This low-calorie food is full of nutrients that are good for your body in several ways. From boosting the immune system — your body’s defense against germs – to helping your heart, its advantages might surprise you

Diabetes:

What is it that makes spinach a great vegetable for managing blood sugar levels and control diabetes and how to use it best to ensure it keeps your healthy?

You may hate it and find it extremely bitter, spinach or palak is not everyone’s favourite. But, it is known as a superfood; all thanks to its high fibre, lutein, folate, iron and calcium content, which makes it great for each one of us. Turns out, spinach is exceptionally good for diabetics even if you eat it in relatively large quantities. This water-soluble veggie has a negligible effect on blood sugar, making it a good food to choose if you are following a diabetic diet that’s rich in fibre and protein. In fact, the American Diabetes Association denotes spinach as a superfood for type-1 and type-2 diabetes. So, what is it that makes it a great vegetable for managing blood sugar levels and control diabetes and how to use it best to ensure it keeps your healthy?

Spinach For Diabetes:

Spinach is a rich source of fibre, which doesn’t digest easily. So, spinach does not cause immediate spikes in blood sugar levels. Soluble fibre is, in fact, responsible for reducing blood glucose levels and control diabetes. Each cup of cooked spinach is said to have about four to five grams of fibre.

Spinach is a non-starchy veggie, which means it does not have much effect on blood sugar levels. So, you can enjoy the green delight as much as you want.Spinach is considered a low-glycaemic index food, and foods that have low GI are said to have little or no effect on the blood sugar levels.

Diabetics are generally recommended to limit their carbohydrate consumption. Spinach is a veggie that is low in carbohydrate content, which keeps diabetes in check.Spinach is super-low in calories, and foods that have few calories are generally responsible for stabilising blood sugar levels. Moreover, low-calorie foods also help maintain your weight, which is crucial for diabetics.

Spinach, sometimes considered a super food because of its high fiber, lutein, folate, iron and calcium content, is good for even diabetics to eat in relatively large amounts. This water-soluble vegetable has only a minimal effect on blood sugar, making it a good food to choose if you’re on a diabetic diet.

Spinach Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the nutrients that have the greatest effect on blood sugar levels. In general, the higher the carbohydrate content, the more of an effect a food will have on your blood sugar. One serving of carbohydrates for a diabetic contains 15 grams of carbohydrates. Each cup of raw spinach only has 1.1 grams of carbohydrates, and each cup of cooked spinach has just 6.8 grams.

Effect of Fibre

Since fiber isn’t digested, it doesn’t increase your blood sugar levels like other types of carbohydrates. Soluble fibre can actually decrease your blood sugar levels. Each cup of cooked spinach has 4.3 grams of fibre , or 17 percent of the daily value. About one-third of this fibre consists of soluble fibre

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index estimates the effect a food will have on your blood sugar levels. Foods that are low on the glycemic index aren’t likely to cause spikes in your blood sugar levels after you eat them, while foods that are high on the glycemic index tend to have this effect. All nonstarchy vegetables, including spinach, are low on the glycemic index.

Consumption Recommendations

Diabetics should limit their carbohydrate consumption so less than half of their calories come from carbohydrates. However, they should consume at least three to five servings of vegetables per day. Because nonstarchy vegetables such as spinach are so low in both carbohydrates and calories, you can consume even more than this minimum, notes the American Diabetes Association.

Although it is safe for most people to eat a bowl of spinach per day, you should be careful to eat it in moderation.Spinach is a dark leafy green crop with an impressive nutrient profile. Rich with a multitude of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, spinach is a well-known low-calorie ingredient used in many different types of diets. Spinach is also loaded with antioxidants, iron, calcium, and more that make it essential for improving the body inside and out. Learn about the pros and cons of eating spinach every day.

What are the health benefits of spinach?

This vegetable helps in reducing the risks of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and cancer. Spinach is also good for the skin, hair, and eyesight. Advantages of eating limited quantities of spinach every day include:

Vitamins:

Spinach is rich in vitamin B and other important vitamins such as A, E, K, and C that helps to improve the skin texture and treat numerous skin-related disorders. Spinach also helps to protect the skin from the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun. It promotes healing of the skin in case of sun damage and prevents premature aging, skin cancer, and other dermal disorders caused by the sun. Because of the presence of vitamin A in spinach, it boosts immunity by preventing infections and inflammations to a large extent. It strengthens the mucous membranes of the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. Vitamin A is also a major component of the lymphocytes (white blood cells) that combat diseases in the human body.

Minerals: 

Spinach contains minerals such as potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and manganese. These help the body regulate body fluids, cell functions, heart rate, and blood pressure. Spinach is particularly beneficial in treating iron deficiency (anemia) because it is rich in this micronutrient. Besides correcting anemia, iron also helps in the activity of several enzymes. 100 grams of spinach contains around 25% of the daily requirement of iron. 

Antioxidants:

Spinach is regarded as a superfood because of its abundance of healthy antioxidants (substances that prevent damage due to free radicals in the body). Its fresh leaves are a great source of vital antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidant flavonoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta carotene. Vitamin C is great for the body’s immune system, helping to develop resistance against infections and fight off free radicals. 100 grams of fresh spinach has a whopping 47% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Vitamin A is also considered an antioxidant, fighting off toxins, bacteria, viruses, and any other nasty little invaders seeking to destroy your cells and cause illnesses and disease.

Anti-inflammatory:

Spinach helps in providing relief from several types of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, and even migraine headaches.

Prevents damage to the brain and nervous system:

Spinach helps in maintaining brain functions, especially in patients of advanced age. The high content of vitamins C and K and folate helps keep the nervous system functioning properly. It also improves the processing abilities of the brain. Spinach helps in the synthesis of sphingolipids that is a crucial fact in the myelin sheath of the nerve cells.

Gastrointestinal disorders:

Spinach contains high quantities of beta carotene and vitamin C that maintain gastrointestinal health. It protects the colorectal cells from the cancerous growths caused by the effects of free radicals. The folate content in spinach prevents DNA damage and harmful mutations of the colon cells.

Muscle growth:

Spinach reduces stress on the muscles by strengthening the muscular tissues. Magnesium, zinc, and other nutrient content help to sleep better that helps the body to heal and recover faster.

Bone health:

Spinach is useful in maintaining and strengthening the bones because of its calcium content. It also has high levels of vitamin K and magnesium, which could reduce the risk of fracture and can work in tandem with vitamin D to increase your bone density and help the body’s calcium balance. Vitamin K is also needed for blood clotting. It helps to prevent the early onset of osteoporosis. Spinach helps in the building of muscle tissues and the growth of collagen.

Hypertension:

Spinach is an effective remedy for high blood pressure or hypertension. It also helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Spinach contains both high amounts of potassium and nitrates that work to lower blood pressure to healthy levels. 

Blood sugar:

Spinach contains protective steroids called phytoecdysteroids. This steroid increases glucose (sugar) metabolism and helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. This is extremely beneficial for people with pre-diabetes, diabetes, or other forms of the metabolic syndrome because it minimizes the requirement for the critical metabolism-regulating hormone, which is insulin. Spinach nutrition also contains a good amount of fiber in each serving, which can help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream to keep blood sugar levels steady. Several other specific compounds found in spinach have also been found to reduce the risk for complications that can arise as a result of diabetes.

Vision: Spinach nutrition contains vitamin A in the form of carotenoids, which benefit eyesight by preserving the health of the retina (the light-sensitive layer in the eye), macula (an oval area near the center of the retina), and cornea (the transparent layer in the front of the eye). Spinach’s carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin are some of the primary antioxidants needed for eye health, especially with advanced age. – BBC