Spinach is a nutrient-dense food, containing high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The USDA Dietary Guidelines encourage you to eat nutrient-dense foods to improve your health and decrease your risk of chronic diseases. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention recommends you eat plentiful amounts of vegetables, such as spinach, to prevent heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Vitamins
Spinach is a rich source of vitamins A, C, K and folate. Vitamin A plays a significant role in vision, reproduction, immune function and bone growth. Vitamin C assists in development of connective tissues, stimulates your immune system and protects your cells from harmful chemicals. Vitamin K helps you stop bleeding. Folate is involved with DNA production.
Minerals
Spinach is also a good source for several minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium. Magnesium and calcium play vital roles in bone growth and metabolism. In fact, spinach is among the best plant-based food sources for calcium. Iron is part of hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that plays a central role in transporting oxygen from your lungs to the cells throughout your body. Of plant-based foods, spinach is among the richest in iron content. Potassium is an electrolyte that produces electricity in your body to assist in heart and neuromuscular function, plus it helps regulate your blood pressure.
Oxalates
Spinach contains oxalates, substances that can crystallize in your body and cause kidney and gallbladder problems, particularly the growth of calcium stones. Research conducted by scientists at the National Polytechnical Institute of Lorraine in Vandoeuvre-lis-Nancy, France and published in the "International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition" in May 2008 discovered spinach contains high levels of oxalates, much higher when compared to other vegetables. Research by scientists at Washington State University in Spokane Washington and published in "Frontiers in Bioscience" in May 2003 reports calcium oxalate is the most common constituent of kidney stones and that people, also called hyperabsorbers, who absorb high percentages of dietary oxalates from plant foods are more likely to develop kidney stones. The scientists did not report how to identify hyperabsorbers.
Purines
Spinach contains purines, substances that can cause excess accumulation of uric acid. Excess uric acid in your body can lead to gout and kidney stones. If you have kidney disease or gout, you should avoid or minimize eating spinach and other purine containing foods.
References
- Eat Right America; Full List of Andi Scores; 2010
- United States Department of Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010; 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; How Many Fruits and Vegetables Do You Need?; 2010
- United States Department of Agriculture; National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; 2010
- MedlinePlus; Vitamin A; 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University; Vitamin C; Frei, B.; November 2009
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