Green spinach is good for your eyesight, it keeps your heart healthy and your mood is great! Spinach: health benefits and harms, beneficial properties

Spinach is not often seen in the garden and on Russian menus. And in vain. Europeans have long appreciated the benefits of this leafy vegetable. Having a neutral taste, it goes well with most foods. By eating it regularly, you can not only improve your body’s health and stock up on vitamins, but also treat many diseases without resorting to medications. Let's figure out what the benefits and harms of spinach are.

The benefits of any food product are determined by its composition. Spinach is no exception. The first thing that impresses him is low calorie content. Only 23 kcal per 100 g of product allows it to be used in the diet of those who want to lose weight overweight. Despite the low calorie content, the vegetable contains all the substances necessary for a person, but their quantity is small.

For every 100 g of product there is:

2.9 g of protein, represented by both non-essential and essential amino acids, is more only in legumes;
0.3 g of fat, consisting of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids;
2 g carbohydrates, including mono and disaccharides, and a small amount of starch;
1.3 g dietary fiber.

The main value of spinach is its minerals and vitamins. This green herb can provide a person with almost the full daily norm of vitamin A, and beta carotene, four times the norm of vitamin K. It also contains ascorbic acid - more than in overseas lemons. And also vitamins B, PP, E and H, although not in such significant quantities. The mineral composition is also rich. First of all, it is iron. It is enough to eat 150 g of spinach to fully get your daily requirement. There is already potassium needed by the heart - 1/3 of daily requirement, and calcium, of which 0.1 in vegetables is daily value, helps maintain the skeletal system. This vegetable contains selenium, copper, manganese and other trace elements.

Health Benefits of Spinach

This unique composition determines beneficial features spinach, which has a beneficial effect on health.

It has the following effects on the body:

strengthens the immune system;
has a diuretic and laxative effect, fights constipation, lowers blood pressure;
has an antioxidant effect, so it can serve as a preventative against cancer;
regulates metabolism;
reduces blood sugar levels;
strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
helps with problems with teeth and gums;
supports the functioning of the pancreas and salivary glands;
helps in the prevention of osteoporosis;
fights anemia associated with iron deficiency;
has a tonic effect on the body as a whole and a calming effect on the nervous system, it even helps fight seasonal depression;
reduces the risk of retinal detachment and dystrophy, reduces eye fatigue;
good for nails and hair.

Cultivation and distribution

Spinach occurs wild in nature. It grows in Central Asia. Garden spinach is grown for human consumption. It has been in cultivation for more than 2000 years, the growing process is simple and has long been worked out.

This leafy vegetable is a cold-resistant crop and can be successfully grown in most regions of our country. Since it is a long-day plant, it needs to be sown as early as possible, otherwise, instead of a weighty rosette of delicate leaves, you may end up with a rough flower stem. In favorable conditions, after flowering, seeds will set, which can be collected and used for sowing. In the middle zone, sowing is also possible at the end of summer, when the days become shorter. In hot weather, spinach grows poorly and the leaves quickly become coarse.

You can also sow spinach before winter. In spring, the crop will sprout as soon as the frosts end and will delight you with early greenery.

Spinach agricultural technology

The culture is undemanding, but you need to know the peculiarities of its cultivation.

The best predecessors are legumes, potatoes, different types cabbage Doesn't grow well with radish.
Spinach prefers organic-rich sandy loams and loams in places without stagnant water. The soil must have a neutral reaction.
Spinach enjoys light throughout the day and protection from cold winds.
For digging, add up to 7 kg of humus, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of complex fertilizer for each square. m.
Before sowing, it is better to soak the seeds for 48 hours in ordinary or melt water.
Sowing is carried out in beds with a distance between rows of about 25 cm, between plants - 10 cm. You can sow even more densely, thinning out young plants and eating them. Spinach sprouts very quickly after sowing, so it is quite suitable as a lighthouse crop when sowing slow-growing plants, such as carrots.
The growing season of spinach is short; already 4 weeks after germination, most varieties are suitable for cutting. During this time, the plant will require 2 weedings with simultaneous loosening and one fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizer. In dry weather, crops need to be watered.

For those who do not have their own piece of land, it is possible to grow this valuable leaf crop on the balcony and even on the windowsill.

Use of spinach in medicine

Spinach combines pleasant taste And great benefit for good health. Eat salads from fresh leaves more often and prepare various dishes from them, but with a minimum culinary processing. It is almost not required, since the leaves are already ready for use after thorough washing. To him therapeutic effect manifested itself, consume the leaves regularly, at least 350 g per week.

Spinach is a well-studied plant, recognized by both official and traditional medicine. To treat some diseases, special preparation of the plant will be required. Most often, juice is squeezed from the leaves.

