Diet Blog

A well balanced diet brings with it a healthy lifestyle and body. A diet has to be a balanced meal of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables play a very important part in a balanced diet; and of the many vegetables available in the market, spinach is considered to be the King.

Spinach is a leafy vegetable with a delicate texture. It is jade green in color and is more nutritious than any other food. Spinach is a vegetable available throughout the year; but it is the freshest and the tastiest during the months of September and October. Spinach is a vegetable that is second to kale in producing health promoting carotenoids and folate. It ranks third, after kale and garlic in producing antioxidants.

Spinach, in the cooked form, is an excellent source of iron and is best for menstruating women. Although red meat is also a great source of iron, spinach is the healthier and better source for iron as it provides iron with lower calories and is fat free. The hemoglobin in our body needs iron to transport oxygen from the lungs to the other parts of the body. Iron is also needed in enzyme systems in the production of energy and metabolism. Pregnant and lactating women, growing children and adolescents have an increased need for iron; and so spinach is a very good addition to the daily diet.

Although you may not get strong the minute you eat spinach, but spinach helps you to avoid grave health conditions. However, it should be known that spinach, and all other green vegetables generally lose their nutritional value when refrigerated. In fact, the longer spinach is refrigerated, the more nutrition it loses. Spinach also loses its nutrients at a much higher rate when kept out of the refrigerator. This is why it is generally better to eat spinach immediately on buying it. It is in fact better to eat canned and frozen spinach as it retains more nutrients than fresh spinach that has been stored for some time in the refrigerator.

Spinach is very effective in providing protection against heart diseases. This is because it has insoluble fiber which is effective against heart diseases. It has been found that the beta-carotene in spinach produces a reduced risk of lung cancer and provides a lower risk of cataract formation. Spinach is also rich in Vitamin K, which produces lower risk of cancer because of the drug warfarin. Spinach also has a high percentage of lutein and zeaxantin, and carotenoids that are at a low risk for cataracts as lutein is found in the eye lens.

So it can be seen that spinach produces many beneficial effects if added in your daily diet.