Photo: Recipe photo: Morgan Hunt Glaze. EatingWell design. Key Takeaways Spinach is a great source of nutrients like iron, fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K. It provides many benefits, like supporting your digestion and strengthening your bones. Its mild flavor and tender texture make it an easy […]
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Key Takeaways
- Spinach is a great source of nutrients like iron, fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K.
- It provides many benefits, like supporting your digestion and strengthening your bones.
- Its mild flavor and tender texture make it an easy addition to salads, smoothies and pastas.
With dozens of leafy greens to choose from, spinach stands out as a top choice for many thanks to its tender texture, mild flavor and impressive health benefits. “Spinach is an excellent source of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, K and iron, which make it a nutrient-dense food to support overall health,” says Wan Na Chun, M.P.H., RD, CPT, a registered dietitian based in Indianapolis, IN. Whether you’re looking to boost your iron intake, support strong bones or hit your daily vegetable goals, eating more spinach can help. Keep reading to learn more about the health benefits of regularly eating spinach, precautions to consider and tasty ways to enjoy this versatile green veggie.
Health Benefits of Spinach
Regularly eating spinach as part of a healthy, balanced diet supports a wide range of health goals.
May Lower Your Blood Pressure
Nitrates are compounds that often get a bad rap due to their association with cured meats. However, it’s important to note that these compounds can also be naturally found in foods like leafy greens and root vegetables, providing some health benefits. And spinach is one of the best sources. “Spinach is naturally high in nitrates and has been shown to support heart health by reducing blood pressure and arterial stiffness,” says Chun. Nitrates from spinach are converted into nitric oxide in the body, which acts as a vasodilator, improving blood flow through the arteries.1
One older and small study found that healthy adults who ate a bowl of spinach soup daily for a week had lowered blood pressure measures and reduced markers of arterial stiffness compared to those who ate a bowl of low-nitrate soup.2 While other studies have found similar results in healthy individuals, those with high blood pressure don’t seem to experience the same benefits.3
May Support Your Eye Health
Carrots may come to mind when you think of foods that are good for eye health, but spinach may have an advantage when it comes to eating for healthy eyes and vision. While spinach has more vitamin A than a carrot, it’s also rich in antioxidants, vitamins E and C; all essential nutrients for healthy eyes, according to the American Optometric Association.4
“Spinach is high in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which can improve eye health and potentially reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD),” says Chun. Research has found that these two antioxidants may play a role in reducing the risk of cataracts and the formation and progression of ARMD. What’s more, lutein may help protect the retina from diabetes-induced oxidative stress.5
May Improve Your Digestion
If you’re struggling to stay “regular,” eating more spinach could help reduce constipation and keep things moving along in your digestive tract. Spinach is a good source of fiber and water, two nutrients that support a regular digestive system. One cup of cooked spinach has over 4 grams of fiber.6 And while you’d have to eat about 5 cups of raw spinach to get this same amount of fiber, enjoying it sautéed, in soups or smoothies makes it easy to eat a higher volume of spinach.
May Keep Your Bones Strong
Keeping strong bones should be on everyone’s mind since it’s estimated that one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.7 Spinach is a great source of vitamin K, which helps support the mineralization of bone.8 But, spinach is also high in oxalates that bind calcium and prevent it from reaching bone. So to prevent this, eat spinach separately from calcium-rich foods or supplements.
May Boost Your Iron Levels
Iron deficiency is a pretty common condition, with about 1 in 4 Americans either having inadequate iron intake or absorption. If you constantly experience low energy levels, an iron deficiency might be the culprit.9 Yet, eating spinach can help remediate this. One cup of cooked spinach has over a third of your daily iron requirements. As a reference, the recommended daily intake of iron is 18 mg for adults.10 “[Because of its high iron content], spinach supports hemoglobin production, a protein that helps carry oxygen throughout your blood,” says Megan Huff, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist. While the iron in spinach can be difficult to absorb, eating it with foods high in vitamin C, like strawberries, sweet peppers and oranges, can help your body absorb more.11
Might Reduce Your Risk of Certain Cancers
Research has shown that diets high in fruits and vegetables, including spinach, may help lower the risk of certain types of cancers.12 More specifically, spinach’s high amount of folate might help reduce the risk of colon cancer.13 However, more research is needed to confirm this benefit.
