5 Health Benefits of Spinach Leaves

The tasty, eye-catching and with its dark green leaves spinach is considered as super food in winters. Fresh spinach leaves are readily available throughout the year but its best time is from January to May. This green vegetable provides much nutrients, minerals and vitamins with low calories than other vegetables. You can consume leaves in many ways because it is a versatile super food. The cooked leaves are better source of healthy nutrients than raw ones. This edible flowering plant belonging to Amaranthaceae family is rich in Vitamin A, iron, magnesium and Vitamin K. The leaves are good sources of antioxidants flavonoids, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-2, copper, protein, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and folate as well.
Nutritious Value of Spinach
1 cup of cooked leaves of 180 grams provide following nutritious value:

Calories	40
Cholesterol	0 mg
Potassium	1000 mg
Dietary Fiber	4 g
Sugar	1 g
Protein	5 g
Vitamin K	987 %
Vitamin A	104 %
Vitamin C	23 %
Vitamin E	25 %
Iron	35 %
Calcium	24 %
Magnesium	39 %
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	7 %
Vitamin B-6	25 %
Vitamin B-2	32 %
Zinc	12 %

Health Benefits of Spinach
It is a dense food due to its nutrients, minerals, vitamin with low calories compare to other vegetables. The leaves provide many health benefits and its antioxidants keep you away from many diseases. Here are few benefits:
1) Good for Diabetes: Alpha lipoic acid an antioxidant found in spinach leaves lowers the glucose level and increases insulin sensitivity in diabetes patients. This useful antioxidant manages overall diabetes level in body.
2) Cancer Prevention: Consuming this green vegetable in your diet prevents you from free radicals causing cancers and it is due to 13 flavonoids found in it. These flavonoids act as antioxidants and prevent you from various cancers.
3) Good for Heart Health: Vitamin C and Vitamin A in greens leafy like this vegetable lowers the amount of free radicals from body, and folate and antioxidants play a vital role in creating good cardiovascular system.
4) Provide Strength to Bones: Spinach leaves can be good source of providing strength to bones and lowering the risk of bone fracture because this super food contain good amount of Vitamin K. Vitamin K improves the absorption of calcium which is a key for bones strength.
5) Good for Skin and Hair Health: The vegetable like this one containing high amount of Vitamin A and C keep your skin moisturize and play a vital role in growth of body tissues. Vitamin C maintains collagen which is very important in structuring skin and hair.