You probably already know spinach is good for you but did you know how good? Here's the rather lengthy list of benefits!
Protects against eye disease and vision loss
Good for brain function
Guards against colon, prostate, and breasts cancers
Protects against heart disease
Protects against dementia
Lowers blood pressure
It's anti-inflammatory
Great for bone health
Packed with an array of nutrients including high amounts of vitamin K, calcium, Vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and iron
Folate found in spinach promotes vascular health by lowering homocystein (an amino acid that at high levels, raises the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease). Folate has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing colorectal, ovarian, and breast cancers and to help stop uncontrolled cell growth, one of the primary characteristics of all cancers. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach protect against colon cancer in addition to fighting inflammation, making them key components in brain health. Spinach is loaded with vitamin K which builds strong bones by helping calcium adhere to the bone. Whew!!
Fresh spinach should be a staple in your diet. Aim for a few ounces (raw or lightly cooked) everyday. I eat a lot of grilled chicken and fish so spinach is a weekly side dish for me. I found a great recipe which adds "garlic chips" (unfortunately very few of these chips survive to see the top of the spinach) as a topping to steamed spinach.
Here it is and here is another recipe where spinach has been thrown into a great shrimp and pasta dish.
There is a popular Southern cook whose recipes make my brain whirl with ingredients like heavy cream, canned soup, mayo, canned mushrooms, excessive sugar, crushed potato chips, you name it! Not to sound judgmental, but rather make the point that it's possible to create an amazingly delicious AND healthy dish. Healthy food today is not your mother's health food.
i love spinach. it can be used to replace the standard iceberg or romaine on sandwiches. i love adding it to soups. but have to say my favorite way is sauteed, not with oil, just a splash of water, topped with a little salt, red pepper flakes, and of course some garlic!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all that information, Beth. Paige, I never thought to use water. Thanks for that, too. I put baby spinach down as the first layer of my salad, every day. Now I know how good that really is for me. :)
ReplyDeleteI usually always have some in my fridge that I too put in a salad or as a side with the garlic chips - if you haven't tried the garlic chips give them a try. It requires some olive oil but it is at least the good fat!
ReplyDeleteRed pepper flakes would give it another kick so I'll be adding that. . . .