Tuesday, 3 January 2012
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Did you know that spinach is good for your skin as much as your health? This green leafy vegetable don’t just make muscles pop like Popeye’s, it is also rich in vitamins and minerals that are proven beneficial to achieve younger-looking skin and a healthy body. Spinach was initially a local produce of Iran and was later on made known to the rest of the world. It thrives in temperate regions and comes in two varieties, the curly leaf and the flat leaf. The latter is more popular mainly because it is more preferred for its subtle flavor.
You will see a lot of this vegetable in markets during the months of March until May and September until October; nevertheless, it is available throughout the year. When buying spinach, make sure that you get it fresh, tender and with its leaves a rich dark green color. Leave out the parts which are bruised or wilted and slick to the touch. Bright green is an indicator of its rich Vitamin C content.
Speaking of vitamins, Popeye’s favorite snack is also enriched with Vitamin A that helps strengthen tissues. It also has antioxidants namely lutein and beta carotene. These antioxidants play an important role in protecting the skin from photodamage and wrinkles. It improves the skin’s ability to keep moisture and makes it more elastic. Having soft and well-moisturized skin is essential in preventing wrinkles and early signs of ageing from appearing.
Eating 1 cup of cooked spinach is as good as getting 35 percent of the body’s daily needed supply of Iron. Indeed, it is the best cure for Anemia which causes brittle nails, pale complexion, itching, hair dryness and drying of the mouth. Iron is needed by the body to produce the right amount of oxygen which is an important element in restoring broken tissues. It also helps in maintaining the skin’s firmness through the increased production of collagen and elastin.
However, one must take note that cooking spinach should be done as simply as possible and boiling is the probably the most suitable way. Through boiling, spinach leaves are reduced of its high oxalic acid content while retaining most of its nutritional value. With a pot filled with water brought to a boil, drop in the rinsed vegetables and leave it to cook without the cover for only 1 minute. The large amount of cooking water and steam removes the acid from the leaves. After cooking, drain and consume as is. You may also serve it as a salad. Just add your choice of fresh vegetables and salad dressing.
Including spinach to your daily meals is also a good way to fight cancer, namely colon and breast cancer. Researchers have looked into spinach juice samples and its flavonoid contents. They discovered that these compounds are able to stop cancer cells from multiplying in the stomach and skin. Aside from flavonoids, it also has another carotenoid called neoxanthins that break up prostate cancer cells. Now, that’s a powerhouse vegetable!
If you’re worried about how you can incorporate this vegetable to your diet without getting tired of it, there are lots of ways to prepare spinach. Aside from boiling it and mixing it up into a salad, you can add it to lasagna or you can blend into a filling soup for dinner. Sautéed spinach in olive oil also tastes great with pine nuts, and gives you increased absorption of antioxidants into your body. It also works well as a side dish for grilled fish or meat by sautéing it in olive oil, garlic, basil, a dash of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
Make sure that you clean the leaves well before cooking. Do this by cutting off the roots and trimming the leaves. Then, swish it in a large bowl with water to let the sand and soil fall off. Repeat these two or three times but never ever soak it in water for a long time, or else you’ll be left with a tasteless and vitamin-less veggie. On the other hand, if you are getting your supply from the grocery where they often sell bags of pre-washed vegetables, no need to rinse it many times. Once just before cooking it will do. Avoid washing spinach leaves before storage to keep it fresh for five days or less. Pack it in a sealed and air-free plastic bag before storing in the refrigerator.
The Wonders of Spinach
You will see a lot of this vegetable in markets during the months of March until May and September until October; nevertheless, it is available throughout the year. When buying spinach, make sure that you get it fresh, tender and with its leaves a rich dark green color. Leave out the parts which are bruised or wilted and slick to the touch. Bright green is an indicator of its rich Vitamin C content.
Speaking of vitamins, Popeye’s favorite snack is also enriched with Vitamin A that helps strengthen tissues. It also has antioxidants namely lutein and beta carotene. These antioxidants play an important role in protecting the skin from photodamage and wrinkles. It improves the skin’s ability to keep moisture and makes it more elastic. Having soft and well-moisturized skin is essential in preventing wrinkles and early signs of ageing from appearing.
Eating 1 cup of cooked spinach is as good as getting 35 percent of the body’s daily needed supply of Iron. Indeed, it is the best cure for Anemia which causes brittle nails, pale complexion, itching, hair dryness and drying of the mouth. Iron is needed by the body to produce the right amount of oxygen which is an important element in restoring broken tissues. It also helps in maintaining the skin’s firmness through the increased production of collagen and elastin.
However, one must take note that cooking spinach should be done as simply as possible and boiling is the probably the most suitable way. Through boiling, spinach leaves are reduced of its high oxalic acid content while retaining most of its nutritional value. With a pot filled with water brought to a boil, drop in the rinsed vegetables and leave it to cook without the cover for only 1 minute. The large amount of cooking water and steam removes the acid from the leaves. After cooking, drain and consume as is. You may also serve it as a salad. Just add your choice of fresh vegetables and salad dressing.
Including spinach to your daily meals is also a good way to fight cancer, namely colon and breast cancer. Researchers have looked into spinach juice samples and its flavonoid contents. They discovered that these compounds are able to stop cancer cells from multiplying in the stomach and skin. Aside from flavonoids, it also has another carotenoid called neoxanthins that break up prostate cancer cells. Now, that’s a powerhouse vegetable!
If you’re worried about how you can incorporate this vegetable to your diet without getting tired of it, there are lots of ways to prepare spinach. Aside from boiling it and mixing it up into a salad, you can add it to lasagna or you can blend into a filling soup for dinner. Sautéed spinach in olive oil also tastes great with pine nuts, and gives you increased absorption of antioxidants into your body. It also works well as a side dish for grilled fish or meat by sautéing it in olive oil, garlic, basil, a dash of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
Make sure that you clean the leaves well before cooking. Do this by cutting off the roots and trimming the leaves. Then, swish it in a large bowl with water to let the sand and soil fall off. Repeat these two or three times but never ever soak it in water for a long time, or else you’ll be left with a tasteless and vitamin-less veggie. On the other hand, if you are getting your supply from the grocery where they often sell bags of pre-washed vegetables, no need to rinse it many times. Once just before cooking it will do. Avoid washing spinach leaves before storage to keep it fresh for five days or less. Pack it in a sealed and air-free plastic bag before storing in the refrigerator.
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