The Journal of Nutrition
Bone Composition and Histology of Young Growing Rats Fed Diets of Varied Calcium Bioavailability: Spinach, Nonfat Dry Milk, or Calcium Carbonate added to Casein - Journal of Agricultural and food chemistry Carotenoid Profiles and Consumer Sensory Evaluation of Specialty Carrots (Daucus carota, L.) of Various Colors
- ScienceDirect
Chapter 26 – Spinach and Health: Anticancer Effects - Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry
Possible Antitumor Promoters in Spinacia oleracea (Spinach) and Comparison of their Contents among Cultivars - Pubmed
Can Dietary Intake Influence Perception of and Measured Appearance? A Systematic Review - Dermatology Practical & Conceptual
Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use - Dermatology Practical & Conceptual
Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use - International Journal Of Women’s Health and Reproduction Sciences
Importance of optimal fiber consumption during pregnancy - Pubmed
Nutritional Management of Kidney Stones (Nephrolithiasis) - Utah State University
Knowledge of Coumadin Use and Vitamin K Interaction in Atrial Fibrillation Patients
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