This Is What Happens To The Body When We Eat Spinach Every Day

1. Can Curb Your Appetite

Image source: Reddit

Studies suggested that thylakoid extracts from plants, such as spinach, may reduce your appetite. This is because they can lower the levels of a hunger hormone and then they raise the hormones that make you feel full. Thylakoids can also make your stomach empty later.

2. May Help Prevent Osteoporosis

Image source: Reddit

Spinach contains calcium, manganese and vitamin K, all important nutrients for healthy bones. Your body is constantly getting rid of and rebuilding bone tissue. Osteoporosis is a condition which makes your bones weak and break easily and it happens when the amount of new bone isn't replacing enough of the broken down bone. If you don't get enough calcium throughout your life, your chances of getting osteoporosis could be higher.

3. May Keep Eyes Healthy

Image source: Reddit

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the carotenoids in spinach that can lower your chances of having long term eye conditions. For example, like vitamin C, they may lower your odds of getting cataracts. You also get loads of vitamin A from spinach, which is known to supports good vision.

4. Could Fight Free Radicals

Image source: Reddit

You can get your supply of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, with spinach being no exception. Antioxidants limit the harm that molecules can do to "free radicals."  Cell damage from free radicals could play a role in illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and Parkinson's disease.

5. Boosts Hydration

Image source: Pexels

You will probably be of the opinion that sipping water and other drinks, both hot and cold, are the only ways you can keep yourself hydrated. Food can help this process and reach your daily goal. Spinach is a vegetable that is practically all water. Add it to your snacks and meals during the day for extra H2O.

6. Can Cut Risk of Iron Deficiency Anaemia

Image source: Reddit

Spinach is an awesome vegetarian source of iron, a mineral required to help red blood cells bring oxygen to the different parts  of your body. When you have don't have enough iron, you can get iron deficiency anaemia. This is a condition that might make you feel weak and dizzy.

7. May Strengthen Immune System

Image source:  Health Shots

Spinach contains vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin E and magnesium, that support your body's immune system. This system helps keep you safe from viruses and bacteria that go on to cause disease. It also defends your body against other things that can hurt you, like toxins. Mix spinach with other healthy foods and get that boost!

8. May Assist Baby Development

Image source: Reddit

There is lots of folate in spinach. This vitamin can go towards preventing neural tube birth defects like spina bifida in babies. This is why your doctor might encourage you to take a supplement with folic acid, the man-made version of folate, if you are pregnant. You also get vitamin B6 from spinach, for baby's brain to develop in the womb.

9. Can Support Cardiovascular Health

Image source: Reddit

Studies have suggested that inorganic nitrate, present in spinach, may lower your chances of getting heart disease. Research has shown that it can lower your blood pressure and make your arteries less stiff. You also get potassium from spinach, which helps keep your heart in tip top condition.

10. Acts As An Anti-Inflammatory

Image source: Medical News Today

Inflammation is part of the process that helps your body mends itself after you get hurt. However, long term inflammation can be unhealthy so eating foods like spinach which have anti-inflammatory properties, is one way you can help reduce the inflammation in your body.

11. May Assist Wound Recovery

Image source: Reddit

Vitamin C, present in spinach, has many benefits, including helping your body make collagen, which it requires to repair injuries. Vitamin C also assists your body increase the amount of iron it absorbs from plant-based foods. This also supports the healing process in the body.

12.  Could Keep Your Body Relaxed

Image source: Psychology Today

Studies have reported that eating a good sized portion of spinach every day can keep your mind calm and help you deal with stress. This is due to its high source of zinc and magnesium which enables you to get a good night's sleep so more encouraged to tackle issues during the day.

13. May Help Brain Function

Image source: Reddit

This leafy green may help the smooth functioning of your brain, especially during later life when it's easy to become forgetful at times, due to brain cells dying off. Spinach contains vitamin K which can go towards a healthy nervous system when consumed daily or as often as you can manage it.

14. Can Give You Glowing Skin

Image source: Reddit

Your skin is the largest organ in the body (yes, it is considered an organ!) and it is the most sensitive part. If you are looking for a glowing skin texture, eat spinach every day, together with other vitamin packed fruit and vegetables and lots of water. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K, all present in spinach, can play an important role in having healthy skin.

