10 Health Benefits of Spinach: Prevent Asthma to Cancer
Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
Spinach is one of the options’superfood‘. You can get many benefits for spinach health.
Spinach is loaded with abundant nutrients and is low in calories. Dark green vegetables like spinach are important for healthy skin, hair and bones.
Spinach also provides protein, iron, vitamins and minerals. There is also a content of vitamin K, fiber, phosphorus, and thiamine in it.
You can serve spinach in a variety of dishes.
Citing various sources, here are the benefits of spinach for health.
1. Control diabetes
Spinach contains an antioxidant known as alpha-lipoic acid. Quoting Medical News Today, this one antioxidant compound has been shown to be able to lower blood glucose levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and prevent oxidative changes due to stress in diabetes patients.
2. Prevent cancer
Spinach and other green vegetables contain chlorophyll. Several studies have shown that chlorophyll is effective in blocking the carcinogenic effects (promoting cancer growth) found in foods that are baked at high temperatures.
3. Prevent asthma
A study of 433 children with asthma and 537 children without asthma showed that the risk of developing asthma was lower in people who got beta-carotene intake. Spinach is an excellent source of beta-carotene.
4. Lowering blood pressure
With its high potassium content, spinach is recommended for people with high blood pressure.
Potassium can help reduce sodium’s effect on the body. Low potassium intake can increase the risk of high blood pressure.
5. Maintain healthy bones
Low vitamin K intake increases the risk of fractures. Spinach is one of the vegetables that contains vitamin K. This vitamin acts in changing bone matrix protein and increasing calcium absorption.
 Illustration. One of the benefits of spinach for health comes from the content of vitamin K in it which functions to keep bones healthy. (iStockphoto / Chinnapong) |
6. Maintain digestion
Spinach is rich in fiber and water. Both help prevent constipation and improve digestive tract health.
7. Maintain brain health
Spinach’s anti-inflammatory properties make it one of the foods that can help protect the brain, especially those related to the aging process.
Quoting Health, a study tracked the diet and cognitive abilities of more than 950 groups of older adults over five years. Research looks at the effects of consuming green vegetables such as spinach on cognitive abilities.
8. Maintain eye health
One of the antioxidant compounds in spinach called lutein has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This one eye disease can obscure sharp central vision. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss for people aged 50 years and over.
A Japanese study found that intake of lutein-rich spinach can increase the size of the optical density of the macular pigment that can prevent AMD.
9. Prevent anemia
Anemia is one of the most common health problems that occur in society. Anemia is generally caused by iron deficiency.
Quoting Live Science, consumption of iron-rich foods such as spinach can help prevent anemia. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute even officially recommend consuming spinach as part of preventing anemia.
10. Maintain pregnancy
Folic acid in spinach has an important role during pregnancy. Folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects that are common in early pregnancy.
Spinach can help increase folic acid intake for pregnant women.
Consume spinach to get a variety of health benefits provided.
(asr)
[Gambas:Video CNN]
