The most useful ingredient for salad

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Any nutritionist will tell you that greens should be in a healthy diet. They are extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are so necessary for the proper functioning of the human body. However, not all greens are equally useful. Spinach is rightfully considered the absolute record holder: its leaves contain a huge amount of nutrients that you will not find in any other product. We will tell you why spinach should be added to the diet and in what form it is best to consume it in our material.

What is useful spinach

Spinach is a low-calorie product (only 23 kcal per 100g)

Spinach is extremely rich in vitamins and minerals. It is a real source of vitamin C – a powerful natural antioxidant, which is necessary for heart health, strong immunity and beautiful skin. Just one cup of fresh spinach contains the entire daily norm of vitamin K – it is indispensable for bone health and the cardiovascular system. Vitamin K deficiency can cause disturbances in the functioning of the heart muscle, as well as cause damage to the walls of blood vessels and their calcification.

In addition, the green leaves of spinach are extremely rich in B vitamins (especially folic acid), which are necessary for the synthesis of red blood cells, proper cognitive and muscle function. The mineral composition of spinach is also impressive – it contains iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium, which are necessary for the proper functioning of all body systems and are responsible for the normalization of water balance.

In addition to the already mentioned vitamin C, spinach is also rich in other antioxidants: among them kaempferol and quercetin. Free radicals, damaging the cells of the body, trigger oxidative processes in them, which can cause many chronic diseases and premature aging. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals, as well as from the effects of ultraviolet radiation, which can cause wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and even melanoma.

The active substances contained in spinach leaves help normalize blood pressure, and they are suitable for people with both hypertension and hypotension. The high content of vitamin A in greens protects the eyes from daily stress and helps prevent age-related vision changes.

In what form is it best to eat it

Salad with spinach, eggs and cheese

Spinach can be consumed both raw and stewed (simmered in a pan). Moreover, nutritionists do not recommend stopping at one thing. While some nutrients in spinach are destroyed by high temperatures, others increase their concentration. That's why you should add fresh spinach leaves to your salads, smoothies, and sandwiches, and cooked spinach leaves to hot dishes.

The main thing is not to forget about healthy fats: vitamins A and K are fat-soluble, which means that the body will not absorb them without fat. An excellent pair of spinach is avocado, fatty red fish, and olive oil.