15. May Prevent Acne

Image source: Reddit

Acne can be a debilitating skin condition that can affect your self confidence as well as leaving permanent skin scars.  As spinach can go towards easing inflammation, it could be beneficial to eat it every day to go towards stopping flare ups. You can also make a spinach facial mask, making it into a paste with some water and applying to the face for 20 minutes.

16. Contains Natural Anti-Ageing Properties

Image source: Reddit

Spinach is loaded with antioxidants that may help destroy and prevent free radicals that can cause premature ageing. If you are in a hurry in the morning and are going to be out all day, prepare a spinach smoothie the night before and drink it first thing. You'll be glad you did!

17. May Increase Risk Of Kidney Stones

Image source: Reddit

Spinach has so many health benefits but it also has a few risks attached to it for a minority of individuals. It contains oxalates which are the compounds that can form stones in the kidneys. Dehydration or not enough liquid drunk during the day may exacerbate the condition.

18. May Interfere With Blood Thinners

Image source: Reddit

Many middle aged Americans are on blood thinners, most commonly Warfarin. Research has reported that spinach could reduce the effectiveness of these thinners which don't mix well with the high levels of vitamin K, present in spinach. You should speak to a health professional if you are concerned.

19. May Hinder Mineral Absorption

Image source: Reddit

There was a large study back in 2017 and results found that the intake of oxalate-rich foods, such as spinach, could inhibit minerals absorption. This could lead to nutrient deficiencies of calcium and magnesium, possibly resulting in an electrolyte imbalance.

20. May Aggravate Symptoms Of Gout

Image source: Reddit

As spinach contains purines, the chemical compounds that are thought to contribute towards gout, advice should be taken as to how safe it is for sufferers. Gout is a common cause of chronic inflammatory arthritis and the pain and swelling can be painful. Many Americans suffer with gout according to research.

21. Could Improve Gut Health

Image source: Reddit

We hear so much about gut health these days and recent studies have shown that a sugar present in spinach can energise the good bacteria and limits the bad bacteria, such as E.coli. Spinach is a great source of fibre and plant chemicals which can help support the function of a healthy gut.

22. It Can Help Your Locks

Image source: Reddit

There are so many products on the beauty counter shelves that promise to make your hair shiny and healthy, from the follicle to the very ends of your locks. Spinach may go towards this process as folate and iron, together with vitamin A, can help boost hair growth and encourage the scalp glands to produce sebum, a natural conditioner.

23. The Nutrients Work Together

Image source: Reddit

One of the great thing about spinach is the vitamin C it contains but even better is the non-heme iron present in it. Together, these two nutrients can be absorbed into the digestive tract and may stop you feeling bloated, aid constipation and give you more energy.

24. It May Prevent Bruising

Image source: Reddit

The vitamin C present in spinach is thought to improves collagen production. Collagen is the protein that supplies your skin with strength and structure. Without it, the blood vessels are at risk of bursting, causing unsightly bruising. So, besides being a vegetable to add to your 5-a-day, the health benefits could be great.

25. May Reduce Risk Of Alzheimer's

Image source: Reddit

Researchers from Rush University found that people who consumed one serving of a green leafy vegetable like spinach every day,  had the same cognitive function as a person 11 years younger who didn't eat any green leafy vegetables. Spinach could reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer's and further studies are being carried out.

26. Enjoy A Variety

Image source: Reddit

You can eat spinach every day and gain its health advantages. Enjoy raw in a salad or blended into a smoothie to benefit from its folate content. You can also sauté spinach or even steam it without losing too many nutrients. Frozen spinach is an option for soups, stews and egg dishes. Remember to defrost and squeeze out the extra water first.

27. Raw Or Cooked?

Image source: Panning The Globe

This will depend on the benefits you are after. Firstly, raw spinach is not advised on a low oxalate diet, so you should lightly cook the leaves to reduce oxalic acid. High levels of oxalic acid may reduce the body’s ability to absorb iron and calcium, leading to deficiencies over time.

