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There are lots of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in spinach
including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K and a range
of B vitamins including B2, B3, B5 and B6. |
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The spinach nutrients include protein, beta carotene, zinc,
calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. Spinach can be eaten raw
and provides the most amount of goodness when done so as raw
spinach is a rich source of vitamins and nutrients. Cooking
methods can reduce this vegetable's vitamin content
considerably, however, spinach still offers many health benefits
and this green leafy vegetable is full of goodness whether it is
eaten raw or cooked |
Spinach
The spinach health benefits can significantly boost our
well-being, especially for those who suffer from anaemia as the
content of iron in spinach is high and can therefore assist the
diet of anyone that is anaemic.
The benefits of spinach
is high and this healthy vegetable can help our bodies to
effectively fight again illness and major diseases including
cancer. The nutritional benefits of spinach not only can help
the body deal with anaemia, but a number of other benefits also
such as hair loss, tiredness, fatigue, stress, anxiety and
memory loss.
Spinach is also believed to be of benefit
to sufferers of arthritis as this vegetable is an
anti-inflammatory. Many people question how much protein there
is in spinach so just to clarify - the level of protein in
spinach is approximately 3.1 grams of protein per 100 grams of
cooked or frozen spinach
Spinach is very
low in calories,
this vegetable is very healthy and packed with goodness. This
green vegetable can be eaten raw which will provide a higher
nutritional value. The amount of calories in spinach depends on
the way that it is cooked, for example if it is baked, sautéed,
steamed or boiled.
The following calorie guide can be
used to calculate the amount of calories in spinach.
Calories
in Spinach per 100 grams:
Frozen or Boiled Spinach - 21
calories |
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Spinach
Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that provides excellent
health benefits and is grown all year round. Fresh spinach has
green, vibrant leaves with firm stalks. This vegetable is quick
and easy to grow, and equally just as simple to cook!
The size of spinach reduces significantly when it is cooked,
therefore, if it is going to be baked, steamed, sautéed or
boiled, this should be taken into consideration. The size of
spinach reduces to approximately 1/8 of its original size after
it has been cooked.
The History of Spinach
The history of spinach dates back several thousand years when
this unique and mild tasting, green, leafy vegetable originated
in Persia where is was grown until it was slowly introduced to
parts of Europe.
People from the Middle East were
responsible for introducing this special vegetable to Spain and
Greece. It is thought that Spaniards introduced this vegetable
to Great Britain during the 14th century.
Preparing Spinach for
Cooking
Spinach is very popular all over the world, particularly in
Italy where the Italians often combine spinach with ricotta
cheese as these two ingredients compliment one another
wonderfully.
Spinach is used in recipes throughout the
world as this vegetable is very versatile and compliments many
other foods including meats such as chicken and other vegetables
very well.
When preparing spinach for cooking or eating,
it should be washed thoroughly in a bowl of cold water. Any hard
of over-sized stalks should be removed from the spinach.
Cooking
with Spinach
Place the spinach leaves in a saucepan with just enough water
remaining on the leaves as its going to be steamed, not boiled.
Cover the saucepan and allow the vegetable to steam for
approximately four to six minutes. Give the saucepan a gentle
shake a few times throughout the steaming process.
The amount of spinach will reduce considerably after it has been
steamed. Drain the spinach off by pressing against it gently
with a spoon to remove any excess water. Spinach can be used in
many different ways and in lots of delicious healthy spinach
recipes including spinach omelette, dip, sauce, smoothies,
salad, pie, and soup.
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