Description
Pink Beauty Spinach is a tender green perfect for those looking to infuse magenta color into their culinary color palette. The tender, bright pink stems and soft, glossy green leave make this a gourmet spinach substitute. This one is especially refined and tasty. It hails from southern India, where you can find these greens sliced into ribbons and stir fried with chilies, garlic, curry leaf and grated fresh coconut. Thses greens are endlessly versatile, and are enjoyed raw and cooked. A powerhouse of nutrition and flavor.
Nutritional Benefits
Spinach is considered to be one of the world’s healthiest foods, with researchers identifying more than a dozen different types of flavonoid antioxidants alone that are present in spinach, not to mention all of its other vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients. Spinach nutrition has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities, and if you combine that with its very low amount of calories, it is easily one of the most nutrient-rich foods in existence.
So what is spinach, how can it improve your health and how can you add this nutritious leafy green into your diet? Let’s explore all you need to know about spinach nutrition.
Spinach is rich in many important nutrients, including vitamin K, vitamin A, folate and vitamin C, yet contains a very small amount of spinach calories in each serving. Additionally, although there are some carbs in spinach, it’s also very high in fiber, meaning it can help support regularity and keep blood sugar steady.
For comparison, the cooked spinach nutrition profile contains a more concentrated amount of several nutrients. There is more fiber and protein in spinach that has been cooked, plus a higher amount of several vitamins and minerals like vitamin K and vitamin A.
Cooked spinach nutrition also contains some zinc, niacin, sodium and selenium as well.
Additionally, it’s important to note that although spinach nutrition contains iron and calcium, these nutrients are not well-absorbed by the body. In fact, spinach is thought to be one of the least bioavailable food sources of calcium. (3)
This is because spinach contains absorption-inhibiting substances, including high levels of oxalic acid. (4) Oxalic acid molecules, also referred to as oxalates, are a type of antinutrient that bind to calcium and iron in the body and prevent the body from actually absorbing them. High levels of oxalates are known to make iron and calcium far less absorbable, prevent their use and contribute to their excretion from the body through the urine.
- Protects Against Cancer
- Defends Against Heart Disease
- Boosts Immunity
- Stabilizes Blood Sugar
- Maintains Healthy Vision
- Supports Bone Health
- Keeps Skin Glowing
- Aids in Detoxification
- Preserves Brain Health
- High in Magnesium
Recipes
Proper Storage
Store your greens or lettuce in a sealed bag or container with a paper towel on the bottom and even one half way through the pile, in your refrigerator.
Greens and lettuce contain moisture which helps them keep then crisp and tasty. If exposed to the conditioned air circulating in the refrigerator, it will dehydrate your herbs and cause them to wither and become limp. The best methods to keep them fresh and crisp is to help them retain their moisture without laying in water which causes them to rot quicker.
Extra greens can be frozen for later use by placing them in a freezer bag and drawing all the air out, without smashing your greens, before sealing the bag. One technique is placing the greens in a freezer bag and sealing the bag almost all the way closed. Then with your mouth suck the air out of the bag, then sealing the last portion of the seal while still sucking on the corner of the bag. This draws the air out without physical force cracking your greens.
Helpful Info
Helpful info coming soon...