The spinach,scientifically known as spinach , is a herbaceous plant from Persia part of the family Chenopodiaceae , which include amaranth , beetroot and quinoa .spinach is rich in iron,excellent properties, source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant molecules.It is useful in preventing various diseases like ocular, hypertension and tumors.
Nutritional values
Spinach is one of the most nutritious vegetables available, rich in minerals and vitamins . This, combined with the fact that it is low in calories, low in saturated fats and cholesterol, makes it an ideal side dish for many dishes. Spinach is particularly rich in vitamins K and A: 100 g of spinach provide 188% of the daily requirement of vitamin A.
100 g serving:
23 kcal, 2.9 g of protein, 0.4 g of fat, 3.6 g of carbohydrates, 2.2 g of fiber.
Health Benefits OF Spinach
All these nutritional values contained in spinach bring with them a whole series of benefits for our health. Let’s see which ones:
- They are good for the heart and blood pressure
- They protect eyesight thanks to lutein
- They have purifying properties and allow a correct functioning of the intestine thanks to the high content of water and fibers
- They are low in calories : 100g of product contain only 23 calories
- They are absolutely cholesterol-free
- They improve reflexes thanks to tyrosine, an amino acid that allows the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine
- They are recommended for lowering blood pressure in case of hypertension, thanks to the high potassium content
- They have numerous antioxidant properties thanks to vitamin B
- They improve the structure of the skin thanks to vitamin C.
Use of Spinach
The spinach are most often recommended to eat raw, since cooking these are losing large amounts of Vitamin C . For this reason, we recommend steaming them and then seasoning them with a few drops of lemon, to restore, albeit in part, some vitamin C.
Spinach, as already mentioned, has been widely used in the culinary field , both as a first course, as a second course and as a side dish. Among the best-known recipes we mention the ravioli with ricotta and spinach, the spatzle with spinach, used as a natural coloring in sugar paste, as a stuffing for roasts or as a side dish.
Contraindications
The only contraindications for spinach are due to the presence of oxalates , as they are dangerous if there are:
- Rheumatic forms,
- Renal lithiasis,
- Osteoporosis,
- Period of recovery from a bone fracture (oxalates slow down the absorption of calcium).