28. How Much Is Enough?

Image source: Simply Lebanese

The great news is that spinach provides positive health benefits. Although it is difficult to put a limit on how much you should eat, professionals say a moderate amount on a daily or weekly basis is safe for the majority of people. Exceptions would apply to those with specific health conditions!

29. Smart Shopping

Image source: Watch Learn Eat

When you are buying spinach, be sure to look for leaves that have a vivid green color and that the stems don't look yellow. You should also avoid bundles of spinach with leaves that look droopy or have bruises on them. Definitely do not purchase if the spinach looks slimy.

30. Storage Tips

Image source: Reddit

If you wash your spinach in cold water before you store it, it is more likely to go bad.  You should keep the spinach in the refrigerator in a plastic bag that's suitable for storing food. Make sure you wrap the bag tightly around the leafy greens and when you close the bag, get rid of all the air. This should help it stay fresh for up to 5 days.

31. The side effects of eating too much spinach: vitamin K overdose

image source: reddit.com

Spinach is packed with vitamin K, which is a good thing in the right doses. Vitamin K is a crucial vitamin for a lot of things, including bone health and its anti-inflammatory properties. If you consume a huge amount of spinach, there's a risk of vitamin K toxicity, which can result in sickness, jaundice and blood issues, like problems with clotting or interference with blood thinning medication.

32. It could interfere with any medications

image source: reddit.com

As mentioned, blood-thinning medication is a risk, and spinach can also interfere with other medications, weakening their effectiveness in doing their job. Medications most at risk of being affected by too much spinach consumption are blood pressure medications, thyroid medications and certain antibiotics. You could also get toxicity in the body from the medications themselves if the spinach prevents them from leaving the body like they're supposed to!

33. Heavy metal toxicity

image source: reddit.com

Spinach is able to absorb certain heavy metals from the soil where it grows, like lead and cadmium. If you're eating a ton of this leafy green vegetable, then it also runs the risk that you're consuming a high amount of these heavy metals, which can lead to health risks. This can include the risk of kidney damage, nerve damage or even development issues in children.

34. Renal failure

image source: reddit.com

Spinach has a high content of oxalates, which can be involved in the forming of kidney stones. If you're having a high content of spinach over time, and therefore lots of oxalates, this can run the risk of chronic kidney disease - or even failure of the renal system. Oxalates are able to bond with calcium in the body, which can form calcium crystals that lead to kidney stones.

35. Hypertension risks

image source: reddit.com

Spinach has many great health benefits, but it's also high in sodium. Small amounts aren't anything to worry about, but if you're having a load of spinach, that means a high amount of sodium - which isn't good for the body. High amounts of sodium can run higher risks of hypertension (high blood pressure), so you definitely don't want to be eating a huge amount of spinach alongside other food high in sodium, like TV dinners.

36. More risks if you're pregnant

image source: reddit.com

It's always important to double check about certain foods when you're pregnant. Spinach is an all-round healthy food, but if you're eating way too much of it during pregnancy, you run the risk of the vitamin K overdose and heavy metal consumption we spoke about. With the latter, this could cause development problems in the fetus, and the vitamin K situation could affect the blood.

37. It could trigger IBS

image source: reddit.com

It's not known for certain whether too much spinach directly causes IBS flareups, but if you already suffer from bad IBS, spinach has the potential to make it worse. This is because spinach is high in fiber, so you might have issues with bloating and gas after eating too much of it. Be sure to monitor spinach intake in relation to IBS flareups.

38. You might have an intolerance

image source: reddit.com

It's also possible you just have a general intolerance to spinach, no matter the amount you're consuming. Because of the various compounds found in spinach, like oxalates and histamines, some people might have a negative reaction to it and find that their body doesn't tolerate spinach very well. Be sure to pay attention to how your body reacts when you eat spinach.

39. You might get stomach pain

image source: reddit.com

If you have a very sensitive stomach or you have other issues with digestion in general, it's possible that eating a lot of spinach may also result in stomach pain and discomfort - and this might also be in line with IBS if you already suffer from that. As mentioned before, spinach always runs the risk of causing bloating and gas, too, because of the high levels of fiber.

