Nutritional scientists have advocated people eating a green vegetable – which has more vitamin C than oranges. Harvard experts recommend spinach as a powerful ally for our immune system.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, has several great benefits including helping to protect cells and keeping them healthy, maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage and helping with wound healing.
Chinese civilisation has the first record of spinach in the 7th century, while in the 11th century, this vegetable was introduced to Spain, from where it spread to the rest of Europe and then to the rest of the world. Consumption has grown significantly in recent years, driven by increasing awareness of the importance of a balanced and healthy diet.
Spinach is a type of vegetable easy to find in supermarkets where fresh, frozen, and packaged varieties are available. Elisabeth Moore, dietitian at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, affiliated with Harvard, said: “Vegetables vary in terms of their content and nutrient density, flavour, and texture.”
Among this variety, spinach is recognised as one of the most nutritious vegetables we can incorporate into our diet, according to Harvard specialists. Besides vitamin C, these green leaves stand out as an excellent source of vitamins A, K, and folic acid, nutrients that are fundamental for the proper functioning of the immune system.
Spinach is a source of antioxidants like carotenoids and lutein, which help combat oxidative stress and protect cells from premature ageing. They are also very rich in fibre, which helps regulate bowel movements and contributes to better digestion, reducing inflammation.
Vitamin A, which spinach contains, is vital for the production and function of white blood cells, which are essential in defending against pathogens. Additionally, vitamin K content is crucial for bone health and cardiovascular system health.
The NHS says: “Adults aged 19 to 64 need 40mg of vitamin C a day. You should be able to get all the vitamin C you need from your daily diet. Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, so you need it in your diet every day.”
Nutritional scientist Tim Spector has advocated people adding it to their daily diets and explained that eating frozen vegetables preserves Vitamin C better meaning people should freeze spinach to add it into different dishes over a longer period more easily.
He said: “Like me, You probably always thought that fresh food is always the best option. Don’t be a snob when it comes to frozen foods or canned foods that can often be lifesavers. An example is frozen spinach, and actually the freezing process and the way it’s packed up means that those nutrients in spinach are perfectly preserved, so you don’t lose anything from buying the fresh product.”
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