Spinach is a great nutrient-dense superfood for your health. It is high in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients but low in calories. Thus, it is excellent for people who want to lose weight or want to follow a vegan diet. Spinach can be consumed in the form of salad or curry but it best consumed in the form of juice or smoothie since it gets absorbed very well that way. Here are the top health benefits of juicing spinach:
HEALTHY HEART
Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and considered as heart friendly food. The mineral is highly beneficial for heart functioning and development. The antioxidant in the form of vitamin A and C helps to melt cholesterol thereby helpful in preventing of cardiovascular diseases.
MACRONUTRIENTS
A single 1-cup serving of fresh spinach juice has only 28 calories. With less than 1 gram of fat for the same size serving, this makes spinach juice a low-calorie, low -fat drink that is rich in a number of nutrients and this makes it an ideal drink for those who are health and weight conscious. The same size serving of fresh, blended spinach juice also contains almost 3.5 grams of protein and only half a gram of sugar.
HELPS IN LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE
Being high in potassium and low in sodium, spinach helps lower high blood pressure. Plus, antioxidants and special peptides found in spinach are beneficial in this regard. So, include more spinach in your regular diet. In addition, you can make a nutritious juice by juicing together five handfuls of fresh spinach, one Brussels sprout, one cucumber, two oranges and one-quarter of a pineapple.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Spinach has anti-inflammatory properties that can be attributed to its flavonoids and carotenoids. In addition, spinach is a good plant source of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) that has been found to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory activity.
RICH SOURCE OF MANGANESE
Spinach juice also contains essential minerals, providing a rich source of manganese. Consuming enough manganese helps protect your cells from damage. The mineral helps neutralize oxidative stress in your cells, preventing toxic compounds from damaging your DNA and cell membranes. Manganese also helps your body break down carbohydrates and proteins from your diet and aids in cartilage and bone growth.
VISION PROBLEMS
Spinach juice is rich in Vitamin A. Therefore, it can fight a wide range of vision problems, such as cataracts, night blindness and more. It can also improve your overall eyesight.
ANTI-CANCER
Due to the amount of vitamins, minerals, and these phytonutrients it should be no surprise that spinach juice has been found to have anti cancer properties. Some studies have shown that spinach not only helps to prevent many different kinds of cancer, it also possibly cures some forms of cancer.
BONE HEALTH
Spinach is a good source of vitamin K, which helps retain calcium in the bone matrix and promotes bone mineralization. It promotes the synthesis of osteocalcin, which is essential for maintaining bone strength and density and prevents excessive activation of osteoclasts that break down bones.
NOTE:
- When incorporating spinach in your diet, make sure to wash the leaves thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticide residue. Plus, opt for organic spinach as it is more nutritious and contains fewer pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals.
- On the downside, although this superfood is great for your health, those suffering from kidney, gout or gallbladder problems may want to be careful about eating spinach as it contains oxalates and purines.