40. The myth about eating spinach at night

image source: reddit.com

We all know that you shouldn't eat a huge meal very late at night, as it can mess up your digestion system and your sleep pattern - but there's also a myth that you shouldn't eat spinach specifically very late at night. There's no evidence whether this is true or not, as spinach is a healthy option no matter the time of day. But if you have any of the above negative side effects from eating it, it's probably not best to try before bed!

41. How to get more spinach into your diet

image source: reddit.com

As long as you aren't overdoing it on your daily spinach intake, then it's definitely a hugely healthy vegetable you should be eating enough of. A lot of people can struggle getting spinach in their diet, though, as it's easily forgotten about as a good ingredient for many different dishes! If you're too used to making a basic sandwich for work, you might forget about spinach. So here are some great ways to get more of it!

42. Put spinach in a smoothie

image source: reddit.com

If you have a smoothie maker or a blender and you're always making yourself some healthy and delicious fruit smoothies, one of the best ways you can get a big dose of spinach without having to worry about cooking it is just to throw some fresh spinach into your smoothie! If you don't overly like the taste, even just a few leaves will add key nutrients.

43. Throw spinach into any rice or pasta dish

image source: reddit.com

Honestly, spinach is just easily thrown in with anything and everything - even if your recipe doesn't call for it, there's nothing wrong with adding a handful of spinach to whatever rich dish or pasta dish you're cooking. It won't ruin the flavor and you probably won't even notice it's there! And it only needs a couple of minutes at the end of your meal's cooking time.

44. Try spinach snacks

image source: forkandbeans.com

You might also want to shop around for snacks with spinach already cooked in, like spinach chips instead of opting for your usual potato chips. Vegetable chips with spinach can be a great snack that you don't even need to do anything with - just grab the bag off the shelf and you're ready to go! Perfect for taking into work for a snack at your desk, too.

45. Bake into sweet treats

image source: reddit.com

We know that the earthy taste of spinach is an acquired one, and that's true of fussy kids or adults alike! But a good way to get the nutrients and mask the earthy taste can be to bake a little into sweet treats, like muffins or sweet breads, so that you won't even notice it's there! Perfect if your kids refuse to eat anything that isn't sweet (they'll never know!).

46. Make your own hummus

image source: reddit.com

Hummus is a popular choice for snacking these days - because it's delicious! - and the best kind is the kind you make yourself at home so it's healthier. If you make your own hummus anyway, there's no reason you can't blend some spinach leaves into your hummus - or any other healthy kind of vegetable, really! Get creative with your recipes.

47. Make it a pizza topping

image source: reddit.com

Okay, so we know that pizza isn't a health food, but you're allowed to eat it every once in a while - and if you do anyway, then you can afford to be more adventurous with the toppings! Especially if you're a vegetarian, spinach can be a really delicious pizza topping paired with things like onions, peppers and cheese. So you can try it next time you have one!

48. Add to your eggs for your omelet

image source: reddit.com

If you're someone who whips up omelets regularly, then you should definitely try adding spinach to your pan. Spinach is an ideal ingredient for an omelet because it reduces in size and won't affect the bulk of your omelet, so it'll easily fit into the cooking process! You can use both fresh and frozen spinach to add to any omelet you're cooking - perfect for a healthy breakfast!

49. Buy fresh spinach instead of frozen

image source: reddit.com

If you keep a bag or two of fresh spinach in your fridge, you're more likely to see it than you would if it was hiding in the back of the freezer. And because fresh spinach has a shorter use by date, you're more inclined to feel the pressure to get it eaten and not waste it! Fresh spinach will also be easier to grab to throw in things like smoothies, so you don't have to worry about cooking it.

50. Use spinach instead of lettuce

image source: reddit.com

Most of us have lettuce as a go-to for making our lunch sandwiches, wraps, salads or anything else needing a little something on the side. If you replace your lettuce usage with spinach then you can get more spinach into your diet because you'll be adding it to your daily sandwiches and meals in an easy way. You don't have to do anything differently with the food you're eating that way, either!