What are the benefits of eating spinach? The efficacy and nutritional value of spinach

Spinach, also known as spinach, red root vegetable, Persian grass, parrot vegetable, spinach is an annual or biennial herb in the Chenopodiaceae family. The leaves and tender stems are eaten. The main root is well developed, the fleshy root is red, and it tastes sweet and edible.

What are the benefits of eating spinach? Spinach benefits and nutritional value

1. Nutritional value of spinach

Spinach stems and leaves are soft, tender, delicious, and rich in vitamin C, carotene, protein, and minerals such as iron, calcium, and phosphorus. In addition to being eaten as fresh vegetables, it can also be dehydrated, dried and quick-frozen.

Spinach contains large amounts of beta carotene and iron, and is also an excellent source of vitamin B6, folic acid, iron and potassium. The rich iron in it can improve iron deficiency anemia and make people look rosy and radiant, so it is highly praised as a beauty product. Spinach leaves contain chromium and an insulin-like substance, which acts very similarly to insulin and can keep blood sugar stable. The rich content of B vitamins enables it to prevent the occurrence of vitamin deficiencies such as angular stomatitis and night blindness. Spinach contains a large amount of antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium, which have anti-aging and promote cell proliferation. It can not only activate brain function, but also enhance youthful vitality, help prevent brain aging and prevent Alzheimer's disease. A study by Harvard University also found that middle-aged and elderly people who eat spinach 2 to 4 times a week can reduce the risk of retinal degeneration and protect their eyesight due to their intake of vitamin A and carotene.

2. Nutritional components of spinach

Spinach is extremely rich in nutrients. Spinach leaves contain zinc 56 to 68 mg/kg (dry weight), folic acid 1.22 μg/g, amino acids, lutein, β-carotene, neo-β-carotene B, neo-β- carrot.

Spinachin U and other carotenoids also contain α-spinasterol, cholesterol, sterol esters and sterol glycosides, marigold, spinachin, and a blue-violet fluorescent substance 2-acetyl-3-p-hydroxybenzene. Acryloyl meso-tartaric acid.

3. Therapeutic effects of spinach

1. Clear the intestines and prevent hemorrhoids: Spinach contains a large amount of plant crude fiber, which can promote intestinal peristalsis, facilitate defecation, promote pancreatic secretion, and help digestion. It has a therapeutic effect on hemorrhoids, chronic pancreatitis, constipation, anal fissure and other diseases.

2 Promote growth and development and enhance disease resistance: The carotene contained in spinach is converted into vitamin A in the human body, which can maintain normal vision and the health of epithelial cells, increase the ability to prevent infectious diseases, and promote the growth and development of children.

3 Ensure nutrition and improve health: Spinach is rich in carotene, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and a certain amount of iron, vitamin E and other beneficial ingredients, which can supply the human body with a variety of nutrients; Iron anemia has a good auxiliary treatment effect.

4. Promote human metabolism: The trace elements contained in spinach can promote human metabolism and improve physical health. Eating a lot of spinach can reduce the risk of stroke.

5. Clean skin and anti-aging: Spinach extract can promote the proliferation of cultured cells, which not only resists aging but also enhances youthful vitality. Chinese people mash spinach to extract juice, wash their face several times a week, and use it continuously for a period of time to clean skin pores, reduce wrinkles and pigment spots, and keep the skin smooth.

4. The main functions of spinach

Spinach is sweet and cool in nature and enters the large intestine and stomach meridian; it has the effects of nourishing blood and stopping bleeding, benefiting the five internal organs, clearing the intestines and stomach, regulating qi, activating blood vessels, quenching thirst and moisturizing the intestines, astringing yin and moisturizing, nourishing yin and calming the liver, and aiding digestion; it is mainly used for treating High blood pressure, headache, dizziness, wind-fire red eyes, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, bruises, epistaxis, hematochezia, scurvy, and stagnant stools.

5. Applicable groups of spinach

Spinach is soft and easy to digest after cooking, and is especially suitable for the elderly, young, sick and weak. Computer workers and people who love beauty should also eat spinach regularly; diabetics (especially type II diabetics) often eat spinach to help maintain stable blood sugar; at the same time, spinach is also suitable for patients with high blood pressure, constipation, anemia, scurvy, and rough skin. Allergic; not suitable for nephritis patients and kidney stone patients. Spinach has a high oxalic acid content, so you should not eat too much at one time; in addition, people with spleen deficiency and loose stools should not eat too much.

6. Usage and dosage of spinach

1 Spinach can be fried, mixed, roasted, made into soup and used as an ingredient, such as "ginger spinach", "sesame spinach", "dried rice spinach", etc.

2 Many people like to eat spinach. Spinach contains oxalic acid, especially in round-leaf varieties, which affects the body's absorption of calcium. Therefore, when eating this kind of spinach, you should boil it first to remove the vegetable water to reduce the oxalic acid content.

3. Raw spinach should not be cooked with tofu as it may hinder digestion and affect the efficacy. Blanch it in boiling water and then cook it with tofu.

7. Things to note about spinach

The oxalic acid and calcium salts contained in spinach can combine to form calcium oxalate crystals, making the urine of patients with nephritis turbid and increasing casts and salt crystals. Therefore, patients with nephritis and kidney stones should not eat it.

8. Tips about spinach

1. Use spinach with tender leaves and small leaves, and keep the spinach root.

2. You should eat as much alkaline foods as possible, such as kelp, vegetables, fruits, etc., to promote the dissolution and excretion of calcium oxalate and prevent stones.