A natural antioxidant, this vegetable, excellent in salads, is packed with vitamins: nutritionists love it.
As the warmer weather approaches, salads are making a comeback on our tables. They're suitable for everyone and are also a great ally for our health. The benefits of "leafy vegetables" are widely publicized, but some of them stand out from the crowd.
This is the case with a vegetable that can be eaten in multiple forms, cooked or raw, but which is ideal in salads according to many nutritionists. It stands out for its exceptional nutritional qualities. This vegetable is Popeye's beloved spinach! It is a veritable reservoir of nutrients and vitamins. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folic acid, also known as vitamin B9.
For vitamin K alone, which contributes to proper blood clotting and bone health, 100 grams of raw baby spinach provides 75 micrograms of vitamin K. This is more than the daily recommendation for a healthy adult (70 micrograms per day). In addition to these vitamins, spinach eaten in salad provides important minerals such as plant iron, potassium and magnesium.
But that's not all! "It's also a good source of antioxidants, which can reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and some cancers," says nutritionist Dr. Swrajit Sarkar , a senior lecturer in nutrition at City St. George's, University of London.
For him, eating them raw in salads has an advantage: "cooking tends to destroy the polyphenols and flavanols naturally present in the leaves. Certain polyphenols and flavonoids could reduce the risk of developing certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease." A 2023 study also showed the benefits of a diet rich in carotenoids, particularly in fragile or malnourished people.
Lastly, spinach, low in calories and satisfying thanks to its high fiber content, fits perfectly into a weight-loss diet. Its low glycemic index also makes it an ally for diabetics.
One caveat, however, is that it's best to moderate your consumption of raw spinach if you have a tendency to develop kidney stones, says Theresa Gentile, a dietitian-nutritionist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, in an interview with the Washington Post .
The oxalic acid in fresh spinach can interfere with calcium absorption and promote the formation of crystals in the kidneys in predisposed individuals. It's best to limit its consumption and instead opt for gentle steaming. This reduces the amount of oxalic acid while preserving the nutritional qualities of this green vegetable, which definitely ticks a lot of boxes!
L'Internaute