Apply it as follows:

to normalize activities gastrointestinal tract– ½ glass 3 times a day;
to improve the functioning of the thyroid gland, relieve headaches, anemia, disorders nervous system Spinach juice is mixed with carrot and beet juice in the proportion: 3:3:10. It is enough to take only ½ cup of medicine twice a day, but for several weeks.
fresh leaf salad is eaten as a vitamin supplement;
They fight atherosclerosis by eating beef liver cooked with spinach. Spinach converts homocysteine, which is harmful to blood vessels, into methionine, and the liver provides the necessary vitamin B-12 and other B vitamins. This remedy can also improve the health of the nervous system in case of depression, for better effect additionally take 1 teaspoon of hawthorn dissolved in 1 tbsp. spoon of water. This should be done three times a day before meals.

In cosmetology

Spinach is widely used in cosmetology due to its excellent cleansing properties. It is included in tonics and lotions. But its main use is face masks. They do an excellent job of eliminating the fine network of wrinkles on the skin in the eye area, rejuvenating the skin, making it smooth and velvety.

To make a mask to reduce wrinkles surrounding the eyes, you need to chop several spinach leaves, it is convenient to do this in a coffee grinder, then squeeze the juice out of them, mix it with vitamin A in oil: one teaspoon of juice is mixed with ten ml of oil solution. A cream intended for the skin around the eyes is added to the mixture, enough teaspoons. spoons. Keep the mask on for about half an hour. It can be easily removed with a tampon soaked in boiled, chilled milk, and at the same time the skin receives additional nutrition.
To rejuvenate your skin, you need to make a mask from chopped spinach leaves boiled in milk. Place the leaves on gauze and keep it on your face as a compress. Wipe the skin with lotion. This mask is especially good if the skin is irritated.
To whiten the skin, you need to mince spinach and sorrel leaves, a tablespoon each. Dilute them with a tablespoon of kefir. Apply the mixture to the face and neck and hold for 20 minutes. You can wash off the mask warm water. When washed off with milk, the effect will be better.
Cold rejuvenating mask. Freeze spinach juice in ice cube trays. Every morning, wipe your face with a piece of spinach ice.

Is it possible during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

Spinach is very beneficial during pregnancy for a number of reasons:

the high content of folic acid, which is found in spinach in an accessible form, helps cope with the threat of miscarriage and promotes the proper development of the fetus;
spinach alleviates symptoms associated with toxicosis;
vitamin K, which the vegetable is rich in, improves metabolism and helps replenish calcium deficiency;
a large amount of iron will help cope with the problem of low hemoglobin, which often happens in pregnant women;
Spinach will help improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and eliminate constipation, which so often accompanies pregnancy.

The benefits of spinach for women during breastfeeding are also great.

hormonal levels recover faster after childbirth;
a nursing mother has more strength;
spinach can even cope with postpartum depression;
the amount of vitamin D in the body of a nursing mother will correspond to the norm, which is very important for the baby receiving milk;
If a breastfeeding mother eats spinach, the baby will not have constipation, which often occurs in newborns.

Only those who are intolerant to this product should not eat it, but this is rare.

Spinach for children: good or bad?

Such useful product food must be in children's menu. The German company Humana offers spinach puree for children from the age of four months. The famous “Gerber” combines it with rabbit meat and recommends this diet from 8 months. What can we say about older children? Spinach can be given to them in the form independent dish or in combination with other foods. For children under 2 years of age, the vegetable must be cooked. Older children can add raw leaves to the salad, but not more than 50 g.

To neutralize oxalic acid, which is abundant in spinach, it is better to cook it with the addition of cream or milk.

Harm and contraindications

Among all the acids in spinach there is also oxalic acid. It's because of her that healthy vegetable Not everyone can use it. It contributes to the formation of kidney stones and aggravation of other kidney ailments. Spinach should not be consumed by those who have problems with the liver, duodenum or gall bladder. Spinach is strictly contraindicated for gout.

Almost everyone knows about the beneficial properties and taste of spinach. This plant is used for cooking various dishes and culinary delights. However, not everyone knows that spinach is widely used in alternative medicine. Based on this product, many natural remedies are made for the treatment and prevention of various diseases.

How beneficial is spinach for human health, and what are the ways to use it in medicinal and culinary purposes, we will consider further.

Chemical composition and calorie content

The beneficial properties of spinach are due to its rich natural composition. This product is different high content it contains vitamins and microelements, which makes its use beneficial for the human body.

IN chemical composition spinach includes:

choline;
riboflavins;;
lutein, glycine, phenylanine, leucine;
proteins;
starch;
alimentary fiber;
glutamic, ascorbic, folic, nicotinic, oxalic and aspartic acids.

Vitamin composition:

C - 55 mg (61% of daily norm);
K - 482.9 mcg (40.2%);
A - 750 mg (83.3%);
E - 2.5 mg (16.7%);
B9 - 80 mcg (20%);
Beta-carotene - 4.5 mg (90%).

B vitamins: thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine.

