Why Spinach Is A Superfood?
When dishes contain spinach, they are often referred to as “Florentine style”. This expression is traced back to Caterina de ‘Medici, who loved spinach above all else and is considered the mother of French culinary art. When the native Florentine married the French King Henry II in 1547, during the Renaissance era, she brought her cooks with her, who could prepare the spinach in a wide variety of ways. She even decreed that spinach should be served with every meal.
The spinach as a medicinal plant
Spinach was once not only valued as a food, but — like almost all vegetables — also as a medicinal plant, and used for digestive disorders. Researchers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln took a close look at spinach in 2016 and found that its diverse nutritional composition makes it a very healthful vegetable.
More than 100 proven ingredients such as vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals work together harmoniously, developing an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power and counteracting ailments such as hypoglycaemia, obesity, disorders of lipid metabolism, depression and cancer. Mexican researchers came to the same conclusion in 2019, citing spinach as one of the best foods.
The nutritional value of spinach
Spinach consists of 91.8 percent water and hardly contains any fat. The sugar content of 0.5 g per 100 g of fresh spinach is in the lower range even compared to other vegetables.
· Water: 91.8 gm
· Dietary fiber: 2.6 gm (645 mg water-soluble and 1,935 mg water-insoluble)
· Protein: 2.5 gm
· Carbohydrates 0.6: gm (of which 0.5 g sugar: 0.13 g glucose and 0.11 g fructose)
· Fat 0.3 gm
The calories of spinach
Like any other vegetable, spinach is very low in calories. There are no more than 17 kcal per 100 grams of spinach.
The vitamins in spinach
In terms of vitamin content, spinach has a lot to offer. In particular, the leafy vegetables are a fantastic source of beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin B2.
The minerals in spinach
The mineral content of spinach is high. Whether iron, magnesium or potassium: spinach can make a significant contribution to meeting your daily needs.
Health benefits of spinach
Spinach promotes muscle building
As early as the 1990s, scientists showed that nitrates found in spinach and other leafy green vegetables can be very beneficial because they nourish the mitochondria in muscle cells. Mitochondria are the cells’ power plants. They produce the energy required for this cell in each individual cell.
Since all of our body functions can only run to the extent that energy is available to them, poorly functioning mitochondria can paralyze or slow down body functions, which is not exactly beneficial for our well-being. Powerful mitochondria, on the other hand, ensure that body processes run smoothly. They regulate blood pressure, the immune system, cell metabolism and much more.
The glycemic load of spinach is very low
Vegetables almost always have a low glycemic load (GL). However, leafy vegetables are very low on the GL scale. Spinach is settled at 0.01, similar to Swiss chard (0.1). Root vegetables such as carrots, on the other hand, have a GL of 2.7.
While the GL of 100 grams of spinach is 0.01, roughly the same amount of raw carrots is 2.7. If the GL is below 10, it is classified as low.
Because it takes the digestive system longer to process foods with low GL, the rise in blood sugar is slower and the feeling of fullness sets in earlier. For this reason, spinach is an ideal diet for people who are overweight and for type 2 diabetics.
Spinach against obesity
Since one often not only wants to gain muscle, but also want to lose excess weight or fat at the same time, it is worthwhile to eat spinach in several ways. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden found in a study published in September 2014 that spinach can reduce hunger pangs on the one hand and help with weight loss on the other.
In addition to a diet, the almost 40 test subjects were given either spinach or a placebo every day. After three months, the spinach group had lost an average of 1.5 kilograms more than the placebo group. In addition, the cholesterol level had decreased in the spinach group. Tackling obesity can also reduce the risk of associated diseases.
Spinach prevents diabetes
It is no longer a secret that the consumption of vegetables has a preventive effect on type 2 diabetes. Scientists from the University of Leicester have carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine which vegetables and fruits are best suited for this.
They came to the conclusion that green leafy vegetables like spinach have a special place in diabetes prevention. It was found that people who ate an average of 100 g of green leafy vegetables per day were 14 percent less likely to develop diabetes. Such an effect could not be proven with regard to other vegetables and fruits. However, there are studies that have shown that the risk of diabetes can be reduced by 18 percent through regular consumption of pears and apples.
The researchers said there are several mechanisms that may explain the benefits of leafy green vegetables in preventing diabetes. It contains high levels of antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and polyphenols and is a good source of magnesium, which reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Spinach strengthens cardiovascular system
According to the aforementioned study at the Karolinska Institutet, Nitric oxide could also play an important role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. “The mitochondria play a key role in cell metabolism,” said the researchers. Yes, improving mitochondrial function is very likely to have many beneficial effects on the body and could explain a large part of the health benefits of vegetables.
In addition to improving cell health and increasing muscle growth, nitric oxide can also be helpful in treating conditions such as diabetes and heart conditions that can be a result of mitochondrial dysfunction. Since nitric oxide also lowers blood pressure, it is able to prevent the onset of diabetes in healthy people and to relieve the heart.
In addition, nitric oxide is a very effective anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and blood vessel dilating substance. This means that strokes, heart attacks and thromboses lack an important basis in the presence of nitric oxide.
