Spinach is a leafy green vegetable rich in many nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals. One of the many nutrients found in spinach is potassium, an essential mineral and electrolyte. Normal functioning of the human body depends on tight regulation of potassium inside and outside of the cells. Eating spinach will help you meet your daily potassium needs. You cannot go wrong with this super-fruit -- eaten raw or cooked, it packs a nutritional punch.
Function of Potassium
Potassium is found in all cells, tissues and organs in your body. As an electrolyte, potassium has the ability to dissociate into ions and conduct electricity, along with calcium, sodium, magnesium and chloride. It is vital for skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, playing a key role in normal muscle, heart and digestive function. It works closely with sodium to control your body’s electrolyte and fluid balance. Potassium also helps lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of stroke.
Dietary Allowance
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine established adequate intake levels for potassium based on the amount needed to lower blood pressure, reduce salt sensitivity and minimize the risk of kidney stones. Infants up to 6 months old require 400 mg, while kids ages 7 to 12 months need 700 mg of potassium daily. Children ages 1 to 3 years need 3,000 mg, ages 4 to 8 require 3,800 mg and children ages 9 to 13 require 4,500 mg of potassium per day. Adolescents and adults 14 and up require 4,700 mg of potassium each day. The highest amount of potassium is found in fruits and vegetables, so aim for five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Legumes, fish, meat and some dairy products also contribute to your daily potassium intake.
Spinach
While it is important to eat a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables daily, dark green spinach is especially healthful. Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives spinach its deep color, and It helps maintain vision, strong bones and teeth, and lowers the risk of certain types of cancer. Spinach consists of bright green, thick, oval-shaped small and medium leaves with green stems. You can eat both the leaves and the stems. Flowering shoots or rose-like clusters emerge from the leaves on shrubs. Savoy, flat leaf and semi-savoy are the most common types of spinach, each with a distinct flavor, texture and common use.
Potassium in Spinach
Spinach is a good source of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, B vitamins such as folate, and vitamins C and K, as well as the minerals manganese, iron, magnesium and calcium, plus dietary fiber. The green pigmentation of spinach indicates it is a rich source of antioxidants such as beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A. Spinach is also packed with potassium. On average, 1 cup of raw spinach leaves contain 167 mg of potassium, while 1/2 cup of cooked spinach contains 420 mg of potassium.
Raw vs. Cooked Spinach
Most vegetables lose their nutritional value when cooked and should be eaten raw whenever possible. However, this is not the case with spinach. Cooking some vegetables can actually boost their antioxidant and mineral content. Heating causes the cell walls of vegetables to break down more readily and release vitamins and minerals such as potassium. Additionally, spinach contains a compound known as oxalic acid that binds with calcium and other minerals, reducing their absorption. Cooking releases minerals, increasing the amount of potassium, calcium and magnesium available for your body. This is why cooked spinach contains more available potassium than raw.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute; "Potassium"; Jane Higdon; December 2010
- \Waverly Health Center: Potassium – How Much Do You Need?
- California Department of Public Health Network for A Healthy California: Harvest of the Month -- Spinach
- "Globe and Mail"; "Is Spinach More Nutritious Raw or Cooked?"; Leslie Beck; February 2011
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