Mineral composition spinach (in mg):

Potassium - 774 (31%);
Calcium - 106 (10.6%);
Phosphorus - 83 (10.4%);
Magnesium - 82 (20.5%);
Sodium - 24;
Iron - 13.51 (75.1%);
Copper - 13 mcg;
Selenium - 1 mcg;
Zinc - 0.53;
Manganese - 0.897 (44.9%).

Calorie content spinach is very low, only 22 calories per 100 grams of product. This makes its use especially effective and useful during weight loss.

The nutritional value of spinach is: 2.9 g protein, 0.4 g fat and 3.6 g carbohydrates.

Health Benefits of Spinach

Rich vitamin composition spinach made it an indispensable source useful substances. Eating this plant heals the body and enriches it with nutritional components.

This plant has:

anti-inflammatory;
diuretics;
antioxidant;
general strengthening;
tonic;
immunostimulating;
antioxidant;
vascular strengthening properties.

The plant improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and normalizes metabolic processes. Spinach is beneficial for its cleansing effect. It removes from the body harmful substances(toxins, waste, salts, metals), improves digestion, eliminates constipation problems.

The leaves of the plant contain useful substances that help normalize hemoglobin. Due to its high iron content, spinach helps saturate the body's cells with oxygen.

The plant has an antitumor effect, which makes its use especially useful for oncological diseases. The phytonutrients contained in the plant inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the body.

Spinach juice has a tonic effect. It energizes, relieves fatigue and gives strength.

The benefit of the plant lies in its ability to lower sugar, which makes it indispensable in the diet of people suffering from diabetes mellitus.

Spinach contains vitamin K, which increases blood clotting and strengthens bone tissue. Eating spinach improves bone health and reduces the risk of developing osteoclasts (cells that cause loose bone tissue).

Spinach is especially useful for people suffering from circulatory and of cardio-vascular system. It is recommended to consume the leaves of the plant daily for anemia and hemorrhoids.

Spinach leaves have a disinfectant and disinfectant effect. They are recommended for external use in the presence of wounds, cuts and even furunculosis.

Spinach is good for hormonal imbalances, thyroid diseases, vitamin deficiency and metabolic disorders.

Spinach is useful for the male reproductive system. The plant improves reproductive function and increases potency. At regular use testosterone increases, prostate function improves. The plant prevents the occurrence of sexual dysfunction and improves men's health.

Benefits for women

The rich natural composition and huge number of medicinal properties of spinach make its consumption especially beneficial for the woman’s body.

Particularly useful spinach during pregnancy. The plant enriches the body of the expectant mother and child with all the necessary vitamins and microelements. Folic acid, which is part of the plant, strengthens the structure of the fetus and also improves the process of hematopoiesis.

At breastfeeding the product is also beneficial as it supplies the body with nutrients. However, the child’s body may react to spinach allergic reaction, so it is better to consult your doctor before use.

Due to its low calorie content and beneficial substances, spinach is recommended for consumption. during the period of weight loss. Among the beneficial properties of the plant, its ability to speed up metabolism and remove toxic substances and salts that interfere with weight loss is highlighted.

Also, the benefit of spinach for a woman’s body lies in its rejuvenating effect. The plant is used to prepare various nourishing masks, which tighten the skin and eliminate fine wrinkles. About what kinds of households there are cosmetical tools on facial skin care, we’ll talk further.

Application

Useful properties and taste qualities spinach are widely used in the industrial industry. The plant is actively used in cooking for preparing various dishes. It is used to make salads, add to side dishes, soups, etc.

Dietetics uses this product during weight loss, as the product has a low calorie content and a large supply nutrients, which the body especially needs during the diet period.

For cosmetic purposes Spinach is used to prepare various nourishing skin care masks. Natural remedies for healing and rejuvenating the skin are prepared at home.

Pharmaceuticals uses spinach extract in the production of dietary supplements and natural preparations for women and men's health.

Alternative medicine uses spinach leaves as a medicine. On their basis, folk remedies are prepared to eliminate various diseases. The plant is also used for preventive purposes. Methods of treatment and recipes based on it will be discussed later in the article.

Folk remedies with spinach

Alternative medicine offers many recipes using spinach. This product is used in medicinal purposes for the treatment of various ailments. His medicinal properties used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, skin diseases, etc.

To cure hemorrhoids We scroll a bunch of the plant through a meat grinder and squeeze out the juice. Mix the plant juice and almond oil in equal proportions. Take the resulting product one spoon twice a day. The course is two to three weeks.

Folk remedy for eczema, burns and abscesses: Boil the leaves of the plant in olive oil until ready. Apply the resulting mixture to damaged areas of the skin 2-3 times a day.

To normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract It is recommended to eat fortified salad. To prepare it, take 100 g of plant leaves, chop and mix with sour cream and one egg. We eat the salad within two days.

