4 shocking Facts About Spinach That Will Make You Want to Eat It
The path to good health has probably been heard by most as children when a parent encouraged you to “Eat your vegetables!” The potpourri of chemicals in plants is staggering. Their actions in the human body confirm the importance of that request with each new discovery. Let’s examine spinach.
Spinach contains ascorbate (vitamin C), carotenoids, tocopherols (vitamin E), phenolics, flavonoids, folate, vitamin K and minerals. Spinach is an antioxidant, protects the liver, is an anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, nervous system protectant, and in general has anti-aging properties.
Specifically, spinach does the following:
- decreases body weight in obese woman
- decreases serum lipids, like cholesterol, in obese woman
- Has anti-cancer effects with regards to ovarian, lung, prostate, breast and colon
If that was not enough, a recent study was published examining the effects of spinach on bone regeneration for fractures and increasing bone density in osteoporosis. In this study, rats had their ovaries removed to simulate menopause. Unfortunately, they had an injury to the long bone. Groups were divided into receiving estrogen, parathyroid hormone and spinach. Bone density decreases with loss of estrogen, but in the spinach group of rats, bone mineral density loss was reversed up to 56%, comparable to adding estrogen back. Higher doses of spinach also helped bone repair, accelerating healing and proper bone structure. We are aware that estrogen has many amazing effects on strengthening and protecting the bones from degeneration. Although the mechanisms of spinach on bone tissue are different than estrogen, the results were quite incredible.
Who would have thought this delicious green could do so much? What is your favorite way to eat spinach?