If you ask the vegetable market dealers about "what can you eat to replenish iron", many people will think of spinach first.
But is spinach reliable? What is the most worthwhile nutrition for this vegetable?
"Eating spinach can replenish iron", this is an old folk rumor. But in fact, it is really unreliable to replenish iron by eating spinach. Whether in terms of iron content or the form of iron, spinach is not a good choice for iron supplementation.
Spinach has mineral iron content of 2.9 mg/100 grams, and this iron content is actually not excellent among vegetables. Although it is 2.2 times the iron content of cabbage , it is not as high as that of celery. You should know that the iron content of celery can be as high as 6.9 mg/100 grams, and the iron content of carrots can reach 8.1 mg/100 grams. Even garlic has a content of 4.2 mg/100 grams.
In fact, many vegetables that people often eat have higher iron content than spinach. From this perspective, the little iron in spinach is really not an advantage.
In addition, the iron in spinach is non-heme iron, and the human body's absorption and utilization rate of this iron is only 2% to 20%, which is very low. If you pair it with some fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C, it can increase the absorption rate and contribute a little to iron supplementation.
However, the iron in animal food is generally heme iron, and the human body's absorption and utilization rate of this iron is 15% to 35%. For example, pig liver, red meat, razor clams, , etc. have a high absorption rate, which is more suitable for iron and blood replenishment.
Although you can't expect spinach to replenish iron, it does not mean that it has no advantages. Many of the nutrition of spinach is quite good.
β-carotene : β-carotene can be converted into vitamin A in the human body. It is not only beneficial to the health of the eyes, but also helps prevent saryngology, night blindness and cataract . There are literatures that people with high serum β-carotene levels have lower cataract rates than people with low serum β-carotene levels. According to data from the USDA nutrition database, the beta-carotene content in spinach is as high as 5630 micrograms/100 grams. Although it is not as high as carrots, it is worse than leeks, cabbage, coriander, etc. For office workers who need to face their mobile phones and computers frequently, it is recommended to eat them frequently.
lutein and zeaxanthin : lutein and zeaxanthin can reduce the risk of senile macular degeneration and cataracts. The content of lutein and zeaxanthin in spinach is 12,200 micrograms/100 grams, which is nearly 48 times that of carrots.
km0km: Adequate mineral potassium plays an important role in maintaining normal blood pressure and heart rate . According to the data from " Chinese Food Ingredients Table ", the potassium content in spinach is 311 mg/100 grams, which is 1.2 times the potassium content of bananas, which is more friendly to people with a need for stable blood pressure.
Folic acid : Folic acid is also called vitamin B9. The total amount of folic acid in spinach is 194 micrograms/100 grams, while cabbage is only 66 micrograms/100 grams. Folic acid deficiency can lead to an increase in the body's homocysteine levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease . For pregnant mothers, folic acid deficiency may lead to anemia and , miscarriage, premature birth, pregnancy hypertension, and even fetal neural tube malformation, cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, brainless children, etc. However, folic acid is water-soluble vitamin , which is easy to soluble in water and is easily lost during cooking. Therefore, for special groups, such as pregnant mothers, in addition to increasing their dietary intake of spinach, it is also recommended to take folic acid supplements.
Dietary fiber : Adequate intake of dietary fiber can not only increase the feeling of fullness, but also promote gastrointestinal motility and prevent constipation. The total dietary fiber content of spinach is 2.2 grams/100 grams, twice that of cabbage.
To sum up, although you can't expect to eat spinach to replenish iron, the above nutrition is still good. Spinach is still a good vegetable to recommend.
However, spinach has a high oxalic acid content. Oxalic acid will combine with calcium, zinc and other nutrients in the human body to produce calcium oxalate and oxalate such as zinc oxalate, reducing people's absorption and utilization rate of calcium, zinc, etc.Moreover, excessive intake of oxalic acid can also increase the risk of kidney stones .
But this is not a problem. Blanch the spinach before eating and remove most of the oxalic acid. However, don't blanch it for too long. Otherwise, not only will the loss of nutrients increase, but the spinach leaves will also discolor due to excessive heat, which will affect the appearance and lose appetite.
Overall, spinach is still a relatively nutritious vegetable, especially in terms of stabilizing blood pressure and eye health. You can eat something if you stay up late often.
Also recommended spinach pork liver soup is a traditional famous dish. This soup has the effect of promoting blood and nourishing blood, moistening dryness and slimming the intestines. Simple method.
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