14 Health Benefits of Spinach
Spinach is a vegetable that possesses a remarkable nutritional value. No wonder, the cartoon character “Popeye” becomes exceptionally strong after consuming spinach.
However, the health benefits of spinach are real and not mere fictions like Popeye. Spinach has packs of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Hence, it has several health advantages such as the following:
Health Benefits of Spinach
#1 Promotes regular bowel emptying – Spinach is rich in fiber. It enhances good bowel movement and inhibits bowel disorders like constipation, diverticulitis, colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases.
#2 Improves blood circulation and prevents cardiac arrest
Potassium is abundant in spinach. This mineral triggers the heart to contract and pump blood throughout the body. It triggers the heart to contract. Therefore, insufficient amount or absence of potassium in the body can lead to cardiac arrest, a condition by which the heart stops beating.
#3 Generates musculoskeletal movement
Like the heart, all the muscles around the body need potassium to produce movement. Inadequate potassium level in the circulation or hypokalemia can result to hypokalemic paralysis or impairment of motor function.
#4 Improves blood circulation and prevents cardiac arrest
Potassium is abundant in spinach. This mineral triggers the heart to contract and pump blood throughout the body. It triggers the heart to contract. Therefore, insufficient amount or absence of potassium in the body can lead to cardiac arrest, a condition by which the heart stops beating.
#5 Generates musculoskeletal movement
Like the heart, all the muscles around the body need potassium to produce movement. Inadequate potassium level in the circulation or hypokalemia can result to hypokalemic paralysis or impairment of motor function.
#6 Improves blood circulation and prevents cardiac arrest
Potassium is abundant in spinach. This mineral triggers the heart to contract and pump blood throughout the body. It triggers the heart to contract. Therefore, insufficient amount or absence of potassium in the body can lead to cardiac arrest, a condition by which the heart stops beating.
#7 Generates musculoskeletal movement
Like the heart, all the muscles around the body need potassium to produce movement. Inadequate potassium level in the circulation or hypokalemia can result to hypokalemic paralysis. By definition, paralysis meant impairment of motor function. On the other hand, not all cases of hypokalemia totally lose motor function but some affected individuals feel body weakness. The manifestation depends on the severity of low potassium level. This highlights the significance of spinach as source of potassium.
#8 Stabilizes blood pressure
Potassium is inversely proportional to sodium. Abnormally high sodium level in the body inflates the blood pressure. This indicates that consuming spinach can aid in decreasing the sodium level because it is rich in potassium. And, increasing the amount of potassium in the circulation will promote elimination of sodium. Consequently, the high blood pressure caused by excessive sodium in the body will be corrected as well.
Certain protein component of spinach also inhibits the conversion of the peptide Angiotensin I into Angiotensin II, which is capable of making the blood vessels to constrict. When the blood vessels are narrower or constricted, blood pressure elevates accordingly. Since spinach blocks the cause of vasoconstriction, blood pressure will most likely remain normal. Aside from this, it has lutein that inhibits deposition of fats in the blood vessels. This decreases the risk of developing atherosclerotic blood vessels, which is a predisposing factor to hypertension.
#9 Keeps eyes and skin healthy
Vitamin A is another essential nutrient found in spinach. Basically, this vitamin is known for its ability to promote good eyesight. In the form of retinoic acid, vitamin A limits the production of sebum. This prevents bacterial skin infection like acne. Besides, sebum provides nourishment to microbes. Furthermore, lutein and xanthene are carotenoids related to vitamin A that are also present in spinach. Adequate amount of these carotenoids in the body prevents cataract and Age-related Macula Degeneration (AMG).
#10 Prevents episodes of bleeding easily and strengthens the bones
Its vitamin K and Calcium content also contribute to the health benefits of spinach in the body. The vitamin is important for the production of clotting factors and prevention of bleeding easily. Similarly, vitamin K works closely with other minerals (i.e. phosphorus, copper, zinc, manganese and magnesium) to keep the bone healthy. It keeps Calcium within the bone matrix. Being a source of Calcium, spinach avoids bone disorders like osteoporosis from developing.
#11 Reduces risk for inborn defects and age-related neurological disorders
– Furthermore, spinach contains folate. This nutrient is essential for proper fetal development in the uterus. Most mothers who have deficiencies in folate are risk of delivering babies with congenital defects. Generally, these defects affect the neuro development of the fetus. Some children born from mothers with folate deficiency suffer from mental retardation while others have motor function problems. This is the reason why pregnant women are encouraged to increase intake of foods high in folate like spinach. Eating spinach also avoids age-related neurological disorders such as dementia, depression and alike. Likewise, spinach contains B complex. This makes this vegetable an ideal food to enhance nerve functions.
#12 Fights cancer and premature aging
It has anti-cancer agents called flavonoids. These compounds counteract the activities of free-radicals, which cause cancer. In some clinical trials, the subjects who were regularly consuming spinach have lower risk of developing any malignant disease compared to those who rarely eat spinach.
Free-radicals are also responsible for early aging. They attack and damage various cells that cause the development of premature aging signs and symptoms like wrinkles or dark spots on the skin and memory deterioration. Since spinach fight free-radicals, it can also help in avoiding early aging.
#13 Uplifts defense against infection
The health benefits of spinach also include immunity boost. Vitamins A, C, E and B complex make spinach a perfect means of invigorating the defense system of the body against infection and other diseases. They keep the first line of defense that includes the skin, mucous membrane and other integumentary supportive structures healthy. These vitamins help keep the immune system cells alert and responsive to pathogenic invasion as well.
#14 Weight-friendly (low in calorie)
Weight loss is another advantage of spinach intake. Aside from the various nutrients that it contains, this green vegetable is low in caloric content. There is no need to worry even if someone fills in his stomach with spinach like Popeye because this vegetable doesn’t have fatty contents.
All these truly make this vegetable a wonder food. The concept about Popeye and the effect of his habitual consumption of spinach seem to have factual basis.