For convulsions Boil the leaves of the plant in a water bath. Next, chop and mix with 2 tbsp. l. olive oils. The resulting product takes 1 tbsp. l. twice a day. The course is one month.

Treatment of anemia and headache based on a juice mixture. For it we mix juice from:

spinach leaves,
carrots,
beets.

The ingredients are taken in equal proportions. Drink half a glass of juice four times a day for three days.

To improve metabolism grind the leaves of the plant, mix them with 2 cloves of garlic and 0.5 tsp. horseradish and 100 g grated apples. We put the resulting product in the refrigerator and use 10-15 grams every morning, on an empty stomach.

Cosmetology

The beneficial properties of the plant are also used in home cosmetology. Made with spinach medicines skin care. In this case, the benefit of the plant for a woman is to improve the condition of the epidermis. The juice of the plant stimulates the production of collagen, improves skin tone and enriches it with vitamins and minerals.

The rejuvenating mask is prepared according to the recipe:

Place 50-100 grams of the plant in an enamel container.
Add milk and cook.
When the mass takes on the consistency of mush, spread it on a layer of gauze.
Take a lying position and apply gauze to your face.
Keep the mask on for 20 minutes, rinse off and apply nourishing cream.

Nourishing mask. Wash 100 g of plant leaves and pour half a glass of boiling water. When the plant becomes soft, place it on a saucer, cool and add 1 tsp. carrot juice, 1 spoon of honey and a few drops of any essential oil. Mix and apply to face, neck and décolleté for 20 minutes. Then rinse off with cool green tea and apply cream.

Whitening mask. Grind the spinach leaves thoroughly. Pour a spoonful of olive oil and a little lemon juice, mix and apply to the face for 20 minutes. Then wash off with cool water.

Cooking recipes

Cooking abounds various recipes spinach-based dishes. This plant is used in the preparation of salads, soups, side dishes, bakery products etc. Most often, salads are prepared with spinach.

Most popular recipe salad contains ingredients:

spinach - 1 bunch;
bacon - 100 g;
champignons - 100 g;
sesame - 1 tbsp. l;
sea salt;
ground black pepper;
olive oil.

Dry the sesame seeds in a frying pan and put them aside. Take one bunch of spinach, wash, dry and chop. Cut the bacon into thin slices and fry until crispy. Place on a plate. We cut the champignons into two parts (or into 4, depending on their size). Fry in a frying pan in the remaining bacon fat. Place the spinach on a plate and sprinkle it with mushrooms, sesame seeds and bacon. Salt, pepper and sprinkle olive oil. The dish is ready to eat!

Delicious and healthy soup Can be made with spinach. For the recipe you will need the following components:

spinach 500 g;
beef meat - 0.5 kg;
potatoes - 0.5 kg;
salt;
spices;
lemon juice - 1 tsp;
sour cream - 1 tbsp. l.

Grind half a kilo of spinach in a blender until pureed. Cook the broth from lean meat beef. Add spices and salt. As soon as it is ready, take it out. Cut 0.5 kg of potatoes into the remaining broth. We bring the potatoes to a state of readiness, then mash them (directly in the broth). Add spinach leaves to the resulting mass and wait for the mixture to boil. Then cook for another two minutes.

Prepare the dressing: take 1 tbsp. l. sour cream and mix it with lemon juice and ground pepper. Ready soup pour into a plate and serve with dressing.

Hearty and healthy pie with spinach is prepared from the ingredients:

spinach - 0.5 kg;
feta cheese - 400 g;
yeast dough;
eggs - 2 pieces;
butter - 10 g;
salt, spices to taste.

Take 0.5 kg of spinach and grind it in a blender. Grate 400 g of Bulgarian (or any other not very salty) cheese and mix with two raw eggs. Roll out a layer of dough (yeast) and place it in a baking dish, pre-greased butter. We spread the filling and then cover it on the sides with a layer of dough. Bake for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees.

Healthy spinach smoothie

Fast and healthy drink Spinach will help remove all waste and toxins from the body. It will require:

spinach - 2 bunches;
kiwi - 1 pc.;
banana - 1 pc.;

Wash the spinach well and dry it. Grind all three ingredients in a blender. The drink is ready to drink! Such delicious cocktail especially useful for weight loss. It speeds up metabolism, saturates and energizes.

How to select and store spinach?

The choice of spinach must be treated with special care. The plant must be young. The leaves are dense, without any spots or inclusions. When bent, the leaf usually makes a certain crunch, which indicates its freshness.

Dark, large leaves indicate the ripeness of the spinach. Better to eat young plant light green color.

It is recommended to store the plant in the refrigerator, but no more than two days. After this time, spinach begins to lose its unique beneficial properties. Freshly picked spinach is best stored in a special container or glass of water.

Frozen spinach is especially beneficial. When frozen, the plant does not lose its properties. This allows you to use it at any time of the year. However, spinach should be stored in this form for no more than three months.

