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Your mother always told you to eat your vegetables. We’ve all seen what Popeye can do given a little spinach. Well it’s all true! Vegetables are an imperative part of a healthy diet. Specifically, spinach has some amazing benefits. Spinach is packed with nutrients. Lutein, now included in a lot of vitamin supplements, is found in abundance in spinach. This is a nutrient that will help improve and promote eye health, preventing against macular degeneration later in life. Spinach is also loaded with vitamin C and folate, which is important for pregnant women in reducing the risk of birth defects, along with heart disease and stroke for the general population. Looking for a great source of iron? What about potassium, calcium and beta-carotene? ALL of these nutrients can be found in spinach! Furthermore, fiber is located in these leaves, which also protects against heart disease. Popeye was doing something right. Spinach can guard against osteoporosis, cancer, even arthritis. To make sure you are getting the best quality from the grocery store, select green, not yellowing leaves. Make sure that you wash the vegetable before eating. It’s a fantastic substitute for other kinds of lettuce, especially iceberg. So how can you include it in your diet? There are only so many spinach salads you can eat in a week and only so many sandwiches to add it to. Try mixing it into soups or stews. Stir it into pastas, including lasagna. Sautéed spinach is also quite delicious, especially with some olive oil and garlic. Experiment and enjoy! Enjoy those dark, leafy greens that are packed with a nutritional punch. |
