Did you know that the origins of spinach in modern western cuisine come from Spain?
The Spanish took this charming dark green vegetable on from the Moors to whom it came
from Persia.
It also appeared in Ancient China as early as the 7th century.
All of this to say one thing.
Humans have been eating spinach for its benefits for a long time.
Hi viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
Today, the word superfood is often used to describe spinach, and for a good number of
reasons.
It is packed with nutrients and versatile in the kitchen.
Whether you like it or not, it is surely one veggie that you must include in your daily
diet.
And in today’s video, we will tell you what will happen to your body, if you eat spinach
everyday.
From lowering blood pressure, stronger bones, better brain health, increased immunity to
better digestion and more, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
Blood Sugar Control: Controlling blood glucose levels is essential to diabetes management.
But it is also essential to the prevention of all types of diabetes.
Spinach can help manage blood sugar levels because it contains relatively high levels
of alpha-lipoic acid, compared to other natural sources.
This acid is used in the treatment of many neurological disorders and injuries.
A study found that it affected symptoms of diabetes as well.
It helps ease symptoms such as numbness of feet and hands, including tingling, itching,
and weakness in the extremities.
What are your absolute favourite sugar laden foods that you find most difficult to quit?
Tell us down below in the comments section!
Improves Eye Health: Spinach contains high amounts of the plant compound lutein.
This is crucial for eye health and is best absorbed from cooked spinach.
This antioxidant is one of the carotenoids that give the plant its color.
It is also a crucial part of the structure of your eye, helping shield it from damage
caused by sun exposure.
Your body does not synthesize lutein on its own, so including it in your nutrition is
the only way to get it in your system.
It also helps shield the eyes from light damage, including ultraviolet light.
Another eye health booster can be found in raw spinach is beta-carotene.
A report analyzed the best nutrients for aging eye health and age-related eye disease prevention.
And many of them turned out to be the same nutrients found in spinach.
Better Circulation: The water content in spinach keeps the viscosity of blood under check and
helps it flow better.
Iron is what you need to keep your haemoglobin levels up.
If that’s under control, your blood will be well oxygenated.
Plus, iron will also help in the regeneration of new red blood cells.
And spinach is packed with iron.
It also has a high amount of nitrates which are known to control the pressure of the blood
in your body.
Due to this, your heart gets an apt amount of blood to pump and circulate.
Prevents Cancer: Spinach contains over a dozen different flavonoid compounds that have anti-inflammatory
properties and anti-cancer causing components.
Its extract has been used to successfully slow division of human stomach cancer cells
and reduces the risk of skin cancers.
Inflammation is a factor in all diseases, so spinach’s anti-inflammatory properties
are a win across the board.
It is also observed that eating spinach provides a shield against the occurrence of prostate,
mouth and stomach cancer as it removes the free radicals from your body.
Free radicals can make your body more likely to get affected with cancer.
Stronger Bones: One of the ways calcium retention can be improved is by increasing the amount
of vitamin K you eat.
This is because it binds calcium to your bones.
A cup of cooked spinach contains almost 10 times the needed daily amount, which makes
it one of the best sources of vitamin K out there.
It also helps your body rebuild bones and heal fractures.
It works with vitamin D to improve bone density.
Even the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends spinach for its vitamin K and potassium
levels in its nutritional guidelines.
Alongside bones, the same nutrients help you maintain healthy teeth and nails.
Keeps you energized: Spinach provides you with the required levels of magnesium in your
body which helps you to generate energy for your day to day chores.
It is also a great source of folate, a nutrient that helps your body turn food into usable
energy.
Moreover, making your body more alkalised can help you keep energised through the day.
And spinach is one veggie that is alkaline in nature.
Stabilizes Blood Pressure: Spinach is a source of naturally occurring nitrates.
These are compounds that open up blood vessels to improve blood flow and ease the workload
on your heart.
In a study, researchers found that blood nitrate levels of participants increased after downing
a spinach drink.
It also lowered blood pressure for a good five hours.
Aids weight loss: Spinach is low in carbs but high in soluble fibre.
This can help you lose weight and improve health in various ways, including better blood
sugar control.
