Today’s topic: Spinach!
Yes, I’m really going to write a paragraph or two on spinach. Stay with me.
One of the issues with spinach is many vegetarians rely on it for their main source of iron and vitamins. However I have met many spinach-aholics that have discovered they have an iron or vitamin deficiency. Why is this? From my research I have found three issues that might be interfering with the absorption of iron and other vitamins and minerals found in spinach and other foods.
1.) Avoiding eating fat along with this superfood. A study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who ate their veggies with a fat-free dressing did not absorb as much of the nutrients and vitamins from their salad as those who ate their salad with a dressing containing fat. This is mainly because many nutrients are fat-soluble. Your body will not be able to fully break these down into a usable form without this fat.
Now, if you’re worried about adding extra fat on your diet, don’t be. All it takes is a very small amount to increase your absorption. Of course this should be a “good fat” like extra virgin olive oil, flax seed, avocado or a few nuts. And really, this goes beyond spinach. We should really be including a good fat with every meal to get the most out of our food.
3.) Spinach contains non-heme iron, as opposed to heme iron found in meat and shellfish. Studies show that this type of iron is not as easily absorbed UNLESS we add an absorption enhancer. The easiest one: vitamin c. So just adding some tomatoes or lemon juice should do the trick.
2.) Eating only raw spinach. Now I know all you raw foodies out there may have a problem with this. And yes, there is some evidence that cooking might destroy some vitamins in some of our foods. However, this is usually only if its overcooked and it is a small percentage of loss at that.
We have to look at bioavailability. That is to say, the degree to which or rate that a substance is absorbed or becomes available. Now this is where it gets tricky because this varies. It appears that certain foods maintain their nutritional integrity better when they are cooked and some do not. So, what about spinach? Spinach contains tons of carotenoids. Beta-carotene is an example of a carotenoid, which converts into Vitamin A in the body. This is prevalent in spinach and oh so good for you, but it’s absorption rate can be as low as 1-2% when left raw. Mild heating, such as steaming, appears to improve the extractability of beta-carotene from vegetables, and also its bioavailability.
Now, if you really want to get the most out of it I would suggest blending it in to your smoothies, but I offered the other research because I have a feeling I’m not going to get anyone to eat a blended salad.
My conclusion is that variety is always the key. Try eating your spinach in different ways: raw, cooked, blended and juiced. Add a good fat and a little bit of lemon juice and you will be sure to get the best of this wonderful green.
Article by Sunshine K.
Sources: http://www.naturalnews.com/001545.html
http://www.parentingscience.com/iron-absorption.html
Great article! And yes, variety is the key. Variety not only in the way we eat the spinach but also in the variety of dark green leafy veggies too (I do realize this was an article about spinach…). Change it up everyday.
And you don’t have to talk me into eating a salad smoothie! I do it practically every day! Every time I walk into my house it smells like a juice bar. I pause and take in a deep breath – mmmmmmmm!
Thanks Laurel!
I love that you do green smoothies! Thanks for the comment!
Anytime! Mua!
This is awesome Sunshine! I miss oogling your always-yummy food.
Thanks Mary! Miss YOU! More to come!
I agree, and thanks for writing this Sunny. I’ve learned that its going to be a very hard ride for me as a vegetarian to get “lean”. I’ve also learned that eating at least half an avacado a day will help keep your tummy flatter, your good fats up, and now help absorb nutrients better. Thanks so much for posting this!