Benefits of spinach and nutritional ingredients of spinach

Spinach is rich in nutrients, especially high in iron, and is known as the king of vegetables. Let’s learn more about it.

spinach

Spinach is also known as pineapple and Persian grass. The ancients called it " red-billed green parrot " . It is native to Iran and has been cultivated 2,000 years ago. It was later spread to North Africa and then to Western Europe, Spain and other countries by the Moors. China has begun to cultivate spinach at the latest in the Tang Dynasty. Spinach can be divided into two types according to leaf shape: pointed leaves and round leaves. Pointed leaf type, the leaves are arrow-shaped, the petiole is long and the mesophyll is thin, the roots are thick and contain more sugar, and the quality is good. Autumn and winter blanket spinach belongs to this type. Round leaf type, the leaves are round, oval to oval, the leaves are large and fleshy, the petiole is short and wide, and the oxalic acid content is high. Spring and summer spinach mostly belongs to this type.

Spinach has soft and tender stems and leaves, delicious and bright in color. In addition to being eaten fresh, it can also be dried and frozen. More importantly, spinach not only contains a large amount of carotene and iron, but is also an excellent source of vitamin B6 , folic acid, iron and potassium for the human body. Spinach also contains considerable protein, with one kilogram of spinach equivalent to the protein content of two eggs. The Compendium of Materia Medica believes that eating spinach can " open the blood vessels, open the chest and diaphragm, regulate the qi, quench thirst and moisturize dryness. " Ancient Arabs also called spinach the " king of vegetables . "

Spinach Benefits

1. Spinach contains a large amount of plant crude fiber, which can promote intestinal peristalsis and has a therapeutic effect on hemorrhoids, chronic pancreatitis, constipation, anal fissures and other diseases.

2. The trace elements contained in spinach can promote human metabolism and improve health. Eating a lot of spinach can reduce the risk of stroke.

3. The carotene contained in spinach is converted into vitamin A in the human body , which can maintain normal vision and the health of epithelial cells, increase the ability to prevent infectious diseases, and promote the growth and development of children.

4. Spinach is rich in carotene, vitamin C , calcium, phosphorus and a certain amount of beneficial ingredients such as iron and vitamin E , which can provide the human body with a variety of nutrients; the iron it contains has a good auxiliary therapeutic effect on iron deficiency anemia.

5. Spinach extract has the effect of promoting the proliferation of cultured cells and can enhance youthful vitality.

Storage instructions

It can be stored in a cool and ventilated place, but it is best to refrigerate it.

Cooking knowledge

When cooking spinach, blanch it in boiling water first to remove 80% of the oxalic acid and reduce the astringency of spinach.

Dietary precautions

1. Patients with nephritis, kidney stones, and spleen deficiency and loose stools should not eat it.

2. Raw spinach should not be cooked with tofu as it will hinder digestion and affect the efficacy.

Delicious food

Spinach Fish Balls

Ingredients: 500 grams of fresh fish, water, salt, MSG, and green onions.

Method: 1. Wash the fish and spread it on a chopping board (preferably with skin on).

2. Hold the fish tail with your left hand and hold a sharp knife with your right hand. The knife and the chopping board should be at a 45 -degree angle. Scrape the fish paste from the fish tail to the fish belly. Apply appropriate force when scraping. The knife must not be perpendicular to the chopping board, otherwise the fish paste will not be fine.

3. Roughly estimate the amount of fish paste scraped off, and then add the same amount of water. The ratio of fish paste to water is 1 : 1 .

4. Use a blender or a mixer to mix the fish paste and water thoroughly.

5. Wash your hands, add appropriate amount of MSG and green onion first, then add salt with your left hand, and keep stirring in one direction with your right hand until you feel the fish paste is firm, which means the amount of salt is enough. At this time, the fish paste is very sticky and feels very firm.

6. Prepare a pot of water, heat it up, but don't make it too hot, then squeeze the fish paste out of your hands and make balls, and put them into the water one by one. When making fish balls, be sure to control the water temperature, don't make it too high.

7. When there are more and more fish balls in the water, you can turn on the fire. When the fish balls float up, you can use a colander to scoop them out and let them cool.

Home remedies for curing diseases

1. Treat high blood pressure, headache, dizziness, and constipation

100g fresh spinach and roots , blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes, remove and mix with sesame oil. Eat twice a day .

2. Treat blurred vision, dizziness and limb tremors

200g each of spinach and fresh lotus root . Blanch the spinach in boiling water; peel and slice the fresh lotus root, blanch it in boiling water until cooked, add salt, sesame oil and MSG and mix well.

3. Treat blurred vision and dry eyes

500g each of fresh spinach and lamb liver . Bring the water to a boil and add the lamb liver. After it boils for a while, add the spinach and add appropriate amount of salt, sesame oil and MSG.

Nutrients contained in spinach (per 100 grams)

Water content g

Calories kcal

Protein g

Fat grams

Carbohydrates grams

Crude fiber g

Ash content g

Carotene mg

Niacin mg

Vitamin C 39 mg

Vitamin B6 mg

Vitamin E mg

Vitamin A μg

Pantothenic acid mg

Folic acid μg

Dietary fiber g

Calcium 72 mg

Phosphorus 53 mg

Iron mg

Potassium 502 mg

Sodium mg

Magnesium mg

Chlorine 200 mg

Zinc mg

Selenium μg

Copper mg

Manganese 6 mg