May Increase Healthy Gut Microbiome
The fiber and unique compounds found in spinach can help good gut bacteria thrive. One small study on women with polycystic ovary syndrome found that thylakoids, a compound found in chlorophyll (which spinach has a lot of), may help strengthen the gut lining by reducing intestinal permeability, protecting your body from invaders.14
Additionally, researchers have discovered a sulfur-containing sugar called sulfoquinovose in leafy greens like spinach. When gut bacteria break down this sugar, they produce hydrogen sulfide, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Although it can also produce some unpleasant-smelling gas.15
Spinach Nutrition Facts
Here’s what you’ll find in one cup of cooked spinach:6
- Calories: 41
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Total Sugar: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Total Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 126 mg, 5% DV
- Calcium: 245 mg, 19% DV
- Iron: 6 mg, 36% DV
- Potassium: 839 mg, 18% DV
- Vitamin A: 843 mcg, 105% DV
- Vitamin C: 18 mg, 20% DV
- Folate: 263 mcg, 66% DV
- Vitamin K: 889 mcg, 740% DV
Potential Downsides and Precautions
Huff explains that while there are not really any drawbacks to eating spinach, some people may need to be mindful of their intake. Certain compounds and nutrients in spinach may interact with your medications or supplements and may cause adverse effects for some people.
- Interactions with blood thinners: Since spinach is rich in vitamin K, people taking blood thinners like Coumadin or warfarin should keep their intake of spinach and other vitamin K-rich foods consistent to avoid interactions that could impact blood clotting.
- Calcium absorption: If you take a calcium supplement, it’s best to avoid eating spinach at the same time. The oxalates in spinach bind to calcium, making it harder for your body to absorb the mineral.
- Kidney stone risk: Huff explains that if you’re susceptible to kidney stones, you may also want to limit your spinach intake. As oxalates bind to calcium, they form calcium oxalate crystals, increasing some people's risk of kidney stone formation.
5 Ways to Enjoy Spinach
Because of its mild flavor and tender texture, you can enjoy spinach raw or cooked. Plus, it’s very versatile, so you can easily add it to a variety of savory and sweet dishes.
- Add it to soups: Chun recommends adding spinach to soups and stews as a quick and easy way to incorporate more veggies. Because large spinach leaves wilt easily when heated, it’s a great way to boost your meal's nutrients without the extra step of chopping or dicing.
- Use in smoothies: “Smoothies are a great place to include spinach because the taste is undetectable, and it easily adds a boost of vitamins and minerals,” says Chun. If this doesn’t sound to appealing for you, we can assure you that you can barely tell it's there when combined with flavorful fruits like berries.
- Mix it in salads: Leafy greens are a great way to spruce up any salad with more nutrients and brighter color. “I love meal-prepping salads with spinach as the base,” says Huff. Since spinach is heartier than many lettuces, it’s less likely to wilt or absorb moisture when mixed with other ingredients for meal prep.
- Try it in pastas: Because a large amount of raw spinach turns into a small amount of cooked spinach, it’s a great way to add extra nutrients and flavor to any pasta or rice dish. Just toss a few handfuls of spinach in at the end of cooking.
- Stir it into eggs: Spinach can also have a place in your breakfast. Try adding some to your quiche or frittata before throwing it in the oven. You can also scramble it with eggs in a skillet for a quick and easy breakfast.
Top Spinach Recipes to Try
Cucumber-Blueberry Spinach Salad 5.0 Gut-Friendly Green Wellness Shot 5.0 Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries 4.7
The Bottom Line
Spinach is a nutrient-rich leafy green with a wide range of health benefits, from helping lower your blood pressure to supporting your digestion and strengthening your bones. And its mild flavor and tender texture make it easy to add it to a wide variety of dishes. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and other powerful bioactive compounds that make it a healthy option for most people. However, if you take blood thinners, calcium supplements or are susceptible to kidney stones, you may want to talk to your doctor to discuss your spinach intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it good to eat spinach every day?
Including leafy greens like spinach in your daily diet is a great way to up your vegetable intake. But there’s no need to stick to just spinach. Regularly eating a variety of leafy greens, like spinach, collards and kale, can increase the nutrient diversity in your diet.
- Is spinach healthier raw or cooked?
Spinach is a healthy leafy green, whether you eat it raw or cooked, with each form offering a unique benefit. “Raw spinach is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K,and folate, while cooking spinach reduces its oxalate content, making calcium, iron and magnesium more bioavailable,” says Huff.
- Does spinach clean your gut?
Spinach is rich in fiber and water, which can help keep your digestive system regular. Many bioactive compounds in spinach also help feed gut bacteria, supporting a healthy gut microbiome.
