This is the benefit of spinach for health
KONTAN.CO.ID – Spinach, one of the vegetables that is easy to find. Apparently, spinach is beneficial for health when consumed properly.
Spinach can be easily found in Indonesia because it is easy to grow in hot and semi-arid climates. In general, there are two types of spinach, namely wild spinach and cultivated spinach.
Wild spinach is usually not for consumption. This spinach has characteristics, such as: The stem is red The leaves are stiff prickly.
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Meanwhile, cultivated spinach usually has other characteristics, namely: Green stems The leaves are not too stiff. Not prickly Cultivated spinach can be divided into two types, namely unplugged spinach and plucked spinach.
As the name suggests, spinach is harvested by removing all parts of the plant, including the roots in the ground. Meanwhile, plucked spinach is spinach that is harvested by picking only the leaves.
In some areas, this spinach can be found not only fresh green, but the stems can also be reddish or white. Nutritional content of spinach Launching the book The Miracle of Vegetables (2013) by Farah Rizki, S.Gz, spinach has a high fiber content so it is good for digestion.
Apart from fiber, spinach also contains many other nutrients that are beneficial to the body. The following is the complete nutritional content of spinach per 100 grams of ingredients, referring to the 2009 Indonesian Food Composition Table:
Calories: 36 kcal (green spinach), 51 kcal (red spinach) Protein: 3.5 grams (green spinach), 4.6 grams (red spinach)
Carbs: 6.5 grams (green spinach), 1 (red spinach)
Calcium: 265 mg (green spinach), 368 mg (red spinach)
Phosphorus: 67 mg (green spinach), 11.1 mg (red spinach) Iron: 3.9 mg (green spinach), 2.2 mg (red spinach)
Vitamin A: 6,090 SI (green spinach), 5,800 SI (red spinach)
Vitamin B: 0.08 mg (green spinach), 0.08 mg (red spinach)
Vitamin C: 80 mg (green spinach), 80 mg (red spinach)
Water: 86.9 grams (green spinach), 82 grams (red spinach)
Due to its nutritional content, spinach is finally believed to have many health benefits.
Benefits of spinach for health Launching the page of the Vegetable Research and Development Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture (20/5/2014), there are many health benefits that can be achieved from consuming spinach.
1. Maintain heart health
Researchers from China and Australia have conducted a study that successfully concluded that spinach contains folic acid which can protect the heart muscle from increasing glucose levels that cause diabetes.
The study was conducted on mice with diabetes and found that the folic acid in spinach reduced the risk of heart attack in these mice.
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However, there are many other experts who suggest that further research needs to be done, especially in humans, to reduce the risk of death from diabetes.
Apart from folic acid, spinach is also very rich in antioxidants so it is very good for preventing cholesterol plaque from accumulating in the heart arteries.
As is known, if this part of the artery becomes blocked, then a person’s risk of having a heart attack is very high. In addition, spinach is also useful for controlling blood pressure which is certainly good for heart health.
2. Stronger bones
Spinach is also believed to be very effective in preventing osteoporosis which has been so feared by many people when approaching old age (seniors). This is because spinach is rich in vitamin K which can help in the absorption of calcium by the bones.
3. Prevent cancer
Spinach is also proven to contain flavonoids which can prevent infection in the body, including minimizing the incidence of cancer. Some types of cancer that spinach consumption might anticipate include: Colon cancer Lung cancer Ovarian cancer Prostate cancer
4. Health of blood vessels
Spinach is also rich in iron which the body needs to build red blood cells which have the function of carrying oxygen to all parts of the body.
A person who is deficient in iron will usually experience symptoms: Body feels weak Easily loses energy Easily drowsiness Can cause anemia
5. Good for pregnant women
Spinach contains folate and vitamin A which are very beneficial for women who are pregnant. By consuming lots of spinach, the process of forming lungs in the fetus, played by vitamin A and the formation of a complete nervous system, played by folate, will run well.
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This article was published on Kompas.com with the title “5 Benefits of Spinach for Health, Strengthen Bones to Keep the Heart”,
Author: Irawan Sapto Adhi
Editor: Irawan Sapto Adhi
