What Can Happen to Your Body If You Start Eating More Spinach
If you compare a ground hamburger patty and a portion of cooked spinach of the same weight, you’ll be surprised to learn that spinach will contain almost twice as much iron as the patty. The high level of iron is not the only fact that makes spinach worthy of being called a “superfood.” It turns out that spinach can make your body healthier and stronger in many ways, from helping your skin glow to improving your digestion.
Summer is coming, and here at Bright Side, we hope our insight will inspire you to grow spinach in your garden or right in your kitchen! Here’s how your body can change if you include more spinach in your diet.
Your bones and muscles can get stronger.
Spinach is rich in many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients including iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and vitamin C. In particular, the magnesium found in spinach can support our muscles and nerves. Magnesium maintains good energy, metabolism, and improves nerve and muscle function. Additionally, spinach can help us keep our bones healthy and prevent osteoporosis. Other foods that can lower the risk of broken bones are kale, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, pumpkin, and red peppers.
Your eyesight can stay healthy and sharp for longer.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are eye-friendly elements that lower our risk of developing eye diseases and are both found in spinach. Scientists believe that people who include spinach in their diet have a lower risk of developing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (or AMD) which both are the main causes for eyesight deterioration and acquired blindness.
Your blood circulation can improve.
Spinach has high levels of potassium which makes it quite effective at fighting high blood pressure. What’s more, is eating spinach can help you improve blood circulation. But remember that eating healthy foods is not a substitute for medication. High blood pressure can be dangerous, and if you’ve had it for some time, you’d better see a doctor and undergo a medical examination.
Your hair and skin can become healthier and more beautiful.
Spinach is a good source of vitamin A which is very important for the health and beauty of our skin and hair. You’ve probably come across the word “retinol” on beauty products — this is another name for vitamin A.
This vitamin stimulates cell division and protects our cells from free radicals. A deficiency of this vitamin, on the contrary, can cause hair loss and can make our skin flaky and dry. Vitamin C, which is also found in spinach, contributes to the building of collagen which gives structure to our skin and hair.
Your digestion can improve.
Apart from being rich in vitamins and nutrients, spinach contains a lot of fiber that makes our digestion healthier and more regular. Spinach can also prevent constipation. One of the best things about spinach is that it’s good for our health, both raw and cooked. There’s a great number of tasty recipes where you can use spinach, and here just a few ideas of how you can enrich your diet with this superfood.
- Eat it fresh in your vegetable salad.
- Add spinach leaves into your smoothie.
- Make spinach sauce for your pasta.
- Cook a spinach pastry.
Spinach is a product with a lot of health benefits, but remember, it doesn’t substitute professional medical help. If you’re dealing with some serious health issues, don’t consider treating them with healthy foods exclusively — be sure to visit your doctor.
Do you like spinach? What’s your favorite dish that contains this vegetable? Share your favorite spinach recipes in the comments!