Researchers from the University of Western Australia conducted a study involving 30 subjects who were given apples and spinach to eat. It was investigated how this affects the function of the endothelium (cell layer that lines all vessels of the cardiovascular system) and blood pressure. Scientists said nitrates in spinach and flavonoids in apples increase gastric nitric oxide production, lower pulse and systolic blood pressure, and improve endothelial function, which ultimately benefits cardiovascular health.
The participants’ blood pressure decreased and the functions of their blood vessels improved. The nitrates are said to be responsible for this positive effect of the spinach; in apples it is the flavonoids, among other things, that have such beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system.
Spinach promotes mental health
According to researchers from Mahidol University in Bangkok, eating a healthy diet is incredibly important for the brain. Foods rich in antioxidants, such as certain vitamins and phytochemicals, help suppress the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease. Particular importance is attached to spinach.
A study with more than 200 women showed that a diet high in folic acid and vitamin B6, contained in spinach and other dark leafy vegetables, can help improve mental abilities and short-term memory.
Antioxidants have also been found to be effective in reducing harmful effects on the brain associated with age and behavior. The scientists assume that the combination of phenolic compounds such as kaempferol and quercetin in spinach are effective in Alzheimer’s disease.
Because these substances protect against senile plaques. These are deposits of beta amyloid that accumulate in the brain and disrupt communication in and between nerve cells, causing them to die. The researchers said in 2016 that spinach could be THE Alzheimer’s plant.
What to watch out for with pre-washed, packaged spinach
Shrink-wrapped spinach should not be stored in the refrigerator for longer than 1 day.
You can tell that the spinach is no longer suitable for consumption by a bloated packaging or a smell reminiscent of sour milk.
Wash the spinach very thoroughly under running water just before consumption.
Why organic spinach is better
It is advisable to buy fresh and unpackaged organic spinach. Because, according to the 2018 eco-monitoring — published by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Rural Areas and Consumer Protection — organic vegetables are generally hardly contaminated with pesticides.
While conventionally grown vegetables contained an average of 0.5 mg pesticides per kilogram of vegetables, the organic samples examined contained an average of only 0.008 mg. However, these minimal residues are not due to the application of pesticides, which are known to be prohibited in organic farming, but to the drift from conventional fields in the vicinity.
Buy your spinach wisely
When shopping you have the choice between root and leaf spinach. While spinach leaves only the individual leaves are harvested, spinach roots encompass the entire plant including the roots.
Make sure that the spinach is organically grown and has crisp, fresh and deep green leaves. If the leaves are limp, the leaf margins yellowish and the stems rotten, you should refrain from doing so. During transport and storage, bear in mind that spinach leaves are more sensitive than spinach roots. So it needs to be handled more carefully so that the leaves are not crushed.
How to best store spinach
The shelf life of fresh spinach is limited, which is why you should ideally process and consume it immediately after buying it. Otherwise, you can store the vegetables in the refrigerator’s vegetable compartment for a maximum of 4 days.
What should be considered when freezing spinach?
· Put the spinach in portions in a large saucepan with boiling salted water.
· Blanch the leafy greens for about 30 seconds.
· Take the spinach out with a slotted spoon and soak it briefly in ice water.
· Gently squeeze the vegetables and dry them. You can also use a salad spinner.
· Put the spinach in portions in freezer bags and seal them airtight.
· Place the spinach containers in the freezer.
Frozen spinach can be frozen for 5 to 6 months. After that, it loses its vitamin content and taste.
If you want to prepare the frozen spinach, you should defrost it slowly beforehand and then only heat it up briefly.
Can spinach be reheated?
Grandmothers always warned against reheating leftover spinach. According to the Swiss Nutrition Society, this recommendation is a stubborn relic of times long past, when there were no refrigerators and the microorganisms could multiply very quickly. If the cooked vegetables are stored at room temperature, the action of bacteria can lead to nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
If you let your leftover spinach cool down as quickly as possible and then store it covered in the refrigerator, there is no danger. Because then the bacteria multiply very slowly and only form harmless amounts of nitrite. However, you should not store cooked spinach there for longer than 2 days. When reheating the vegetables, heat them for at least 2 minutes at more than 70 ° C.
Cook your spinach as gently as possible
There are many different ways to prepare delicious spinach. Gentle cooking methods are recommended so that the ingredients do not suffer too much. You can blanch it for a few seconds, steam it for 2 to 3 minutes or use a steamer (12 minutes).
Analysis at the South Korean Chungbuk National University in 2018 showed that 1 kg of raw spinach contained around 337 mg of vitamin C, after blanching it was around 284 mg, after steaming around 263 mg and after cooking only 220 mg. The higher the temperature, the longer the cooking time and the more water you use, the less favorable this is for the water-soluble or heat-sensitive ingredients. There are therefore many good reasons to enjoy the spinach as a raw food.
Spinach as a salad, soup or green smoothie
Fine salads can be prepared quickly and easily from raw spinach. The leaves are simply washed and cut into bite-sized pieces, mixed with other ingredients (onion rings, cherry tomatoes, nuts, etc.) and served with a delicious dressing.
Spinach can also be turned into a fine, cold soup that is particularly refreshing on hot summer days. To do this, the spinach is washed, cut into small pieces and pureed in a blender with a little water. Then season with salt, a pinch of nutmeg, a hint of garlic and a dollop of almond puree. Spinach tastes particularly delicious in the form of a green smoothie.
