Spinach - Nutritional Benefits and Culinary Uses

Spinach is a leafy green vegetable rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is known for its health benefits, including improved eye health and enhanced immune function.
Category
Food
Where to get
Available in grocery stores and farmers' markets
Nutrients
Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants
Benefits
Improves Eye Health, Enhances Immune Function
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Spinach FAQ


Image credit: britannica.com

What are the health benefits of spinach?

It is known that in spinach you can find elements that are very beneficial to health, such as, for example, pigments, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals such as iron, potassium or magnesium.

Why is spinach considered a functional vegetable?

Spinach is generally considered a "functional" vegetable because it may reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. Also known as nutraceuticals, functional foods are whole or enhanced foods that provide health benefits beyond essential nutrients when you eat enough of them regularly.

Is Spinach a family?

Common spinach, S. oleracea, was long considered to be in the family Chenopodiaceae, but in 2003 that family was merged into the Amaranthaceae in the order Caryophyllales. Within the family Amaranthaceae sensu lato, Spinach belongs to the subfamily Chenopodioideae. Spinach is an annual plant (rarely biennial) growing as tall as 30 cm (1 ft).

What are the health benefits of eating spinach?

Eating spinach may benefit eye health, reduce oxidative stress, help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels. Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea) is a leafy green vegetable that originated in Persia. It belongs to the amaranth family and is related to beets and quinoa.

Is Spinach a healthy food?

Most of the carbs in spinach consist of fiber, which is incredibly healthy. Spinach also contains small amounts of sugar, mostly in the form of glucose and fructose ( 1 ). Spinach is high in insoluble fiber, which may boost your health in several ways ( 2 ). It adds bulk to stool as food passes through your digestive system.

Spinach References

If you want to know more about Spinach, consider exploring links below:

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