Contraindications

Despite its beneficial properties, spinach has a number of contraindications. If used incorrectly, the plant can cause a number of side effects.

Contraindications for eating spinach:

increased stomach acidity;
allergy to ascorbic acid (vitamin C);
increased blood clotting;
urolithiasis disease;
taking medications that thin the blood (when taken, a reverse reaction occurs);
gout;
stomach ulcer;
rheumatism;
antibiotic treatment;
Not recommended for use during breastfeeding;
individual intolerance;

Eating spinach fresh can cause harm to the body in the form of various adverse reactions. Frequent use The product is also undesirable for food. The plant contains a lot of natural acid, which can cause allergies or digestive problems.

It is important to consume fresh product and wash it thoroughly before eating. If the plant has been in the refrigerator for more than three days, it is better to throw it away or heat it. Only fresh shoots of the plant should be consumed raw.

Hello dear readers. Spinach is one of the most common edible greens. They began to use it for food a long time ago, and by the 16th century several varieties were cultivated. This plant is not only tasty, but also very healthy. It is used as valuable source vitamins and microelements, as well as for the treatment and prevention of certain diseases. The topic of this article: spinach - benefits, harm, where and how to use it. If you are interested this topic, then stay with us. Spinach species are herbaceous members of the amaranth family. These are usually annuals. They came to us from Asian lands.

According to researchers, the plant received its name from the Persian name, which translated means “ green hand" Indeed, the shape of the leaves of classic varieties of spinach is similar to the hand. At present, however, varieties with elongated ovate leaves have become widespread.

In cooking, young leaf rosettes with both straight and corrugated sheets are used. Summer varieties differ in lighter leaf blades. Winter ones have a richer green color, and the leaves are larger. A quick comparison can confuse spinach greens with sorrel greens.

But upon closer inspection, differences in the shape and color of the sheets are visible. They also differ in taste characteristics. Inherent in sorrel sour taste spinach lacks it, but does have a not very pronounced, rather pleasant bitterness.

Today, spinach is consumed most often by Americans and Chinese, mostly fresh. This leafy vegetable gained popularity thanks to the mistake of one scientist, who incorrectly indicated the iron content in this product, greatly inflating the real figure.

This misunderstanding became popularized thanks to the famous cartoon “Popeye the sailor,” where the main character defeated his opponents thanks to the miraculous spinach, which gave him fabulous strength. Another pundit supported this misconception by examining the product in its dried form. Just the fact that fresh herbs 90% consists of liquid, therefore, the obtained figures should be reduced by a factor of 10, he lost sight of it.

The myth of “iron spinach,” a vegetable that contains more iron than any other plant, was debunked only at the end of the 20th century. After this, sales of these greens decreased significantly. But over time, she again won universal recognition. Today, the spinach industry is thriving.

Spinach - benefits and harm, chemical composition

Spinach is really very healthy. It contains a large number of essential nutrients.

Vegetable protein.

Dietary fiber (fiber).

Sahara.

Vit. A (retinol), beta-carotene...

Vit. E (tocopherol).

Vit. C (ascorbic acid).

B-group vitamins (especially a lot of B9).

Vit. TO.

Vit. RR.

Minerals – Fe, Mg, Ca, P, Na, Se, Cu, Zn, Mn.

Organic acids.

Antioxidants.

Vegetable fats.

Flavonoids.

Water (more than 90%).

But there are also unpleasant moments. Spinach holds the record for the content of phytic and oxalic acid derivatives. According to theorists, these compounds significantly impair the body's absorption of calcium and iron, also present in these greens. sufficient quantities. According to their calculations, the body uses only 5% of their available volume. But practical research does not always confirm these theoretical calculations.

Uses of spinach

Spinach is widely used in making dietary ration. And all thanks to its beneficial properties:

✔ Cleanses the body.

✔ Eliminates constipation.

✔ Regulates metabolic processes.

✔ Increases immune defense.

✔ Binds free radicals.

✔ Supports vision.

✔ Prevents the development of neoplasms.

✔ It is a means of preventing hypertension.

✔ Has a beneficial effect on nervous reactions.

✔ Strengthens the musculoskeletal system.

✔ Improves blood composition.

✔ Takes part in hormonal synthesis.

✔ Improves gas exchange in cells and tissues.

✔ Tones.

✔ Normalizes appetite.

These properties make spinach greens useful for treating and preventing a number of diseases.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Hypertension.

Migraine.

Osteoporosis.

Hypocalcemia.

Arthritis.

Anemia.

Asthma.

Obesity.

Oncology.

Spinach calories

The product is low-calorie. His the nutritional value at different varieties fluctuates slightly, but does not exceed 22 kcal/100 g of product.

The plant is useful to eat in the postoperative period, after a protracted illness, and during pregnancy. Fresh herbs are recommended, but you can also cook them, preferably steam them or add them to dishes at the very end of cooking.

