Five Great Reasons to Eat Spinach

Spinach may be Popeye’s favorite, but that strong sailor was right: Spinach is good for you in so many ways. In case you need a few more reasons to add this leafy, green veggie to your diet, check these out. Here are five great reasons to eat spinach.

Lots of Nutrients

Spinach is loaded with nutrients that are great for your body. This green is high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and is low in calories. This means you can eat a lot of spinach and load up on healthy nutrients without packing on the weight. It’s an excellent source of a number of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B2 and B6, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, manganese, folate, iron, calcium, magnesium, selenium, niacin, phosphorus, copper…whew! The list goes on. Spinach is a great source of protein and dietary fiber and it also provides those awesome omega-3 fatty acids. Told you it had lots of nutrients!

Spinach is Very Versatile

What can you do with spinach? That’s one of the great things about this green — it is very versatile. You can eat it raw in salads, lightly cook it or add it to soups. You can chop it up and use it in dip or you can add it to smoothies. Spinach has plenty of uses and they all contribute to better health.

Spinach is Good for Your Heart

If you’re looking for some great, heart-healthy foods, then spinach definitely needs to be added to your list. As mentioned before, spinach is a great source for vitamins C and A. These vitamins are antioxidants that will help reduce free radicals in the body and will work to keep cholesterol from oxidizing in your body. The folate found in spinach is great for your cardiovascular system and remember the magnesium in this leafy green? That mineral is great for lowering high blood pressure. Not only will your stomach thank you for eating spinach, your heart will too.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Those joints that ache due to arthritis may be eased by spinach. Spinach has anti-inflammatory properties and inflammation can lead to a number of health ailments besides arthritis. The anti-inflammatory properties of spinach may help reduce symptoms of inflammatory conditions like osteoporosis, asthma, migraine headaches, and of course, arthritis.

Antioxidant Properties

Antioxidants are believed to help protect the body from cancer and other illnesses and conditions. Spinach is full of flavonoids that are considered anti-cancer substances. Eat some spinach and enjoy knowing that your diet is helping to protect your body from a variety of illnesses.

Still not sure if spinach is your cup of tea (so to speak)? Spinach is also good for your gut since the nutrients in this veggie help improve gastrointestinal health. Spinach is readily available in your local grocery stores and can be easily grown in your own garden. Give it a try and enjoy the benefits!

What other reasons to eat spinach can you think of?