WHAT IS SPINACH, WHAT ARE ITS NUTRITIONAL FACTS AND HOW IT IS BENEFICIAL FOR HUMANS
Scientific name: Spinacia oleracea
Taxonomic hierarchy of Spinacia oleracea
Kingdom: Plantae
Sub kingdom: Viridiplantae
Infra kingdom: Streptophyta
Super division: Embryophyta
Division: Tracheophyta
Sub division: Spermatophytina
Class: Magnoliopsida
Super order: Caryophyllanae
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Genus: Spinacia
Specie: Spinacia oleracea
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae, is a leafy, green (smooth or wrinkled) cool-season, annual vegetable native to South-west Asia. It is cultivated through out the world. In different areas around the globe it is consumed in different forms, either in boiled, frozen, raw (as salad), or as ingredient of different cuisines.
Origin of Spinach:
It is believed that it has been first cultivated by Arabs. About 2000 years ago, it was first grown in Persia ( today's Iran). Then, in 7th century it was harvested in China and then in 11th century it was introduced in Europe. Later on, it become a common vegetable and also used as medicine throughout the world.
Spinach has diversified uses in food industry but inspire of that it has vital role in medicine, because of the many nutrients present in it. It has many proven benefits on human health.
NUTRIENTS
Spinach is enriched with many nutrients that play a key role in many metabolic processes and prevent humans from developing many diseases.
- Spinach is packed with minerals, they may be micronutrients or macronutrients. These minerals include magnesium, manganese, iron, calcium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. They are essential in many biochemical reactions as co-factor and in blood making i.e in the formation of haemoglobin.
- Spinach is also enriched with vitamins like vitamin A (from beta-carotene), vitamin C, E, K1 and some vitamins B like vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B6 . They help in blood clotting, strengthening bones and many other functions.
- Spinach is also enriched with many fibers, including protein fibres.
- Phytochemicals are of the most importance in spinach. These include carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, beta-carotene along with many phenolic compounds such as glutathione, chlorophyll, alpha-lipoic acid and betaine.
- Spinach contains phenolic substances ranging from very simple to complex ones. They include simple phenols like caffeic acid to highly polymerised structures as tannis. Most common phenols in spinach include flavonoids, lignans, stilbenes, coumarins and tannis.
- Spinach has high contents of folate ions which contributes for good mental health and lower the risk of anxiety disorders and depression. It is also taken as supplement while pregnancy.
- Spinach is also enriched with omega 3, which is a potent source of brain development.
[HOW SPINACH IS USEFUL FOR HUMANS OR HOW DO IT PREVENTS HUMANS FROM MANY CHRONIC DISEASES]
- Spinach is used as antioxidant to scavenge free radicals.
- Spinach is used to prevent or cure many types of cancer including prostate, breast and colon cancer.
- Spinach is used to treat diabetes Mellitus.
- It has many beneficial effects on skin .
- Due to high contents of iron in spinach, it is useful to increase the blood haemoglobin level.
- It is very helpful to avoid Alzheimer's disease. It has also many positive effects on decreasing cognitive nervous disorders because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Spinach protects us from developing many diseases, especially age related molecular degeneration (AMD) due to the presence of a compound known as lutein.
Spinach have many medicinal compounds present in it which helps to cure wide range of diseases. One category of these compounds is flavonoids. Flavonoids are the major anti-diabetic substances present in spinach and most of the medicinal plants.
FLAVONOIDS:
Basic structure of flavonoid
Flavonoids are the polyphenolic compounds with variable structure. These are wide spread group of plants secondary metabolites. They are found in grains, vegetables, fruits tea, flowers and fermented drinks like wine. These substances have medicinal, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical applications.
Flavonoids include kaempferol, quercetin, apigenin and lutein.
They have anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic properties. These substances also have the ability to modulate key cellular enzyme activity and because of this property, they possess hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic characteristics. Researches have shown that these compounds ameliorate diabetic phenotype and might be effected directly to enhance the secretions of insulin and prevent stem-cell apoptosis.