Being frozen, spinach does not lose its beneficial properties. Therefore, it is permissible to store it for a short time in the refrigerator and for a longer period in the freezer.

Spinach is also used as part of masks for cleansing and nourishing the skin, eliminating wrinkles, and toning. The product is also useful for men. It stimulates the production of testosterone, is used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and will help adjust body weight.

To summarize, we can conclude that the main functions of spinach are as follows:

✔ Cleansing.

✔ Antioxidant.

✔ Calming.

✔ Immunomodulatory.

✔ Anti-inflammatory.

✔ Cardioprotective.

✔ Toning.

✔ Laxative.

Pregnant women and nursing mothers

During gestation of the baby, as well as at the stage of feeding it breast milk, eating spinach in reasonable quantities is not only not prohibited, but also recommended.

For women at this time, the most important features of this edible plant are:

✔ Does not cause allergies.

✔ Packed with beneficial nutrients.

✔ Has a neutral taste.

✔ Increases hemoglobin level.

✔ Good for the heart muscle.

✔ Does not contain cholesterol.

✔ Has a beneficial effect on the formation of the fetal nervous system.

✔ Calms.

✔ Normalizes appetite.

At the same time, leafy greens can be used not only in their original form for salads and sandwiches, but also for preparing pies, casseroles, first courses, and sauces. The product is also useful in the form of fresh juice.

Spinach on the children's menu

Pediatricians do not advise rushing to introduce spinach into early complementary foods. In the form of a paste or squeeze, the product can be given to the baby no earlier than six months. As for directly leafy greens, then it is recommended to offer it to a child from 10-12 months of age.

If the baby does not want to eat this useful supplement, then you should not force him. It’s better to use a trick and mix it in crushed form into various dishes. In any case, the desire to vitaminize baby food using spinach should be discussed with your pediatrician.

Spinach for weight loss

Non-calorie greens are used in the preparation of diets designed to stabilize the patient’s body weight. The range of beneficial functions of spinach comes in handy here. It significantly activates the peristaltic activity of the intestines, toning and cleansing it.

Constipation is eliminated, intestinal activity is normalized. The body receives a charge of vitamins and vigor. Spinach also helps curb excessive appetite.

For weight loss, the mild diuretic and calming effects that spinach greens provide are also important.

Spinach harm

As already noted, spinach contains high concentration oxalic (ethanedioic) acid and its derivatives - oxalates. When metabolic processes are disrupted, these compounds are deposited in various parts of the body, mainly in the kidneys and joints.

In addition, they can provoke an exacerbation of some chronic diseases. Therefore, spinach leaves are not recommended to be eaten in any form for such ailments.

Presence of kidney stones.

Cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, liver failure.

Gout.

Rheumatoid abnormalities.

Increased stomach acidity.

Peptic ulcer disease.

Spinach does not cause an allergic reaction, but under certain conditions you can get symptoms of poisoning after eating it. In this case, you should seek medical help.

Use in folk medicine

Here are some interesting and effective ways uses of spinach for medicinal purposes

Spinach infusion. The leaves are washed and chopped very finely. A large spoonful of chopped herbs should be poured with warm boiled water and left for 1-2 hours. The liquid is then filtered. The product should be drunk three times a day before meals, 50 g. It will help eliminate inflammation of the throat, stimulate the production of red blood cells in iron deficiency anemia, fight constipation, and relieve inflammation during pneumonia.

Spinach-oil composition. Clean, fresh leaves are dipped into boiling almond oil and boiled for several minutes. After cooling, the spinach is squeezed out, and fresh water is added to the resulting extract. cow butter. The mixture helps with convulsive syndrome.

Another recipe with almond butter. Pour the same amount of freshly prepared spinach juice into half a glass of oily liquid. Taking this medicine internally little by little throughout the day will help relieve hemorrhoids.

Fresh green leaves need to be washed and dried. On one side they are marked with a knife and applied to boils and inflamed areas on the skin. This remedy is also applicable for eczema.

A wine-spinach mixture will help eliminate anemia and restore strength after operations or protracted illnesses. To do this, juice is squeezed out of leafy greens. For a glass of dry red wine you will need 50 g of the resulting marc. Take the drug once a day, 50-100 g. The course of treatment is one week.

How to eat spinach

It is preferable to use fresh spinach. Young leaf rosettes collected before flowering are suitable for food. After the plant begins to bloom, the leaves will become coarser, and the bitterness in them will increase significantly.

The concentration of unsafe oxalic acid compounds will also increase. If you grow spinach yourself, you can cut off the flower stalks. It would be more preferable to repeatedly sow new plants as the previous batch grows.

It is not advisable to store leaves in the refrigerator for more than 5-7 days. It is better to put them in the freezer. Thawed leaves are used to prepare various dishes. They are suitable for soups, pickles, borscht, vegetable stew, casseroles. Greens can also be used as a filling for pies and pies.

