Spinach Nutrition Facts

Spinach Nutrition Facts
Spinach is a leafy green vegetable belonging to the Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae family. There are several types of spinach including savoy, baby spinach, smooth-leaf, and semi-savoy among others. It is believed that spinach originated in Iran (then Persia), and was brought to China in the 600s. It only reached Europe in the 11th century. Its popularity grew from there and today it is the most nutrient-dense vegetable, when compared calorie-for-calorie, than any other vegetable. Spinach contains many health benefits to those who consume it on a regular basis, including maintaining bone health, and serving as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer food source.
Interesting Spinach Nutrition Facts:
Spinach is very low in calories, and is a good source of dietary fiber, which is helpful for those trying to lose weight and for those trying to lower cholesterol.
Only 100g of fresh spinach contains 1/4 of the recommended daily intake of iron. Iron is required for red blood cell production.
Only 100g of fresh spinach contain 47% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant and helps protect the body from infections and oxygen free radicals.
Spinach contains important minerals such as manganese, magnesium, potassium, zinc and copper. Potassium is essential for heart health as it helps to control heart rate and blood pressure. Copper is essential for producing red blood cells.
Spinach contains high levels of vitamins C and A, which are antioxidants. Other antioxidants in spinach include lutein, beta-carotene and zeaxanthin which help to protect against various diseases.
The vitamin A in spinach helps to maintain mucus membranes, and is essential for eye sight. Vitamin A and flavonoids in vegetables and fruit are believed to help protect the body against lung and mouth cancers.
Spinach is high in folate which is required to help prevent neural tube defects in babies. Folate is recommended for pregnant women, and especially for those who are trying to become pregnant as these defects occur early on in pregnancy.
The glycoglycerolipids in spinach have been shown to protect the digestive tract's lining from damage, especially damage caused by inflammation.
In studies of various vegetables, spinach is the only one to show significant protection against aggressive prostate cancer.
Spinach contains more than 12 flavonoid compounds, which are important anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents in the body. Spinach extracts have shown to slow down cancer cell division in the stomach, as well as reducing skin cancers.
Consuming spinach has been shown to reduce excessive inflammation in the body, which is a risk factor for many cancers.
The flavonoids and carotenoids in spinach help to reduce health problem risks that are related to oxidative stress.
Consuming spinach regularly helps to decrease the risk of many blood vessel issues including high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
The high content of vitamin K found in spinach is helpful for maintaining bone health, preventing the development of osteoporosis and other bone degenerative diseases. One cup of cooked spinach contains 987.2% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K.
Spinach is very low on the glycemic index and will not cause issues with blood sugar.


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