3 ounces of spinach can give you 2.2 grams of fibre, which helps in controlling hunger
pangs and prevents you from overeating.
Its high fibre content also benefits your digestion, preventing constipation.
So, incorporating this nutritious vegetable into your diet may be a great way to curb
your appetite, boost your digestion and lose weight.
Boosts Brain Health: Eating spinach is beneficial for your brain health because it is packed
with antioxidants like vitamin A, lutein, and carotene.
These compounds can delay aging-related brain damage and help maintain cognitive functions.
There's also evidence of anti-stress effects of spinach in reducing depression and structural
and functional damage to the brain.
In a study, scientists observed a significant decrease in the rate of cognitive decline
in participants who ate a daily average of one serving of leafy green vegetables like
spinach.
Reduces Anemia Risk: Anemia is a condition in which your body fails to produce enough
red blood cells to function properly.
The most common cause of this condition is iron deficiency.
Spinach contains high concentrations of iron, which can not only reduce the risk of developing
anemia, but also help manage it.
Children, pregnant women, and women who are menstruating are at a higher risk of developing
iron-deficiency anemia.
So, an iron-rich diet is often recommended for people who fall within these categories.
Increased Immunity: When trying to increase your hemoglobin levels through iron, it is
important to take vitamin C alongside it as it increases absorption.
Good thing that one of the top natural sources of vitamin C is leafy greens, like spinach.
Besides aiding in iron absorption, vitamin C helps improve skin quality and supports
the immune system.
Lack of vitamin C, known as scurvy, is also characterized by fragile skin alongside many
other unpleasant symptoms.
For maximum vitamin C absorption make sure to eat spinach raw since it is one of those
compounds that are better absorbed that way.
Don’t worry though.
A cup of cooked spinach still contains 24% of your needed daily intake.
By far the best way to cook spinach is simply by steaming it because this method shows the
smallest loss of vitamin C compared to the others.
Apart from eating spinach, there are other easy home remedies that can help boost your
immunity.
To know what we are talking about, watch this video titled “6 Easy Home Remedies For A
Stronger Immune System”
Now back to what eating spinach everyday can do to your body.
Healthier Heart: One big benefit of spinach is that it's high in omega-3 fatty acids.
These fats are known as essential fats.
Our bodies cannot make them, so we must receive them from food.
Omega-3 fat consumption has been linked to preventing lupus, eczema, rheumatoid arthritis,
stroke and cancer.
But the strongest evidence to date has to do with heart disease.
This compound has been shown to help the heart beat at a steady, regular rhythm.
This is very important as erratic heartbeats are the leading cause of cardiac deaths in
America.
They also lower blood pressure and improve blood vessel function, two other factors that
play a major role in heart disease.
Beautiful Hair And Skin: The vitamin A present in spinach is an important facilitator of
sebum production.
Sebum is a secretion that keeps the hair and skin moisturized.
Vitamin A is also essential for the growth of different body tissues, including those
of skin and hair.
The Vitamin C present in spinach helps in production of collagen.
Collagen provides texture to skin and hair in the body.
Regularly eating spinach helps in keeping your skin and hair healthy and soft.
Better Digestion: The vitamin C present in spinach works wonders when it comes to improvement
of gastro-intestinal health.
Vitamin C along with the beta carotenes, protect the cells of the inner lining of the colon
from the harmful effects of free radicals and even some harmful bacteria.
Spinach also prevents any mutations in the colon cells that can lead to colon damages
and even cancer.
May Help Treat Asthma: Oxidative stress plays a role in asthma.
Spinach contains vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that can combat oxidative stress.
This may aid asthma treatment.
It also contains a compound called lutein that is also helpful in treating asthma.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that eating spinach may also keep one from developing this respiratory
problem.
However, spinach or other foods are not a definitive cure for asthma.
While eating spinach everyday is a good idea, depending on just this vegetable is not a
good idea.
You need other healthy foods in your diet as well.
Know more about them by:
Learning about the Most Nutrient Dense Foods On The Planet
Or
Finding out the Healthiest High-Fiber Foods You Should Be Eating
These 2 videos will definitely help you choose healthy foods that you should eat everyday.
What’s your favourite way to add spinach to your diet?
Let us know in the comments section below!