It has a fairly neutral taste, so it goes well with fish, grains, meat, mushrooms, and eggs. It should be borne in mind that most of the vitamins that spinach is rich in are, in the process of moderate heat treatment will not be lost. But the antioxidant properties will become significantly weaker.

Nowadays it is not a problem to buy spinach at any time of the year. But still, many people prefer to prepare the product themselves for the winter.

There are several ways to do this, but they all involve freezing the product:

✔ The washed leaf plates are stacked in several pieces, rolled into a tube and sent to the freezer; in this form the product can be stored for up to eight months.

✔ Finely chopped sheets are placed in ice trays and filled with water after freezing. ice cubes can be stored in the freezer by placing them in food containers; the resulting ice is suitable for preparing first courses, stews, etc.

✔ The product, crushed into a pulp, is mixed with melted butter, poured into molds and frozen; the preparation is useful for seasoning porridges, soups, etc.

Spinach greens, like any other greens, can be dried. To do this, it is washed, dried and placed in a thin layer until completely dry in a well-ventilated place. Do not dry spinach under the influence of directed sun rays. The dried material is stored in tightly closed glass containers.

You can store spinach using salt as a preservative. To do this, you need to cut it, mix it with salt crystals and spread it, crushing it, into jars. Keep the workpiece in the refrigerator or cellar, monitoring the absence of molding of the product. Spinach is also canned.

Prepare the brine - 2 large tablespoons of salt per liter volume of water. The greens are immersed in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, then laid out in sterilized jars and poured into boiling water. saline solution, roll up.

What can you cook with spinach?

Below are several recipes using spinach, both fresh and frozen.

Chicken fillet

Peel and chop the onion and garlic, fry until translucent. Chicken fillet cut into large cubes, fry until cooked. Pour in a little cream and sprinkle with spinach. Simmer covered, adding salt, for 5 minutes.

Casserole

Freshly prepared mashed potatoes combine with raw eggs. Combine any minced meat (meat, vegetable, mushroom) with an egg and chopped spinach. Grease a baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Place a layer of half the volume of puree on the bottom.

Place the minced meat on top and cover with a layer of the remaining puree. Brush the surface of the casserole with egg and sprinkle with breadcrumbs or grated cheese. Bake.

Paste

Chop and fry the onion, add the grated boiled beans and crushed walnuts. Without defrosting, add spinach (chop if necessary) and a little tomato and heat through. Serve the sauce hot with boiled spaghetti.

Spinach is an amazing herbaceous plant that belongs to the vegetable crops.

At the same time, spinach has remarkable medicinal properties, and lovers of dishes made from green leaves always feel great.

Even in Ancient Persia they knew about wide range beneficial properties of spinach for the body. Medieval Europe also appreciated spinach, and in France it grows wherever possible.

The vegetable grows quickly under the rays of the sun in loose soil, and even at home on the windowsill in a flower pot you can sow its seeds and after three weeks eat young green leaves.

How is it useful for men and women?

It is difficult to name vegetables comparable to a huge amount beneficial substances contained in spinach. His tender leaves rich:

protein;
carbohydrates;
beta-carotene;
saturated and unsaturated fatty and organic acids;
vitamins A, B, C, K, E, PP, H;
fiber;
starch;
sugars;
choline;
a large set of microelements necessary for humans.

Amazing fact: During heat treatment, the vitamins in the leaves are practically not destroyed. This is a very rare property among vegetables. Of course, a leaf raw spinach much healthier, but fans of green spring borscht with spinach will rejoice at this good news.

Spinach promotes recovery from diseases caused by eating animal foods and intoxication of the body. By removing toxins and harmful substances, spinach simultaneously saturates the tissues with the necessary substances contained in it.

Fiber improves the stable functioning of the digestive system, which also promotes natural weight loss. Iron-deficiency anemia It also does not threaten fans of green leaves, which deliver oxygen to cells, improving metabolism in the body.

Spinach has a very valuable quality– it is able to block the growth of tumors, suppressing them circulatory system. But the cardiovascular system of the body is strengthened when it is consumed in food.

Doctors often prescribe spinach dishes to cancer patients during the recovery period after radiation therapy. The powerful complex of antioxidants contained in spinach promotes rapid recovery and return to normal life.

Spinach inhibits development and stops bleeding gums. It is an excellent assistant in the activity of the heart muscle, normalizes blood pressure, restores the body in case of exhaustion and is indispensable for enterocolitis.

Spinach leaves will be of great benefit in the diet of men: they help increase potency due to the content of proteins and tocopherol. Women will appreciate it medicinal properties green leaves for disrupted cycles, infertility and frequent miscarriages.

Frequent consumption of easily accessible spinach dishes will stop retinal detachment, completely replacing expensive artificial vitamins with lutein. Green leaves contain more beta-carotene and beneficial substances for vision than the essential carrots.

