7 Great Benefits of Baby Spinach for Your Health
Baby spinach is one of the most popular varieties of spinach. It’s available throughout the year, and its mild flavor makes it perfect for salads and other vegetable dishes. Baby spinach is harvested in the early stages of growth, typically 14 – 35 days after planting.
Besides antioxidants and vitamins, baby spinach also contains minerals necessary for your body’s overall health and well-being. Some of the top benefits of baby spinach include:
Boost Your Immunity
Baby spinach is a great source of vitamins A and C. These nutrients boost immunity and defend against infections. Suppose you have a cold or the flu. In that case, it may be because your body isn’t receiving enough vitamin A. Vitamin C has been shown to boost immunity against viruses, bacteria, and even cancer cells.
It also contains compounds like Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Beta Carotene, and Chlorophyll which help boost your immunity, keeping you healthy and free from infections.
Great Source of Antioxidants
Antioxidants include Vitamin A, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Beta Carotene, and Chlorophyll. Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyesight, skin, and mucous membranes. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it an effective treatment for asthma, eczema, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Vitamin A is also important for children’s health. Children who don’t get enough of this vitamin are likely to develop X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa. This disease causes gradual vision loss.
In addition, a study conducted on pregnant women found that diets high in fruits and vegetables containing beta-carotene, vitamin A’s precursor, may reduce the risk of developing sepsis. Lutein and Zeaxanthin defend your body against free radical damage.
Chlorophyll serves several benefits for your body, including; improving the quality of red blood cells, helping in the health of the skin, and helping in detoxification and immune system boost.
Good for Vision and Eye Health
Unlike some other nutrients in spinach, vitamin A isn’t just beneficial for healthy vision. It’s also an important antioxidant that can protect your eyes and reduce the risk of cataracts, age-related diseases that cause harmful cataract formation. Vitamin A is also important for eye health. It helps maintain the health of your eyesight and the structure of your eyes. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with major eye diseases and can contribute to night blindness. In this condition, people become unable to see at night.
Excellent for Hair and Skin Health
Chlorophyll, one of the antioxidants in baby spinach, is beneficial for your skin health. This is because it reduces bacterial growth and induces faster wound healing, thus reducing the risk of infections.
Vitamin A is an excellent source of important nutrients for skin and hair health. It reduces the risk of dry skin and scalp. It can also regulate your body’s natural oil production, leading to less frequent breakouts.
Vitamin A can also protect your skin from harmful UV rays. It’s been shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer, particularly the type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma. Furthermore, vitamin A is essential to several skin enzymes that help your skin produce natural oil.
Other than vitamins, baby spinach is a good source of proteins. Protein is a source of amino acids to maintain good and healthy skin.
Controls Blood Sugar
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is a great way to maintain a healthy weight and prevent diabetes. Green and leafy vegetables are especially high in fiber and volume. While experimenting with different types of spinach might sound daunting, try baby spinach. It’s low in calories, making it an excellent choice for people trying to manage their weight and blood sugar levels.
Studies have shown that diets high in beta-carotene, vitamin A’s precursor, may reduce blood sugar and insulin levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Beta-carotene may also decrease mortality in people with heart disease.
Bone Health
Baby spinach has significant amounts of Vitamin K, Calcium, and Magnesium, which are great nutrients for your bone health. Vitamin K helps improve bone density, thus lowering the probability of bone fractures. Calcium is an essential element in bone structure formation.
Pregnancy Health
Baby spinach is rich in folic acid, which highly contributes to fetal development. It also improves the folate intake in pregnant mothers, thus ensuring a healthy pregnancy.
You can also check on the benefits of cactus fruits.
