Spinach

Spinach (spinacia oleracea) is a wonderful green-leafy vegetable often recognized as one of the functional foods for its wholesome nutritional, antioxidants and anti-cancer composition. Its tender, crispy, dark-green leaves are one of the favorite ingredients of chefs all around the planet.abotanically, it belongs to the amaranthaceae family. Spinacia plant grows about 1 foot in height. Although, it can be grown year round, fresh greens are best available just after the winter season in the northern hemisphere from march through may and from september until november, in the south of the equatorial line.

At least, two varieties of spinach are cultivated for their edible leaves; savoy type with dark-green crinkle (wrinkled) leaves and flat-leaf type with smooth surfaced leaves.

Spinach is high in vitamin a and c, and is one of only four vegetables that are also high in vitamin e. Itas also a good source of choline, calcium, iron, potassium and folic acid. Spinach is high in protein per calorie and has 14 times the iron per calorie than red meat.

Spinach is one of the highest sources of eye-protecting, cancer-fighting lutein. Lutein has been shown to play a crucial role in protecting against age-related macular degeneration.

Spinach has two powerful antioxidants, glutathione and alpha lipoic acid, are also found in spinach. It is called anatureas master antioxidant,a and is the primary antioxidant in the cells. It protects dna from oxidation, detoxifies pollutants and carcinogens, boosts the immune system, aids healthy cell replication, and reduces chronic inflammation. The body is able to produce glutathione, but often we donat make enough, and as we age, we produce even less.

Spinach is store house for many phyto-nutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention properties.

Very low in calories and fats (100 g of raw leaves provide just 23 calories). Its leaves hold a good amount of soluble dietary fiber and no wonder green spinach is one of the finest vegetable sources recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs!

Fresh 100 g of spinach contains about 25% of daily intake of iron; one of the richest among green leafy vegetables. Iron is an important trace element required by the human body for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for oxidation-reduction enzyme, cytochrome-oxidase during the cellular metabolism.

Fresh leaves are rich source of several vital anti-oxidant vitamins like vitamin a, vitamin c, and flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin and beta-carotene. Together, these compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ros) that play a healing role in aging and various disease processes.

Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It thus helps protect from "age-related macular related macular disease" (armd), especially in the elderly.

In addition, vitamin a is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for normal eye-sight. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin a and flavonoids also known to help the bodyaprotect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Spinach leaves are an excellent source of vitamin k. 100 g of fresh greens provides 402% of daily vitamin-k requirements. Vitamin k plays a vital role in strengthening the bone mass by promoting osteotrophic (bone building) activity in the bone. Additionally, it also has established role in patients with alzheimer's disease by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.

This green leafy vegetable also contains good amounts of many b-complex vitamins such as vitamin-b6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin b-1), riboflavin, folates and niacin. Folates help prevent neural tube defects in the offspring.

100 g of farm fresh spinach has 47% of daily recommended levels of vitamin c. Vitamin c is a powerful antioxidant, which helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.

Its leaves also contain a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Zinc is a co-factor for many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis.

It is also good source of omega-3 fatty acids.