People who are under constant stress and suffer from insomnia also need spinach in their diet, as it takes part in the production of hormones. Iodine contained in the leaves is necessary to strengthen the nervous system and full functioning pancreas.

All the medicinal properties of spinach that are used in traditional medicine are difficult to list. It brings significant relief to people suffering from epilepsy and will reduce the symptoms of the disease.

For dry coughs (in the article you will find recipes for folk expectorants) and during asthma attacks, spinach Fresh Juice leaves will significantly alleviate the condition. During winter epidemics, spinach fans are not afraid of the flu. Spinach juice successfully treats sore tonsils.

Due to large quantity Vitamin K reduces the manifestations of osteoporosis and increases the calcium content in bone tissue. The mixture is very useful for children almond oil with spinach leaf juice to prevent the development of rickets and accelerate bone growth.

A compress of crushed leaves will relieve boils, eczema and tumors from insect bites due to the zinc and iodine content. For those living and working in nuclear production and in regions contaminated by radiation, spinach is vital. It softens the effects of radiation and saves the lives of those affected by radiation sickness.

Any French woman knows what to wipe her face with fresh leaf spinach is needed to smooth out wrinkles and for healthy color face, without traces of inflammation and acne.

This is facilitated by the high content of vitamins A and E in the leaves. Spinach masks renew the skin and make it velvety. The high beta-carotene content in spinach helps the body's cells stay young longer.

Nutritional value and calorie content

Over many centuries of eating spinach, people have come up with many culinary recipes with him. It is added to regular salads, omelettes, filling for pies and in fish and meat dishes, in cottage cheese and soups, make spices and preserve.

The gastronomic benefits of the green leaves of the plant are very high. Thanks to high content Protein spinach is very nutritious, with 100 grams of leaves containing only 23 kilocalories. You won’t have to starve during dieting and fasting if you add green leaf dishes to your diet.

One hundred grams of spinach contains:

92% water;
2.8% proteins – almost the same as in legumes;
1.9% carbohydrates;
0.1% starch;
1.4% dietary fiber;
0.3% fat;
0.1% organic acids;
0.1% unsaturated acids;
1.8% disaccharides and monosaccharides;
1.7% ash;
0.1% saturated fatty acids.

Thanks to this rich composition, spinach helps speed up metabolism and provides additional energy to the body.

Are there any harms and contraindications?

Greenery lovers should know everything about possible harm spinach in order to fully use its beneficial qualities.

If a person already has any diseases, spinach can be harmful.

Overgrown leaves contain excess oxalic acid, which, in case of kidney disease, will create an additional acidic environment in the body. For illnesses Bladder, stomach ulcers, rheumatism, gout and arthritis, eating green vegetables is also undesirable.

But the young leaves of the plant contain almost no oxalic acid and will not cause harm if consumed in small quantities.

Methods of use in folk medicine and for weight loss

In Rus', spinach has always been used as an effective remedy.

An aqueous infusion of leaves is taken for constipation, throat and lung diseases, atherosclerosis, for neurotic disorders and to relieve epilepsy attacks.

Spinach reduces the risk of developing cancer and replaces the use of folic acid tablets.

Recipes for treatment:

For spasms of the stomach and large intestine, painful colic and You need to drink spinach infusion 4 times a day. Boil one tablespoon of chopped stems and leaves for 10 minutes in 100 ml of water and leave for 40 minutes.
For atherosclerosis The infusion of leaves is drunk for up to 4 months, combined with the intake of hawthorn tincture and taking a 10-day break from the infusion of spinach leaves.
For insect bites Apply the paste of leaves to the inflamed area for two hours.
For eczema Boil the leaves in olive oil and apply to the affected areas for several hours.
At Take chopped spinach with a little cinnamon for 4 days.
For nervous overload take 50-60 ml of a mixture of spinach juice and carrot juice twice a week.
For diseases of the stomach and intestines, to cleanse the body of toxins take half a glass of juice of young leaves three times a day.
For anemia, thyroid diseases and Before breakfast and dinner, drink half a glass of a mixture of beet, carrot and spinach juices.
For convulsions boil and finely chop the leaves, add a little vegetable oil and take a tablespoon twice a day.
IN dietary nutrition The leaves are boiled, cooled and the broth is filtered and taken before meals, 50 ml.

A spinach diet promotes weight loss and helps cleanse the body. This diet improves the condition of blood vessels and the heart, preventing diseases of the digestive system.

The neutral taste of spinach allows it to be used in many dishes. Batter, omelettes, mashed potatoes and desserts take on an emerald hue when crushed leaves are added. Cottage cheese with spinach for breakfast will fill you up and give you energy for the whole day.

Spinach is one of the richest green vegetables in terms of composition. Its beneficial properties have long been highly appreciated in the West, but for some reason they are not treated with due attention in our country. Even a small amount of this product in your daily diet will significantly improve your quality of life.

We also suggest you look interesting video on the topic of the article: