Game World!: can spinach help lose weight?

How Can Spinach Help You Lose Weight

This dish will convert even the biggest spinach skeptics into fans of the leafy green.

By David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding

Updated on December 13, 2019 | 10:41 AM

Vegan garlic lemon spinach in a bowl

Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

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When naming this recipe, we purposefully put the word "spinach" at the end so as not to scare you off. Even though spinach is clearly what gave Popeye the Sailor Man his extreme cartoon strength, adults and children alike tend to scrunch up their noses at the thought of consuming it at meal time. Spinach got its bad reputation among finicky eaters because most people have had to endure plates of plain boiled or steamed greens, which taste like nothing but chlorophyll. It's exactly this experience that our recipes work to avoid. Eating healthy doesn't have to taste bad! The problem tends to be that more often than not, our memories of eating the things that are most beneficial and nutritious for our bodies are with meals that offered little flavor. A fatty steak would taste less exciting if it wasn't made with the right seasonings, and the same goes for low-calorie, healthy foods like spinach. In this spinach recipe, we create a version that is rich with garlic and red pepper-infused olive oil, and are confident that it will manage to convert the most closed-minded skeptics. And let's just say, we think cartoon Popeye would approve, too.

NUTRITION: 80 calories, 4 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 280 mg sodium

SERVES 4

YOU'LL NEED

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Pinch red pepper flakes

2 bunches spinach, stems removed, washed and dried

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and black pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE IT

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté or saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook gently for about 3 minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned.

Add the spinach and cook, moving the uncooked spinach to the bottom of the pan with tongs, for about 5 minutes, until fully wilted.

Drain off any excess water from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Eat This Tip

The key to eating healthy is to keep your food exciting, which often means keeping it varied. A great way to keep this recipe exciting (especially after you make it several times) is to switch up the kind of olive oil you're using. This recipe calls for a red pepper-infused olive oil, but you can just as easily choose a sun-dried tomato infused version, or even basil-infused. Try a few options and see which ones you like best!

Love this recipe? Subscribe to our Eat This, Not That! magazine for even more at-home cooking and healthy eating ideas.

3.3/5 (50 Reviews)

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EASY RECIPES // HEALTHY SIDE DISH RECIPES

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We’re all familiar with Popeye and his spinach-snacking ways, eating can after can of spinach to help build his muscles – but is spinach as good for us as it is for Popeye and will it help us on our weight loss plans?

Well – yes! It contains loads of nutrients, including protein, fibre, vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium and more, but what makes it so good for weight loss is the high fibre content. This fibre means that a weight loss recipe that includes spinach will keep you fuller for longer – plus, spinach is very low in fat and calories making it an excellent ingredient for bulking out meals. Here’s five ways with spinach.

Spinach & Squash Curry

Ingredients:

1 onion

400g tin chopped tomatoes, most of the juice drained

2 tbsp. curry paste of your choice

200ml water

1 butternut squash

200g baby spinach

Oil spray

Salt and pepper to taste

Method of Preparation:

Thinly slice the onion. Peel the butternut squash and remove any seeds, then chop into small dice.

Heat oil spray in a frying pan and cook the onion for 5-8 minutes until softened and slightly browned. Add the curry paste and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Add tomatoes, squash and water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until the squash is tender.

Add the spinach and simmer for another couple of minutes until wilted, then season to taste.

Use whatever veggies you have to hand to plump this curry out a bit. Serve with steamed rice or low fat naan bread. Recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 145.

Thick & Creamy Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

Oil spray

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

500g baby spinach leaves

1 potato

450ml chicken stock

550ml skim milk

½ tsp. grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Method of Preparation:

Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Peel the potato and chop into cubes.

Put oil spray into a pan and add chopped onion and garlic. Cook gently, so the garlic doesn’t burn, until the onion is soft. Add the potato and cook for a minute or so, then add the stock and simmer for ten minutes.

Add the milk and half the spinach then cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the potato and spinach are tender. Put into a blender and blitz until smooth, then add the rest of the spinach, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste, then blitz once more.

Add more garlic or even a chopped green chilli to this soup for extra flavour. Recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 180.

Spicy Chickpeas with Spinach

Ingredients:

400g tin chickpeas, drained

½ 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 onion

1 garlic clove

250g spinach leaves

1 thumb-sized piece root ginger, peeled and minced

1 red chilli

1 tsp. each ground turmeric and cumin

1 tbsp. tomato puree

Oil spray

200ml water

Salt and pepper to taste

Method of Preparation:

Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic clove. Slice the chilli in half and remove the seeds with the back of your knife, then thinly slice.

Heat oil spray in a frying pan and cook the onion until soft. Add garlic, chilli and ginger and cook for another 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add tomato puree and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, ground turmeric and cumin. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the water and the chickpeas then simmer for another ten minutes.

Add the spinach and cook for just a minute or two to wilt and then serve.

Feel free to add more veggies to this – baby corn and sugar snap peas would be a good addition. This recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 159

Spinach, Tomato & Ricotta Frittata

Ingredients:

6 eggs

300g cherry tomatoes

150g baby spinach leaves

50g basil leaves

100g low fat ricotta cheese, crumbled

1 onion

Oil spray

Salt and pepper

Method of Preparation:

Thinly slice the onion and halve the tomatoes. Heat oil spray in a frying pan and cook the onion until soft, then add the tomatoes.

Cook for a couple of minutes then add the spinach and the basil. Toss together for a minute or so until wilted.

Spread the veggies in the bottom of a non-stick roasting tin or oven dish. Dot the ricotta over the veg.

Beat the eggs with salt and pepper then pour over the veggies. Cook in a 200C oven for 20-25 minutes or until set. Leave to cool and then slice into squares.

Add a red pepper to the frittata for extra flavour. This recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 236.

Italian-inspired Spinach Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin removed

100g spinach

75g low fat feta cheese, crumbled

Black pepper

Oil spray

2 tbsp. pine nuts

Method of Preparation:

Blanch the spinach until tender then drain, pressing out as much water as possible. Mix with the ricotta and black pepper and salt if desired.

Put the chicken breasts between two layers of cling film. Use a rolling pin to flatten out. Spoon ¼ of the spinach and feta mixture onto one half of the chicken breast then fold back over so the filling is covered with chicken. Secure with cocktail sticks.

Heat oil spray in a frying pan then fry the chicken on both sides until browned. Put into a baking tray and then into an 180C oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the pine nuts for the last few minutes of cooking just to toast them.

Serve this chicken with a big green salad, homemade butternut squash wedges, or even kale leaves baked in the oven. This recipe serves 4, calories per serving: 280.

Preview our 28 Day Breastfeeding Friendly Diet & Exercise Plan here which is full of tasty and easy recipes

Sautéed spinach (or any greens) with garlic and a squeeze of lemon (or vinegar) is a simple formula that lets spinach shine and will never go out of favor.

Spinach Benefits and Caution Explained By Dr. Berg

EatingWell Test Kitchen

Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2008

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary

Total:

10 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Heart Healthy

Low-Calorie

Low Carbohydrate

Dairy-Free

Diabetes Appropriate

Gluten-Free

Vegetarian

Vegan

Low Sodium

Healthy Immunity

Healthy Pregnancy

Low Added Sugars

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

20 ounces fresh spinach, (see Note)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

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DirectionsInstructions Checklist

Step 1

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach and toss to coat. Cover and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice, salt and crushed red pepper. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Tips

Note: Baby spinach is immature or young spinach--it's harvested earlier than large-leaved mature spinach. We like the sturdy texture of mature spinach in cooked dishes and serve tender, mild-flavored baby spinach raw or lightly wilted. Baby and mature spinach can be used interchangeably in these recipes (yields may vary slightly); be sure to remove the tough stems from mature spinach before using.

Weights & Measures

10 ounces trimmed mature spinach=about 10 cups raw

10 ounces baby spinach=about 8 cups raw

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 1/2 cup

Per Serving: 65 calories; protein 2.7g; carbohydrates 3.7g; dietary fiber 2.1g; sugars 0.5g; fat 5.1g; saturated fat 0.7g; vitamin a iu 8892.5IU; vitamin c 27.6mg; folate 183.9mcg; calcium 93.9mg; iron 2.6mg; magnesium 74.9mg; potassium 531.5mg; sodium 171.6mg; thiamin 0.1mg.

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat

This garlic spinach recipe was served to me in a restaurant. My ex-husband and I had gone out to dinner for our anniversary and I was a bit hard pressed to find a dish without dairy. The waitress suggested the salmon and some spinach. I wasn’t thrilled as I really wasn’t in the mood for fish. But seeing as how I had very few options, I agreed.

Holy moly!!! Forget the salmon, I could have eaten ten plates of that spinach. It was incredible!

So my ex-husband asked what was in the spinach, and the waitress happily listed off the ingredients.

Clean Eating Garlic Spinach Recipe

Now, you know me. I just HAD to come home and see if I could duplicate this amazing, spinach phenomenon. I’m happy to say, my duplication process was precise and well rewarded. I don’t think I’ll ever prepare spinach any other way, ever again. Ya, it’s THAT good!

Note: The shallots make this recipe. So don’t substitute or leave them out.

MORE HEALTHY VEGETABLE RECIPES:

Roasted Summer Squash

Baked Almond Asparagus

GARLIC SPINACH RECIPE:

Clean Eating Garlic Spinach Recipe

Garlic Spinach

Don't forget the spinach! This delicious recipe will make spinach a regular part of your eating plan!

4.67 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish, VegetablesCuisine: American Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 10 minutesTotal Time: 20 minutes Servings: 2 servings Calories: 81kcal Author: The Gracious Pantry

Ingredients

1 large shallot (diced)

3 medium cloves garlic (diced)

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 cups fresh spinach

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place the shallot and garlic in a pan with the olive oil and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add the spinach and cook until it is properly wilted.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Today, I will try to explain the recipe for spinach with minced meat in the oven, which is one of the healthy spinach recipes to lose weight. When it comes to healthy eating in general, for some reason people only think of green vegetable dishes, but we should not forget about red meat. As long as you do not eat too much red meat, it does not pose a health problem. Baked spinach is a nice menu for those who are looking for a very tasty and different taste among healthy spinach recipes to lose weight.

Table of Contents

Why should I avoid spinach?

How can I eat spinach healthy?

Is it OK to eat raw spinach every day?

Healthy Spinach Recipes To Lose Weight How To Make In 6 Steps

Ingredients

Directions

Tips for Baked Spinach from Healthy Spinach Recipes To Lose Weight

Spinach For Weight Loss

How To Choose Good Spinach

Can you get food poisoning from old spinach?

How To Store Spinach?

How long can you keep spinach in fridge?

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthy Spinach Recipes

Is spinach good for weight loss?

What is the healthiest way to cook spinach?

What happens if you eat too much spinach?

Will I lose weight if I eat spinach everyday?

Does spinach help you lose belly fat?

Can you lose weight by just eating spinach?

Is 3 cups of spinach a day too much?

WHY SHOULD I AVOID SPINACH?

Although healthy spinach recipes to lose weight sound good, people who should not eat spinach should be careful when preparing this recipe. People at risk for kidney stones and gout should consume spinach with caution, and people taking anticoagulant medications should eat it only in recommended amounts because of its vitamin K content. In addition, spinach is one of the oxalate-containing foods. Excessive consumption of oxalate-containing foods can lead to health problems.

HOW CAN I EAT SPINACH HEALTHY?

Those who are looking for healthy spinach recipes to lose weight are wondering how to consume spinach in an inexpensive way. Like all fruits and vegetables, spinach should be consumed in season when preparing a healthy spinach recipes to lose weight. When eating spinach, it is important to remove each leaf individually and soak it in vinegar water and remove the weeds in between.

Spinach prepared as a meal should not be consumed by heating it frequently. This is because the nitrate content may turn into nitrite when heated, so reheating may cause poisoning. Therefore, it is important to prepare only as much as you eat. Also, chopping spinach reduces its vitamin C content, so it’s healthier to eat it whole as often as possible. If you want to preserve the nutritional value of spinach, do not cut it into small slices.

3 Day Spinach-Only Diet Challenge (I almost died...)

spinach

IS IT OK TO EAT RAW SPINACH EVERY DAY?

If you are looking for healthy spinach recipes to lose weight, you are lucky to have a vegetable called spinach. Since spinach is a complete source of fiber, it contains about 2.5 grams of fiber in 100 grams. Spinach is especially effective when eaten raw for 7 days. Iron deficiency results from a decrease in the oxygen-to-water ratio in the body. Iron deficiency also leads to weakening of the body. Spinach, which is one of the most iron-rich foods in nature, is effective in eliminating this deficiency. The Pope doesn’t carry around jars of spinach for nothing, does he?

You may be interested in the low calorie recipes I have listed below:

Vegan Minestrone Soup

Roasted Broccoli

Vegetable Stew Recipe

Healthy Spinach Bulgur Pilaf

While the content of cooked spinach calories is 41, the content of of cooked spinach 100g is 76 calories.For the recipe I have given, you can use lentil soup as an appetizer.Now here is the recipe for spinach in the oven, one of the healthy spinach recipes to lose weight .

Healthy Spinach Recipes To Lose Weight How To Make In 6 Steps

HEALTHY SPINACH RECIPES TO LOSE WEIGHT HOW TO MAKE IN 6 STEPS

Recipe by Honour

Course: MainCuisine: TurkishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4servings

Prep time

10minutes

Cooking time

20minutes

Calories (100 grams)

129kcal

Baked spinach with ground beef and egg recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg spinach

300 g ground beef

1 medium onion

1 teaspoon pepper paste

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon red flakes pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs

DIRECTIONS

After washing the spinach, we chop it and cook it without adding water. After cooking, we pour off the water.

Fry the ground beef in a pan, then add the onions and fry until lightly browned.

Then add the tomato paste and spices and continue frying, lastly add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes with the lid of the pot closed.

Add the mortar that I prepared on the baking tray and bake the spinach in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 15 minutes until golden brown.

After the spinach is browned, we take it out of the oven again, crack the eggs on top, put it back in the oven and cook it for another 5 minutes.

After the eggs are cooked, they can be served.

TIPS FOR BAKED SPINACH FROM HEALTHY SPINACH RECIPES TO LOSE WEIGHT

Oven baked spinach with minced meat is one of the healthy spinach recipes to lose weight enthusiasts and is an alternative for those who find the classic diet dishes and classic spinach dishes too boring.The spinach, which is the main ingredient of this dish, should be well selected and washed, because if it is not well washed, the dust particles on it can leave a bad taste in your mouth after cooking.

Check the spinach from time to time during cooking. If the egg yolk and white are overcooked, it will form a thick crust that becomes very firm. It may also have a bitter taste. When the egg white is cooked, take it out of the oven because the spinach is already hot and will continue to cook outside until you serve it.

raw spinach

boiled spinach

ground beef 1

add onion

onion and ground beef

after add tomato paste

after add spinach

after baked 2

after add eggs

Baked Spinach

SPINACH FOR WEIGHT LOSS

One bowl of spinach contains only 7 calories. Insoluble fiber keeps you full longer and the calories are not absorbed by the body. So spinach provides you with enough fiber and keeps your calories in check. If you add a glass of spinach to your diet every day, you will notice the difference after just a few days.

Its high fiber content will keep you fuller longer and prevent you from eating too many calories. Give up unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks and opt for a cup of spinach instead. Spinach aids digestion and has a diuretic effect. Both have an effect on weight loss. Spinach, eaten raw in salads, is a rich source of fiber. The secret of this green is that it provides your body with appetite-suppressing proteins, so you can say goodbye to calories. You can try to lose weight in an enjoyable way by having a healthy and different taste by using the oven egg and chopped spinach recipe that I have given for healthy spinach recipes to lose weight in your main meals.

HOW TO CHOOSE GOOD SPINACH

One of the most important requirements for preparing healthy spinach recipes to lose weight is, of course, the selection of the best spinach. Good spinach should be as follows:

When buying spinach should pay attention to the fact that the leaves are alive, they are not yellow-brown, do not have spots or blemishes, and the integrity of the leaves. It is necessary to wash the leaves individually under running water, wearing gloves and remove the weeds mixed in.

CAN YOU GET FOOD POISONING FROM OLD SPINACH?

For those who use healthy spinach recipes to lose weight, the issue of spoiled spinach toxins is very important.One of the most curious questions related to the spinach dish is the toxic effect of spinach. During the storage of cooked spinach nitrite is formed, which can cause poisoning when eaten.

After cooking spinach, it should be kept outdoors for no more than 2 hours. Make sure that you do not exceed this time. After that, you should store it in the refrigerator. In hot weather, food should not be left outside for more than an hour. After cooking, the food should be reheated no more than twice. Spinach can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 days and should not be kept in the refrigerator longer.

Symptoms of poisoning can occur due to exposure to bacteria, harmful herbs, and chemicals that can be transferred to spinach leaves during cultivation, contamination, transportation, and storage. Symptoms of spinach poisoning, which is one of the food poisonings, manifest as nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea and bloody stools. When these symptoms appear, you should go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible, without wasting time.

baked spinach 1

HOW TO STORE SPINACH?

Because of its vitamins, minerals and low protein content, spinach is a food that should be on the table frequently. With its broad leaves, it can be used in baked goods, salads and soups. Since spinach is a perishable vegetable, it is recommended that it be consumed immediately after purchase. If it is not to be consumed immediately, it can be stored in a bag in the refrigerator for 1-2 days without washing it. If you want to keep it much longer, be sure to use a freezer. Keeping spinach fresh is also extremely important for healthy spinach recipes to lose weight.

Put the washed and dried spinach in freezer bags and squeeze the bags so that the air inside escapes. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer. You can thaw the spinach, which has a shelf life of about 6 months, by moving it from the freezer to the refrigerator as needed. You can use it again in the freshness of the first day in healthy spinach recipes to lose weight.

One of the methods of storing spinach in the freezer is the freezing method. To do this, first boil water in a large pot and turn off the stove. Prepare ice water in another pot. Put the washed spinach in the hot water and boil it for 2 minutes, then put it in cold water and let it stand for 2 minutes. Then dry or strain the spinach with the help of a paper towel and squeeze it by hand. Place in freezer bags and remove the air from the bag. You can store spinach prepared by the shock method in the freezer for about 9-14 months. Also, since the frozen spinach shrinks, it takes up much less space in the freezer.

I would like to introduce you to another spinach storage method that you can use to prepare healthy spinach recipes to lose weight.To do this, prepare a mixture of 6 parts spinach and 1 part water. Put the mixture in the blender until the spinach is pureed. Put the pureed spinach into the ice cube trays with the help of a spoon. Keep the spinach cubes in the freezer until they are solid. Then remove the cubes and place them in the freezer bag. Insert a straw into the opening of the bag, pull out the remaining air and store it in the freezer. You can use the spinach cubes prepared in this way to make soups and smoothies.

baked spinach

HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP SPINACH IN FRIDGE?

If it is not consumed immediately, you can store it in a storage bag in the refrigerator for 1-2 days without washing it. If you want to keep it much longer, be sure to use a freezer.

I have explained in detail the recipe for eggs with minced meat in the oven, one of the healthy spinach recipes to lose weight.You can express your questions and opinions without hesitation by leaving a comment.Take care until next time.

Spinach extract for losing weight?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HEALTHY SPINACH RECIPES

IS SPINACH GOOD FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

Spinach can speed up the weight loss process and make it easier for you to lose excess pounds. Spinach is rich in insoluble fiber, which is the key element for weight loss, and the secret of this green is that it introduces appetite suppressing proteins into your body, so you can say goodbye to calories.T he recipe I have given is ideal for those who are looking for healthy spinach recipes to lose weight.

WHAT IS THE HEALTHIEST WAY TO COOK SPINACH?

Bring water to a boil in a pot, blanch the spinach in it for 1 minute. Take out the blanched spinach and immediately plunge it into a pot of cold water. This method is the most effective and recommended method for healthy spinach recipes to lose weight! Blanched spinach will be perfectly cooked, harmful bacteria will be killed and the spinach will not lose its nutrients. It should be cooked in a short time so that the colors of the spinach remain vibrant and green and its nutritional value is not lost. Also, the lid of the pot should not be opened too wide to reduce the risk of oxidation during cooking.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU EAT TOO MUCH SPINACH?

Eating too much spinach can lead to excessive gas, bloating and cramps because our body needs some time to digest the excess amount of spinach and cannot metabolize it all at once. I recommend keeping this in mind when implementing healthy spinach recipes to lose weight .

WILL I LOSE WEIGHT IF I EAT SPINACH EVERYDAY?

Spinach is a low-calorie food. The high water content and the fiber it contains help to digest and absorb food better. In this way, your metabolism will be under control and you will get rid of the weight you planned with healthy spinach recipes to lose weight.

DOES SPINACH HELP YOU LOSE BELLY FAT?

It is excellent for burning belly fat and is also very nutritious. Some research has been conducted on the fat-burning properties of spinach, and the very healthy vegetable took first place in this category. You can follow my recipe for healthy spinach recipes to lose weight to burn fat

CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT BY JUST EATING SPINACH?

Spinach makes the intestines and digestive system work quickly. Dieters can easily consume spinach in raw and cooked form, as the amount of calories is very low. Experts recommend eating spinach raw to lose weight faster.

IS 3 CUPS OF SPINACH A DAY TOO MUCH?

When spinach is consumed in excess, it causes hyperacidity by increasing the rate of enzymes in the body. This leads to spinach poisoning. It also causes gas compression and bloating in the abdomen. It also causes diarrhea by speeding up intestinal transit. Two cups of spinach, which have 14 calories, provide the daily requirement of vitamin A and vitamin C in abundance.

Let's admit it, many of us may have had a love-hate relationship with spinach while growing up but all of us knew how important it was for us, even when we were little kids. Such has been the importance of spinach (or palak) in India - this is perhaps why we have endless preparations in which we use spinach abundantly. From curries and raita to khichdi and kofta, you can sneak spinach just about anywhere!

Packed with antioxidants and flavonoids, spinach can do wonders for your skin, heart and overall health. It is a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals. Spinach is rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin K, B6, B9, and E. Spinach is fairly easy to cook with. Spinach is packed with fibre that helps induce satiety, which in turn aides weight loss. According to book, Healing Foods, by DK Publishing House, "...while raw spinach is nutritious, cooked spinach even more so. Its iron content is more available and it provides considerably larger amounts of beta-carotene, lutein, vitamins, and minerals." When eating raw, serve with a citrus dressing for better absorption of iron and calcium from the leaves. Spinach For Weight Loss: Here are some lip-smacking recipes that would make you look at spinach in a whole new light. 1. Spinach And Feta CrepesHealthy, filling and oh-so-yummy, these creps are ideal for a Sunday brunch. Crepes packed with the goodness of spinach and feta cheese; see how your little fussy-eaters embrace this snack.

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2. Dal Palak Ka ShorbaThe soothing soup is ideal for days you feel like eating something light but are also craving flavour. Shorba is a thin Mughlai soup that is tempered with a variety of herbs and spices. This warm and comforting packs the goodness of lentils, spinach, ginger-garlic and mild spices.

(Also Read: 11 Best Chicken Soup Recipes | Easy Soup Recipes)

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Weight Loss: The soothing soup is ideal for days you feel like eating something light

3. Crispy SpinachDitch your carb-dense and high-fat potato chips and munch on these crispy treats instead. It is smoky, and the dish also has a lovely crunch. Served with fresh red chilli, this snack is sure to keep those unhealthy cravings at bay.

(Also Read: Spinach Nutrition: Amazing Cooking Tips And Health Benefits)

crispy spinach recipe

Weight Loss: Ditch your carb-dense and high-fat potato chips and munch on these crispy treats instead.

4. Baked Mushroom And SpinachBaked dishes are a good bet for weight loss since they save you many calories that you are much likely to find in fried food. This sumptuous baked dish has a good amount of butter, cheese and cream, which makes it an ideal cheat meal for dieters who are craving flavour but do not want to tuck into pakodasand pizzas either. Mushrooms and spinach sauteed together in butter, topped with tomato slices and grated cheese. A must try!5. SpinachRaitaRaita and Indian summers share an inseparable bond. Raita can be fruity, spicy, or sweet. Ditch the regular moong dal boondi, and add some spinach leaves to this yogurt summer staple. You can serve spinach raita with pulao, biryani and dal roti.

(Also Read: Summer Diet Tips: Try These 2 Healthy Palak Raita Recipes To Beat The Heat)

radish raita

Weight loss: Raita and Indian summers share an inseparable bond

Try these recipes at home and let us know how you like it!

You’ll love this vegan, gluten-free side dish! Below, we will show you how to cook spinach into a fantastic, flavorful, and healthy side dish that you’ll actually crave.

Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon

Easy spinach recipes like this one are packed full of nutrition. We cut out all the butter and added extra lemon to add flavor and drastically cut calories. Making this one of the healthiest sautéed spinach recipes you’ll find.

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We will supply you with everything you need to make simple spinach recipes. From a shopping list, to a nutrition label and even a printable recipe card. You’ll find the best way to cook spinach in this article.

This Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe is just 67 calories!

Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon

Recipes with spinach are healthy and inexpensive! This cooked spinach recipe calls for just a few ingredients, making it simple and easy.

HEALTHY SPINACH MEALS TO LOSE WEIGHT #dietrecipes

You’ll learn how to cook fresh spinach, find a shopping list for the ingredients, and learn all about our secret weapon to cooking healthy… Olive oil spray.

Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon

To make healthy spinach recipes easy, we’ve supplied you with lots of information on cooking spinach…

What You’ll Find in this Article:

Ingredients for Recipes with Sautéed Spinach (shopping list!)

How to Cook Spinach in a Pan

Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon (recipe card!)

Nutrition and Calories in Cooked Spinach Recipes

Take a screenshot of the shopping list on your phone so you have it handy the next time you go grocery shopping, or to the farmer’s market. And email yourself the recipe card (or print it!) so you have it at your fingertips the next time you need to know how to sauté spinach.

In the next sections you’ll find a yummy recipe for cooking fresh spinach. You’ll also learn how long to cook spinach in this simple recipe for spinach cooked on the stove top.

Up next, a shopping list for healthy spinach recipes…

Ingredients for Recipes with Sautéed Spinach

This Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon is simple and delicious, thanks to all the fresh ingredients.

Cooked fresh spinach recipes are a great way to eat a lot of the healthy leafy green, without having a huge salad. What you end up with is a perfect wilted spinach recipe and lots of nutrition.

Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon

To make this spinach recipe easy, we have supplied you with a shopping list. Screenshot it to your phone so you have it handy the next time you go shopping.

Shopping List for Easy Spinach Recipes:

Olive oil spray

Baby spinach

Garlic

Salt and pepper

Fresh Lemon Juice

Special Tip: You can find all the measurements in the recipe card below. There you can choose how many servings of this Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon you want to make and it will do all the math for you!

Up next, how to cook spinach on the stove top…

How to Cook Spinach in a Pan

There are many different ways to cook spinach, you can bake it (into spinach chips!) boil it, or sauté spinach. We prefer to sauté spinach as we can better control the cooking, and also limit the amount of fat we have to add to the recipe.

This Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon is easy to make. It’s ready in just 7 minutes (start to finish) and is completely crave-worthy!

Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon

Question: “How long does it take to sauté spinach?”

Answer: “Just 5 minutes or less!”

How to Cook Baby Spinach:

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Spray with olive oil and add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add in the spinach, salt, and pepper and toss together with the garlic.

Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Uncover, turn the heat up to high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring until all the spinach is wilted.

Remove from heat, lemon juice and toss together, and serve hot.

Special Tip: You can find the directions, ingredients, nutrition and more in the recipe card below. We combined all the information above and added it to a sharable recipe card that you can post on social media or email.

Up next, a recipe card for Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon…

Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon

This Easy Sautéed Spinach Recipe with Garlic and Lemon can be made in just 7 minutes (start to finish!) And is just 67 calories per cup!

This simple recipe for spinach is flavorful and oh so yummy! We packed it full of flavor, without all the calories… all thanks to our “secret ingredient” Olive oil spray.

easy sautéed spinach recipe with garlic and lemon

The BEST Sautéed Spinach Recipe (with Garlic and Lemon)

Lose Weight By Eating

This easy sautéed spinach recipe is just 67 calories for 1 cup, and it's so yummy!

This vegan, gluten-free simple recipe for spinach is healthy and fast. It makes a wonderful side dish, and is super filling!

You can add a pit of parmesan and chopped cashews to jazz it up, though this cooked spinach recipe is delicious as it is. It's nice to change it up from time to time…

5 from 3 votes

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PREP TIME

2 mins

COOK TIME

5 mins

TOTAL TIME

7 mins

COURSE

Side Dish

CUISINE

American

SERVINGS

2 servings

CALORIES

67 kcal

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil spray

1 pound baby spinach leaves washed and drained

5 garlic cloves chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Juice of 1/2 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

Sauteed Garlic Spinach - Healthy Cooking, Healthy Spinach

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Spray with olive oil and add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add in the spinach, salt, and pepper and toss together with the garlic.

Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Uncover, turn the heat up to high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring until all the spinach is wilted.

Remove from heat, lemon juice and toss together, and serve hot.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1cup

Calories: 67kcal

Carbohydrates: 10.9g

Protein: 7g

Fat: 1.2g

Saturated Fat: 0.2g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 762mg

Potassium: 1299mg

Fiber: 5.2g

Sugar: 1g

Calcium: 240mg

Iron: 6mg

KEYWORD

Side Dish

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Up next, nutrition and calories in sautéed spinach recipes…

Nutrition and Calories in Cooked Spinach Recipes

Most recipes with spinach are packed full of butter or oil. But not our’s! We were able to cut calories and fat with the help of Olive oil spray.

This flavorful and delicious recipe for cooked spinach is anything but bland, with lots of garlic and lemon juice your tastebuds will be happy!

What is the healthiest way to cook spinach?

Like other dark green, leafy vegetables, spinach is a nutritional powerhouse. Because all methods of cooking destroy some nutritional value, the best way to maximize nutrient intake is to eat fresh spinach raw.

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When that's not suitable, preserve most of the nutritional value by minimizing the water used to cook spinach and the cooking time. The best way to retain all of the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals when cooking fresh spinach is to steam it on the stove top.

Things You'll Need

Large bowl

Saucepan with lid

Steaming basket

Plate or bowl

Salt and pepper

Additional ingredients, optional

Step 1: Wash the Leaves

hand submersing spinach in bowl of water to wash leaves

Fill a large bowl with cold water and submerse the spinach in it to wash the leaves. Gently move the spinach around in the water, then drain it. Repeat until no dirt or debris accumulate in the water.

Step 2: Boil Water

hand placing a steaming basket over a boiling saucepan of water

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Place a steaming basket in the pot and make sure it isn't making contact with the water; if it is, pour out water as necessary.

Step 3: Add Spinach

hand placing raw fresh spinach into steaming basket over boiling water

Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low as needed to maintain a simmer. Place the fresh spinach in the steaming insert. Cover the saucepan.

Tags

Spinach

Weight Loss

Vitamins

Hydration

Health

Spinach is rich in protein, carbohydrates, fat, carotene, as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals. Eating spinach can supplement all kinds of nutrients the body needs.

But can't eat raw spinach.

Spinach contains a lot of oxalic acid, 100 grams of spinach contains about 750 mg of oxalic acid.

If you eat raw spinach, a large amount of oxalic acid enters the gastrointestinal tract, and oxalic acid will combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate, which is relatively insoluble, thereby affecting the body's absorption of calcium.

Although some water-soluble vitamins in spinach will be lost during the cooking process, such as heating for 30 minutes, vitamin C will lose 40% to 50%, but you can only eat cooked spinach, after cooking, most of the oxalic acid will disappear.

Eating a lot is indeed one of the causes of the number of scales continues to rise. However, according to Heather Mangieri, RD., Spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the United States, there are some foods that can actually help you lose weight. This food group helps keep you full longer and reduces the desire to eat. The following is a list of weight loss foods that you must know to make the weight loss program successful

1. Eggs

Eggs are one of the best foods to help reduce the number of scales. Eggs are rich in protein, healthy fat, and can make you full longer with a very low number of calories. Interestingly, eggs are nutrient-dense foods so you don't need to be afraid of malnutrition.

2. Green vegetables

Green vegetables like spinach and spinach contain very low calories and carbohydrates. Conversely, the fiber content in it is very rich. It is common knowledge that high-fiber foods help keep you full longer.

Therefore, you can fill a dinner plate with a variety of green vegetables without fear of getting fat. Green vegetables are very nutritious and rich in vitamins and minerals. In fact, green vegetables are rich in calcium which has been proven to help play a role in the process of burning body fat.

3. Apple

Some studies have found the fact that eating certain fruits between meals or right before eating can help eliminate hunger. Fruits like apples are perfect for eating if you are on a slimming program. Apples contain pectin, a fiber that is soluble in water and can make you full longer.

4. Soup

Some research shows the fact that soup is a low calorie food that can make a person feel full longer. This is because the soup contains lots of water and vegetables that are rich in fiber.

In addition, quoted from research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating foods with high water content is effective in reducing other energy intake that is sourced from food. That way, adding soup to your diet can help control your weight.

However, that does not mean you can add a lot of fat such as coconut milk, cream, or oil. Soups that contain lots of fat automatically contain excess calories. Instead of making weight down, these foods actually make the number of scales rise.

5. Avocados

Unlike other fruits that are high in carbohydrates, avocados are rich in healthy fats. Avocados contain monounsaturated acid, a type of fat found in olive oil. In addition, avocados also contain lots of water and fiber. You can add avocados to the salad with other vegetables as a complement.

6. High-fat yogurt

Yogurt contains probiotics that can improve the work of the intestines. A healthy intestine helps protect the body from inflammation and leptin resistance, one of the conditions that drive the main hormones that cause obesity.

Choose yogurt that is high in fat because it can reduce the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes over time. Meanwhile, low-fat yogurt is usually high in sugar (so it tastes good) so you should avoid this type when on a diet.

7. Cruciferous vegetables

Cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, and watercress are included in the weight-loss foods of the cruciferous family. Like most other vegetables, the fiber content is quite high. Interestingly, these vegetables contain a higher amount of protein than others.

You can check Hints and Success Stories to Double Your Weight in detail, go to my Profile and you can find Hints and Success Stories there

The combination of protein, fiber, and low energy density makes vegetables from this group good for weight loss. Not only that, cruciferous vegetables are also proven to contain anticancer substances.

If you only eat lettuce, the success rate of weight loss will reach 99%.

Lettuce contains very low calories, 100 grams of lettuce contains only 15 calories.

Generally, adults need at least 1500 calories a day to maintain body function.

Even if you lie still, your body still needs energy to maintain body temperature, internal organs and brain function.

If you only eat lettuce, you need to consume 10 kg of lettuce to provide 1500 calories.

The three major energy sources of the human body are carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

The order of the body's energy consumption is carbohydrates, then fats, and finally protein (which rarely participates in energy supply).

Of course, you cannot eat 10 kilograms of lettuce. Your body will burn your body fat to provide energy. Therefore, the speed of weight loss is very fast.

In order to maintain life and health, seven nutrients are essential: water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

However, lettuce only contains water, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and a small amount of carbohydrates.

If you only eat lettuce, insufficient carbohydrate, protein and fat intake will cause serious health problems, such as malnutrition, decreased immunity, decreased metabolic rate, decline in physical strength, and even life-threatening.

As we all know, spinach is one of the vegetables with the highest oxalate content, and its oxalic acid content is as high as 0.97%.

When oxalic acid enters the body, it combines with calcium. Not only hinders calcium absorption, but also forms calcium oxalate.

The solubility of calcium oxalate is very low, which can easily cause kidney stones and urinary tract stones.

Therefore, although spinach can be eaten raw, it is best to eat cooked spinach.

Many nutritionists believe that steaming and boiling is an effective cooking method that can reduce the oxalic acid in spinach by 80% to 90%.

In the year 2017 i gained too much weight and this was one of the reasons behind my depression. I became less confident about myself,I didn’t want to face people! Because i was afraid of all those comments about my weight!

So This is me when i was 65+ (my height is only 5’1”)

In 2018, i joined medical college…from here started my “lose you damn weight” journey!

Since i’m from Bangladesh, my main food is rice which is full of carbohydrates! So after coming to hostel i stopped eating at night..then i saw a good change in my weight! But soon my body did cope up with this and i was no longer loosing weight..here is a photo of that time…

Soon i started gaining weight again! I was depressed! Let me show you a photo

Then i stopped eating my lunch too…but this time I didn’t notice any change..

Instead of having rice in the lunch or dinner, i ate soup,vegetables,puffed rice etc..one day i thought of Doing exercises! So i started walking for an hour everyday! And this time i got a very good result that my parents were also surprised after seeing me!

Here are the photos after loosing lots of calories!!

So! Never give up! You can loose your weight anytime! Just be patient and stay focused ❤️

EDIT 1: I was dying to share my very recent photos with you. I have lost total 12kg!!!

EDIT 2: Thanks for all the likes…i wanted to share photos from 2020

Eaten raw or cooked, spinach packs a punch—it’s great for weight loss, fitness and general health maintenance.

Spinach membranes contain thylakoids, consumed before breakfast has a significant impact on hunger and satiety for the entire day.
One cup of spinach contains just 7 calories.
When eaten raw, the insoluble fibres in it keeps you full for longer.
Spinach is rich in iron content, so helps in raising the haemoglobin level in your blood, more haemoglobin means more oxygen binding, so consequently good burning of calories.

Fat loss coachUpdated 1y

Can spinach help you lose weight? Not by itself, but it’s nutrient rich and low in calories, while helping to reduce cravings and control blood sugar, making it a sensible food if you’re on a healthy weight loss plan.

Although your total calorie consumption and expense decide whether or not you lose weight, even having a cup of spinach a day will aid, but not guarantee, weight loss success.

Those who focused on counting total daily calories lose more weight than research participants who focused on increasing their fruit and vegetable intake, according to a 2012 study published in "Nutrition and Diabetes."

Spinach has a lot of calories.

Spinach is a low-calorie food, which is helpful if you're trying to lose weight.

According to the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference of the United States Department of Agriculture, one cup of raw spinach contains only 7 calories.

As a result, eating a cup of spinach instead of higher-calorie alternatives like sweets and added sugars can help you lose weight.

Advantages of Fiber
Spinach is high in dietary fiber, which can help you feel fuller when you eat it instead of low-fiber foods. Fiber is also not completely absorbed or digested by the body. While it helps you feel full, it only adds a few calories to your total calorie intake. As a result, replacing lower-fiber sweets, sugary drinks, added sugars, and refined grains with 1 cup of spinach helps.

Calorie Criteria for Weight Loss
You will lose weight by eating a cup of spinach as part of a low-calorie diet. Adult weight-loss diets of 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day are often successful, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Men need more calories than women, and active adults who are trying to lose weight require more calories than those who are not.

Vegetable Necessities on a Regular Basis
The amount of spinach or other vegetables you can consume on a regular basis is dictated by your calorie needs for weight loss. For example, if you need 1,200 calories per day to lose weight, aim for 1.5 cups of vegetables per day; if you need 1,600 calories, aim for 2 cups of vegetables per day, according to the publication "Dietary Recommendations for Weight Loss."

Click this link to check out how you can loss weight healthily in less time. No “BS”

When it comes to eating healthy we all have our ups and downs. Even the most fit and health conscious people admit to falling “off the wagon’ during the holiday season. But the good news is that you can just as easily get back on track by incorporating more healthy foods that will not only help you shed excess weight but also improve your health. Simply incorporate these “fat-burning” foods into your diet by substituting them for your normal “fattening” foods. These foods are healthy and low in calories which can be eaten all the time as part of a wholesome, plant-based diet.

Does spinach really help lose belly fat?

Quinoa – Although a seed, quinoa is considered a grain as it has a fluffy, creamy, slightly grainy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. It is high in protein, including all nine essential amino acids. Part of the same family as spinach, quinoa is high in fiber and minerals such as magnesium, manganese, and iron. Lots of protein and fewer calories make this not only a great food choice for weight loss but also a great plant-based meat substitute!

Oats – Oats are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates which are needed to keep your metabolism up by keeping insulin levels low after a meal. Eating foods that lower insulin levels is helpful in loosing weight since insulin spikes make your body think it’s time to start storing the fat.

Beans –Beans provide you with almost complete nutrition and are a great meat substitute. High in quality protein and rich in fiber, this a great diet food as it helps keep you feeling full longer and insulin levels low. Also low in fat, there are numerous types of beans to meet anyone’s fancy. So pick the ones you like and add them to your meals.

Hot Chili Peppers – Such as jalapenos, habaneras, and cayenne…. hot peppers can help burn a few extra calories and a little more fat according to a recent 2010 study from the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.1 Researchers led by Dr. David Heber, tested a compound related to the capsaicin found in hot peppers which suggests that heat generated by peppers can cause your body to burn more calories and "oxidize" layers of fat. This latest study follows other studies finding hot peppers may increase metabolism.2 Although it is not a magic bullet, these compounds work in support of a well-balanced diet.

Apples – Apples are a great addition to your weight-loss plan for numerous reasons. Apples are rich in vitamins and minerals and low in fat and calories. They are also high in fiber which helps keep your stomach feeling satiated or full longer. Apples don’t shoot up insulin levels like some other fruits.

Dark Leafy Green Vegetables – Super calcium-rich dark leafy greens including kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, chard, collard greens, etc. are ideal for helping weight loss. One of the key components to weight loss is increasing your metabolism rather than starving the body of calories, which slows down the metabolism and hangs on to energy—fat—more intensely.3 Studies have shown that high-calcium diets favor burning fat rather than storing it, mostly by speeding up metabolism.4 These green leaves are also high in weight loss-assisting vitamin C and fiber as well as a plethora of nutrients for good health.

Broccoli – This super food is packed with nutrients including calcium, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin A, fiber, cancer-fighting nutrients and even protein. This high-calcium food can contribute to weight loss for reasons mentioned previously and are full of antioxidants that provide a large number of health benefits including decreasing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

Green Tea – Green tea contains a chemical called epigallo-catechin gallate or EGCG that causes the brain and nervous system to work faster and helps burn more calories. EGCG is also a powerful antioxidant which can help fight disease.

Lemons – Lemons stimulate the body’s digestive system. Rich in citric acid, lemons work with other acids and enzymes for healthy and effective digestion by stimulating stomach juices.5 The acidity of lemon juice can improve your digestion and balance blood sugar levels from a meal. Try seasoning your meals with some lemon juice or having a little fresh lemon juice in water before a meal to boost your digestion. Proper digestion is important not only for weight loss but for overall health and longevity.

Papaya – Papayas are rich in enzymes, making it another food that is good for digestive health. Papaya contains the enzyme papain which digests protein as well as other enzymes such as alpha amylase and protease to help break down starches, carbohydrates and protein. This is essential for weight loss and boosting metabolism.

Losing excess weight and maintaining good health should be a gradual and practical process that becomes a habit rather than a phase. Make it a habit to choose healthy foods as much as possible and don’t worry if you have a “bad” day here and there, just fall back on your healthy eating habits.

Green leafy vegetables (all of them) can be considered the most weight-loss friendly foods due to the high nutrient and low-calorie content. Leafy greens are great for everyone, from kids to adults to the elderly, and of course, for people who want to lose weight. In this post, we would like to place the spotlight on spinach, which studies say not only helps with weight loss, it also prevents weight gain as well. Palak as it is popularly known in India, has been found to aid weight loss, with an ability to suppress appetite and boost metabolism. So, what makes spinach unique? As we have mentioned above, spinach is a leafy green vegetable with extremely low calorie count, with 100 gm of spinach having only 23 calories, and it’s an absolutely great way to eat your way into calorie deficit without compromising on nutrition. It’s also rich in protein, fibre, vitamin C, calcium, and other minerals, which make it a nutrient-dense vegetable. A certain study that was published in US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health found that women who had 5 gm of spinach every day managed to lose a higher percentage of body fat. After reading further about the weight-loss benefits of spinach, we are certain that you would understand Popeye’s obsession with spinach. Read on:

Can Eating Spinach Everyday Help you Lose Weight

Why you Need To Eat Spinach Every day?

1. Spinach contains vitamin A, folic acid, calcium, vitamin K1 and vitamin C. Supports a healthy immune system. Promotes healthy growth and reproduction.

2. Folic Acid: Folic acid helps your body produce and maintain new cells, and also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Folic acid is usually prescribed to pregnant women.

3. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues. It also helps in formation of collagen, keeps skin and teeth healthy.

4. Calcium: Human body needs calcium to build and maintain strong bones. Your heart, muscles and nerves also need calcium to function properly. Most importantly, people who have adequate amount of calcium tend to lose belly fat more quickly with the right diet and exercise than people who have calcium deficiency. So, increase calcium in your body through these natural foods.

5. Iron: Adequate levels of oxygen is required by the body to burn fat, and to carry oxygen to muscles and brain. Iron deficiency will impact hemoglobin level and also affect thyroid function, and trigger weight gain.

6. Water-Dense Vegetable: It’s a water-dense vegetable, low in calories, high in nutrients – what else can you ask for!

7. Boosts Metabolism: Due to its high iron and nutrient content, spinach boosts metabolism and increases the rate at which the body burns calories.

8. High in Protein: We all know protein is an essential macronutrient that drives weight loss, and spinach is also a good source of protein. Also read: “10 Amazing Ways to Start Eating Healthy.”

9. Thylakoids: Not many people know, but spinach has a compound called “thylakoids,” that have been found to suppress appetite and reduce the level of “ghrelin” (the hunger hormone). Thylakoids also prevent insulin spike and discourage storage of fat in the body. It suppresses hunger and increases satiety.

6 Different Ways To Include Spinach in Daily Diet:

1. Green Smoothie: Try a green smoothie in breakfast. Make a smoothie/low-fat milk shake and add handful of fresh spinach leaves. You can either use raw leaves or boil it for few minutes and add it into the blender. You can hardly taste spinach in the drink. It will definitely look a lot green but won’t taste that bad.

2. Fill Half of the Plate with Leafy Green Vegetables: Fill one quarter of your plate with a healthy protein source and one-quarter of your plate with whole grain (like quinoa, brown rice), and fill half of your plate with veggies, and make sure spinach is one of them.

3. Add it to Vegetables: Add chopped spinach leaves in your vegetables. Whichever vegetables you are cooking, you can easily add handful of spinach leaves to the veggies. It will look a lot colourful and will be healthy at the same time.

4. Spinach Roti: An another way to add spinach in your diet is through roti. Spinach roti is simply made by adding chopped spinach leaves and some spices, salt to the wheat flour, kneading the dough by adding little water and roasting the roti with low fat butter.

5. Spinach Daal: Just add handful of spinach leaves into the tempering (tadka) and cook as usual. Your usual lentils is turned into spinach lentil.

6. Spinach Salad: Add spinach leaves to your salad bowl. Top it up with low calorie dressing and voila you have literally added spinach in every meal!

Summing up, to lose weight, one needs to eat a healthy diet to get into calorie deficit and foods like spinach help you achieve that without compromising on nutrition. That’s why the Rati Beauty diet is full of such healthy ingredients help you lose weight and get lean.

Long before the trend of superfoods swept us over, spinach was declared as the ultimate green source of nutrients and instant energy – thanks to Popeye and his pumped biceps. He singlehandedly made the leafy vegetable cool and even got many of us to include spinach in our daily diets. Now while we may never be able to accomplish the same physical tasks as he (an animated character could very easily do in the early 2000s) after eating a can of spinach; we can substitute the fats in our meals with a cup of spinach to ensure better weight management, clearer skin and sharper eyesight.

Spinach is 'THE superfood,' claims Dietician Nmami Agarwal. “It is loaded with nutrients and is also very low on calories – one cup of raw spinach contains only 7 calories. It boasts a significant level of phytonutrients and zeaxanthin and lutein pigments. Spinach is also rich in Vitamins A, B6, C and K – including riboflavin and thiamine,” she says. Additionally, spinach packs in a very high fibre content. According to Healthline, 3.5 ounces of spinach includes 2.2 grams of fibre. This helps in controlling hunger pangs and prevents one from overeating.

How can Spinach help you lose weight?

“Spinach is very rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Spinach leaves are packed with a very high fibre content (higher than most green vegetables) and is also low in fat. Thus it helps in maintaining an optimal calorie control. This fibre and calorie count also keeps you feeling full for a longer amount of time,” Agarwal tells us.

“It is also a natural source of thylakoids – a chlorophyll-bearing plant ingredient that is known to suppress hunger by impacting the Leptin hormone (the hormone that signals the body to “stop” eating, also known as the satiety hormone). A single serving of thylakoid, especially when consumed for breakfast, can significantly impact your overall appetite for the day,” she adds.

What are the benefits of including spinach in your diet?

“The most celebrated health benefits of including spinach in one’s diet includes: healthy skin due to Vitamin C, improved eyesight due to Vitamin K, regulated blood pressure due to potassium and blood cell maintenance courtesy of the leafy green’s iron content. It also helps prevent cardiovascular ailments, neurological disorders, cataracts and atherosclerosis,” she informs.

In fact a 100 grams of spinach is laden with 91 grams of water, 558 milligrams of potassium, 99 milligrams of calcium, 79 milligrams of magnesium and 49 milligrams of phosphorus. The water content in spinach ensures hydration, regulates body temperature, flushes out body waste and gives the skin a clean texture.

Additionally, this is how each one of the contents that make up Spinach help the body:

Potassium

Potassium aids in regulating high blood pressure levels and preserving bone mineral density. It also decreases the risk of kidney stone formation.

Doctors Won't Tell You These Secret Weight Loss Tips

Calcium

Calcium present in spinach aids strong bone health and also strengthens bone density.

Magnesium

Magnesium plays a crucial role in glucose and carbohydrate metabolism. An adequate intake of magnesium lowers the risk of high blood pressure and fat build-up in the artery walls.

Phosphorous

At last, phosphorous is needed by the body to build strong teeth and bones.

"The nutrients found in spinach also produce and repair cells, and help filter out waste from the kidney,” she says.

What’s the easiest way to include Spinach in your weight loss diet?

- Stir fry spinach in a little olive oil with some garlic

- Blend it into healthy juice with either beetroot or Amla

- Toss raw baby spinach with some onions, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms in pan for a salad and stir fry them. Sprinkle with roasted nuts for an extra burst of flavour

- Spinach spread: Make a sandwich spread from blanched and pureed spinach and slather it on a slice of multigrain bread

- Spinach smoothie: Blend it into a smoothie, you can also add kale and kiwi to it along with milk or yogurt

Is spinach making me fat?

Oh, how wonderful would it be if everyone could lose weight while eating their favorite food! Unfortunately, that is not always possible. Some foods are better for weight loss, while others will only make you put on pounds. But why is that so? If the basis of any weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume (10), then why can’t some people eat only junk food in small amounts and lose weight?

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Of course, if you will eat only three small servings of French fries a day, you will perhaps shed a couple of pounds, however, that result will be unsustainable and unhealthy. In such a way you will not only increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes but could also end up with multiple nutrient deficiencies, which in turn leads to other serious health problems. That is why, if you want to healthily slim down a couple of sizes, you need to stick to a healthy diet, which includes nutrient-rich foods and decrease the intake of unhealthy components, such as saturated fats, sugar, and salt (3). However, even among healthy foods, some are better for weight loss than others. Let’s take for example one of the most popular leafy greens – spinach. Is spinach good for weight loss? Read on to find out!

Nutritional Value Of Spinach

Before answering the question, “Is spinach good for weight loss?”, first you need to know what the nutritional value of spinach is. Let’s take a look at the contents of one cup (30g) of raw spinach (7):

Calories: 6.9

Protein: 0.85 g

Fats: 0.11 g

Carbohydrates: 1.09 g

Read More: Slow Weight Loss: Explaining Why Slow And Steady Really Does Win The Race

is spinach good for weight loss

As you can see, this popular leafy green is quite low in calories, and, as for a vegetable, relatively rich in protein. But that is not all there is to spinach, as its main advantage is the micronutrient contents. The same amount of spinach contains the following vitamins and minerals (7):

Vitamin A: 141 mcg RAE (as beta carotene)

Vitamin C: 8.43 mg

Vitamin K: 145 mcg

Folate: 58.2 mcg

Calcium: 29.7 mg

Potassium: 167 mg

Magnesium: 23.7 mg

Phosphorus: 14.7 mg

Iron: 0.8 mg

It also contains smaller amounts of vitamin E and B6, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, manganese, zinc, and others.

measure

Is Spinach Good For Weight Loss?

Now, to the main question of this article, “Is spinach good for weight loss?” The answer to that question is a solid yes! It is in fact one of the best options on any weight loss diet. Spinach is low in calories, very low in fats, and out of the 1.09 g of carbs, 0.66 g is fiber, which is known to be a weight-loss-friendly component. That means spinach can be consumed while you follow a low-carb diet, like Keto, low-fat diet, vegetarian and vegan diets, and many others.

Besides that, spinach is packed with micronutrients, which makes it a natural vitamin and mineral powerhouse. It is the best option for restrictive diets, as it doesn’t significantly add to your daily caloric intake while making sure that you won’t fall victim to nutrient deficiencies. So, spinach ensures that you shed pounds in a bit healthier way, without wreaking havoc on your body.

You already know that raw spinach is good for weight loss, but what about spinach dishes? The answer to such questions as, “Is spinach pasta good for weight loss?”, “Is spinach salad good for weight loss?”, or “ Is spinach stew good for weight loss?” is yes, but only if they are consumed in moderation and included with other weight loss-friendly ingredients. No matter how good spinach is it won’t miraculously turn chicken nuggets or ice-cream into a healthy weight loss meal. That is why you should also make sure that you follow a well-balanced diet that includes healthy foods and reduce the consumption of unhealthy ones.

is spinach good for weight loss

Spinach Health Benefits

Now that you know the answer to the question “Why is spinach good for weight loss?”, it is time to find out what other benefits spinach can offer you. And there are quite a lot! Here are some of the main possible spinach health benefits (5):

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Lowers Blood Pressure

High potassium content makes spinach a great dietary option for people with high blood pressure. This nutrient helps reduce the effects of sodium, and low potassium intake carries a risk for developing high blood pressure.

Helps In Diabetes Management

Alpha-lipoic acid, found in spinach, is an antioxidant that can increase insulin sensitivity, decrease glucose levels, prevent oxidative and stress-induced changes in people who suffer from diabetes. Studies have also shown that alpha-lipoic acid may decrease peripheral neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy in patients with diabetes (1). However, it is unclear if oral supplementation of this antioxidant will provide the same benefits as the intravenous preparations used in most studies.

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is spinach good for weight loss

Improves Skin And Hair Health

Vitamin A, which is abundant in spinach, moderates the production of oil by your skin and hair follicles. Excess in that oil may cause acne, and lack of it equals a lack of moisturization. This micronutrient is also essential for the growth of body tissues, including skin and hair.

Another vitamin that is found in spinach, and promotes healthy skin and hair, is vitamin C. It plays a significant role in the production and maintenance of collagen, which provides structure to skin and hair.

Spinach also contains iron, adequate consumption of which may prevent hair loss.

Reduces The Risk Of Asthma

Research shows that certain dietary components, including beta-carotene, which is found in spinach, may reduce the risk of asthma in children (6).

Promotes Healthy Digestion

Spinach is rich in fiber and water, both of which prevent constipation and add to healthy digestion.

Improves Bone Health

Spinach is very rich in vitamin K, which is important for good health, because it improves calcium absorption, acts as a modifier of bone matrix proteins, and may reduce the amount of calcium that leaves the body in the urine (9). This leafy green is also rich in calcium itself, which only adds to bone health.

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FAQs

Is It Ok To Eat Spinach Every Day?

It is ok and even good to eat spinach every day as long as you consume it in moderate amounts. Too much is always bad, and the same goes even for the healthiest foods out there. As spinach is rich in nutrients, overconsumption of this leafy green, although not common, may lead to a vitamin and mineral overdose, which is accompanied by various unpleasant symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps in a case with vitamin C or zinc, and hair loss, fatigue, mild nerve damage, and gastrointestinal upset in the case with selenium (4). It is unlikely to over-consume most nutrients if you are just eating foods, but it can happen if you are taking supplements. That is why always track your nutrient intake and make sure that it doesn’t surpass the tolerable upper limit (TUL), especially if you are taking any vitamin and mineral supplements.

To find out what is the maximum amount of spinach that you can consume while taking supplements, please contact your doctor.

Does Spinach Have Protein?

Yes, furthermore, 50% of calories in spinach come from protein (8). One cup of raw spinach (30 g) contains 0.85 g of protein, a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of raw spinach contains 2.86 g of protein, and a 10-ounce package (284 g) of that leafy green offers 8.12 g of protein (7).

Does Spinach Have Calcium?

Yes, spinach is a great plant source of calcium, that is why it is an inseparable part of a vegan diet. One cup of raw spinach (30 g) contains 29.7 mg of calcium, a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of raw spinach contains 99 mg of calcium, and a 10-ounce package (284 g) of this leafy green offers 281 mg of calcium (7). The (RDA) of calcium for men and women aged 19-50 is 1000 mg, and the daily upper limit is 2500 mg (2), so one 10-ounce package of spinach provides an average adult with a bit more than a quarter of the required daily amount of calcium.

Conclusion

Leafy greens are widely known as some of the healthiest foods, and there is a good reason for it. Spinach, which is one of the most popular leafy greens, is filled to the brim with essential vitamins and minerals while being low in calories, which makes it one of the best options for a calorie-restrictive diet. It can also offer you numerous health benefits, including diabetes management, asthma prevention, improved bone, skin and hair health, healthy digestion, and lower blood pressure. You can consume this leafy green daily, however, make sure that you don’t overeat it and be careful if you take any vitamin or mineral supplements. To avoid any possible unwanted side effects, please consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet.

What are the 2 vegetables that destroy stomach fat?

MUSHROOMS

"As we head into colder months with less sun exposure, vitamin D intake from food becomes extremely important. Research shows that low levels of vitamin D may be correlated with abdominal obesity," says Kayleen St.John, R.D., executive director of Nutrition and Strategic Development of Euphebe. "Mushrooms grown under UV light should be incorporated into belly fat-fighting meals." Try this Italian Mushroom and Bean Soup.

RASPBERRIES

"Fructose has (rightly so) gotten a bad rap lately for its role in promoting central obesity or belly fat," says St.John. "However, fructose found in whole foods like fruit does not act so sinisterly in the body. Fresh or frozen raspberries contain a great deal of fiber, which helps to regulate the body's insulin response and also reduce belly fat." If a fresh pint comes with a steep price tag at your local grocer, consider buying 'em frozen: they're cost-effective, last practically forever, and are picked at the peak of freshness.

COCONUT OIL

Fat may have once been villainized as making us pack on the pounds, but the Mediterranean Diet, nutritionist guidelines, and a wide body of research (like this study!) are working to banish fat's former rep. Such is the case bolstered by coconut oil: "Research shows that coconut oil doesn't negatively impact blood lipid levels like once believed and that it may even help to promote a reduction in stomach fat. The belly fat-fighting properties of coconut oil stem from the amount of medium chain triglycerides contained which are metabolized quickly and therefore stand less of a chance to be stored as adipose," says St. John. Simply put: The kind of fats coconut oil contains won't turn into fatty deposits stored in your body.

SOUP

"Research continues to show that enjoying soup before a meal reduces the total caloric load of that meal, which can help banish belly fat," says Julieanna Hever, author of The Vegiterranean Diet. "Filling up on high-fiber foods like a low-calorie soup is so satisfying that you end up eating less overall, thereby reducing weight."

ARTICHOKES AND ASPARAGUS

Like onions and leeks, these green veggies are prebiotic foods that produce acetate, an acid that turns on the fat-burning activity in your cells by helping them recover from inflammation. To get more greens, roast artichoke hearts and asparagus in the oven with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and a spritz of lemon.

EGGS

"A study published in the International Journal of Obesity compared weight loss after an egg breakfast compared to a bagel breakfast containing similar calories," explains Toby Amidor, R.D., author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen. "Results founds that participants who consumed two eggs in their breakfast while following a lower-calorie diet lost 65 percent more weight and reduced their waist circumference by 34 percent compared with those who were on a similar calorie bagel breakfast." Eggs are also a great source of protein, which works to keep hunger at bay and curb overeating.

SPICY CHILI PEPPERS

Bring on the heat! "Spicy chili peppers contain capsaicin, a compound known to increase satiety and decrease caloric consumption," says Hever. "It also helps encourage fat burning. Enjoy capsaicin by sprinkling ground cayenne or chili pepper over food or in beverages such as tea or lemon water, or cook hot peppers into stews, chilis, and soups." Or, you know, pop raw ones straight. If you're really brave!

SEA VEGETABLES

They may not be totally mainstream yet, but there's good reason to incorporate marine gems like nori, hijiki, wakame, arame, and kombu into your regular diet. "With omega-3 fatty acids not found in other plant foods, sea vegetables (or seaweed) are inflammation fighting powerhouses," says St.John. "Omega-3 fatty acids are potent inflammation-fighters, so sea vegetables can enhance your body's ability to suppress inflammation and may lead to a flatter belly." Note: Store-bought seaweed snacks can pack a lot of sodium (which can contribute to bloat), so be sure to scan nutrition labels before purchasing.

BROCCOLI

"A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that dark green veggies, like broccoli, may help reduce belly fat," says Amidor. Bonus: "The study also found that these veggies may also decrease risk factors for type 2 diabetes."

BEANS

"Beans are the ultimate weight loss food," says Hever. "They have the ideal macronutrient composition (a perfect ratio of fiber and protein) to ensure satiety with few calories and they also happen to be versatile, cheap, and user-friendly. You should eat at least one and a half cups of beans a day to support weight loss without feeling hungry."

NUTS

"Nuts are surprisingly an excellent food to support weight loss. Although they're rich in calories, they've been associated with weight loss and weight loss maintenance," says Hever. "Researchers suggest this is due the fact that nuts promote satiety, thereby leading to compensation of calories elsewhere in the diet. Also, nuts have been shown to increase resting metabolism." A faster metabolism can help flush out any bloating, so this is definitely a plus for slipping into your skinny jeans or favorite cocktail dress.

MILK

"A study published in study published in Nutrition Journal linked calcium and vitamin D supplementation over 12 weeks with belly fat reduction in obese and overweight college students," says Amidor. "These participants also lowered their calories during this time frame. Although the study was done with supplements, milk is brimming with both calcium and vitamin D, and can be part of a healthy weight loss plan."

FARRO

Everybody loves their quinoa, but it's time to elevate this less-popular grain to superfood status. "While processed grains and sugar are the main culprits for promoting abdominal fat, whole grains are in another category altogether," says St.John. "Intact grains [i.e., ones that haven't been stripped of their nutrients, as is frequently the case with 'white' options] contain fiber which slows digestion and absorption of the grains, which in turn reduces the amount of insulin released by the body." What does this mean for you? The less insulin your body releases equals less abdominal fat tacking itself onto your tummy.

YOGURT

To get the most of this natural source of probiotics, seek out yogurts like those by Fage, Dannon, and Oikos, which contain lactobacillus. In a 24-week study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, women who consumed this type of probiotic lost twice as much weight as those who didn't regularly include it in their diets. Besides eating yogurt at breakfast, try using plain or Greek yogurt in chicken or salads in lieu of mayo or sour cream.

GARLIC

It seems counterintuitive to feed the microbiome foods with antimicrobial properties, but studies show that garlic only goes after bad, inflammation-causing bacteria while leaving good bacteria intact. It's also rich in inulin, the fiber that helps the body digest food more efficiently and steadies blood sugar. Add fresh chopped garlic to tomato-mozzarella salads and stir-fries, or sprinkle garlic powder onto meats and fish before grilling.

SAUERKRAUT

The traditional hot-dog topping can do serious wonders for your waistline. "Fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickled veggies, and kimchi are some of the best sources of probiotics — a form of good bacteria that support healthy digestion and decrease bloat," says Frank Lipman, M.D., founder of Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City. "That's important, since diets low in probiotics can cause bad bacteria to overtake the good ones, leading to health problems ranging from autoimmune diseases to weight gain."

AVOCADO

You know that choosing the right types of fats is key, and here's why: Unhealthy fats, found in processed foods, meats, and cheeses, feed the type of bacteria that spark inflammation and cue your body to store fat, says Lipman. But healthy fats high in omega 3s and 6s — like those in avocado, nuts, olive oil, and salmon — do the opposite. They provide long-burning energy by regulating how quickly glucose enters your cells, keeping hunger at bay. Top a sandwich with mashed avocado, or make a summery side salad with chopped avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil, and lemon juice.

ONIONS AND LEEKS

While probiotics encourage the growth of good bacteria, prebiotics feed the ones you already have. When you eat prebiotic foods like onions and leeks, they produce butyrate, a metabolic wonder drug that improves insulin sensitivity and increases the amount of fat you burn, says Rafael Kellman, M.D., author of The Microbiome Diet. Now that it's summer, pop either on the grill to bring out their sweetness. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and cook until golden.

JICAMA

This Mexican root vegetable contains inulin, a type of fiber that slows down the absorption of blood sugar to help you feel fuller longer, Kellman says. It's also high in magnesium and manganese, two vitamins needed for digestive enzymes to function at their peak. Add chopped jicama to give salads a nice crunch or shred it in your favorite summer slaw.

How Does Eating Spinach Help In Weight Loss?

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WATER WITH LEMON

Lipman suggests sipping it as soon as you wake up and after each meal. "Bitter foods like lemon help stimulate your body's GI juices and aid the start of the digestion process. When digestion is robust, your body breaks down food better and absorbs more of its nutrients, both of which help you maintain a healthy weight and flat belly." Arugula, dandelion root, and apple cider vinegar will also do the trick, so munch on a salad with these greens before your main course — bonus if it's dressed with cider vinaigrette.

LEAFY GREENS

Bok choy, spinach, kale — healthy organisms in the gut, which needs trillions of good bacteria to function at its best, says Lipman. Look for ways to incorporate greens into every meal: Add sautéed kale to scrambled eggs, eat a spinach salad for lunch, and try a stir-fry with bok choy for dinner.

KIWI

Craving something sweet? This fruit — along with colorful radishes, tomatoes, and carrots — contains arabinogalactans, a plant-based fiber and prebiotic that feeds the friendly bacteria that help your metabolism function optimally. The fiber also kills E. coli and klebsiella — two types of bad bacteria associated with carrying excess weight, Kellman says. Chop kiwi into grilled chicken salads or purée into smoothies for a colorful and sweet kick.

OATMEAL

Having a hearty bowl of oatmeal for breakfast isn't just delicious, it's great for your waistline. "The whole grains not only absorb water to make you feel more full, but they're also high in soluble fiber to keep you feeling satisfied for long periods of time," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N., creator of BetterThanDieting.com and author of Read It Before You Eat It. To really prevent any trips to the vending machine between meals, Taub-Dix recommends adding a spoonful of nut butter to your oats.

GRAPEFRUIT

If you have a big-time sweet tooth, grabbing a grapefruit could help cut back on calories from late-night treats. "The interesting thing about grapefruit, and citrus fruits in general, is that they provide an intense, satisfying flavor that rarely gets chanced by sweets," Taub-Dix says. "A grapefruit or citrus fruit after dinner could keep you from reaching for a sweet dessert." Yeah, that's right: a 52-calorie grapefruit can satisfy just as much as a 400-calorie piece of chocolate cake. Sorry, brain, but you just got played.

CANNED TUNA

Canned tuna could be your solution to a flatter belly — and it'll only cost you around 80 cents a pop. "Canned tuna — as well as other fish — is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids," Taub-Dix days. "Besides promoting heart health, omega-3s help you ditch pounds by keeping you feeling satisfied while repairing and replenishing muscles." Win-win, much? Instead of making tuna salad with fatty mayo, try Greek yogurt instead. The mix makes the perfect filling for a healthy lettuce wrap or stuffed into an avocado half.

SPIRULINA

If you're not ready to devour full-on seaweed chunks just yet (you're not alone!), try spirulina. Adding a teaspoon of the pretty blue-green algae into your smoothie every day will help curb cravings, fight illness, and — of course — help you burn off pesky belly fat.

CHIA SEEDS

Chia seeds might look small, but they sure are mighty. The tiny seeds can expand 10 times their weight in water, turning into a gel-like substance (chia pudding, anyone?) that can keep you full for longer periods of time, helping you take in less calories overall and lose weight around your midsection.

DARK CHOCOLATE

It's hard to believe eating a couple pieces of dark chocolate a day can help burn belly fat, but it's true: Researchers in an August 2012 study found adding the sweet treat into your diet can actually promote body weight reduction. Just be sure to grab something that's at least 70% cacao.

What happens if you eat spinach daily?

Although it is safe for most people to eat a bowl of spinach per day, you should be careful to eat it in moderation.

Spinach is a dark leafy green crop with an impressive nutrient profile. Rich with a multitude of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, spinach is a well-known low-calorie ingredient used in many different types of diets. Spinach is also loaded with antioxidants, iron, calcium, and more that make it essential for improving the body inside and out. Learn about the pros and cons of eating spinach every day.

What are the health benefits of spinach?

This vegetable helps in reducing the risks of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and cancer. Spinach is also good for the skin, hair, and eyesight. Advantages of eating limited quantities of spinach every day include:

Vitamins: Spinach is rich in vitamin B and other important vitamins such as A, E, K, and C that helps to improve the skin texture and treat numerous skin-related disorders. Spinach also helps to protect the skin from the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun. It promotes healing of the skin in case of sun damage and prevents premature aging, skin cancer, and other dermal disorders caused by the sun. Because of the presence of vitamin A in spinach, it boosts immunity by preventing infections and inflammations to a large extent. It strengthens the mucous membranes of the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. Vitamin A is also a major component of the lymphocytes (white blood cells) that combat diseases in the human body.

Minerals: Spinach contains minerals such as potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and manganese. These help the body regulate body fluids, cell functions, heart rate, and blood pressure. Spinach is particularly beneficial in treating iron deficiency (anemia) because it is rich in this micronutrient. Besides correcting anemia, iron also helps in the activity of several enzymes. 100 grams of spinach contains around 25% of the daily requirement of iron.

Antioxidants: Spinach is regarded as a superfood because of its abundance of healthy antioxidants (substances that prevent damage due to free radicals in the body). Its fresh leaves are a great source of vital antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidant flavonoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta carotene. Vitamin C is great for the body’s immune system, helping to develop resistance against infections and fight off free radicals. 100 grams of fresh spinach has a whopping 47% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Vitamin A is also considered an antioxidant, fighting off toxins, bacteria, viruses, and any other nasty little invaders seeking to destroy your cells and cause illnesses and disease.

Anti-inflammatory: Spinach helps in providing relief from several types of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, and even migraine headaches.

Prevents damage to the brain and nervous system: Spinach helps in maintaining brain functions, especially in patients of advanced age. The high content of vitamins C and K and folate helps keep the nervous system functioning properly. It also improves the processing abilities of the brain. Spinach helps in the synthesis of sphingolipids that is a crucial fact in the myelin sheath of the nerve cells.

Gastrointestinal disorders: Spinach contains high quantities of beta carotene and vitamin C that maintain gastrointestinal health. It protects the colorectal cells from the cancerous growths caused by the effects of free radicals. The folate content in spinach prevents DNA damage and harmful mutations of the colon cells.

Muscle growth: Spinach reduces stress on the muscles by strengthening the muscular tissues. Magnesium, zinc, and other nutrient content help to sleep better that helps the body to heal and recover faster.

Bone health: Spinach is useful in maintaining and strengthening the bones because of its calcium content. It also has high levels of vitamin K and magnesium, which could reduce the risk of fracture and can work in tandem with vitamin D to increase your bone density and help the body’s calcium balance. Vitamin K is also needed for blood clotting. It helps to prevent the early onset of osteoporosis. Spinach helps in the building of muscle tissues and the growth of collagen.

Hypertension: Spinach is an effective remedy for high blood pressure or hypertension. It also helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Spinach contains both high amounts of potassium and nitrates that work to lower blood pressure to healthy levels.

Blood sugar: Spinach contains protective steroids called phytoecdysteroids. This steroid increases glucose (sugar) metabolism and helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. This is extremely beneficial for people with pre-diabetes, diabetes, or other forms of the metabolic syndrome because it minimizes the requirement for the critical metabolism-regulating hormone, which is insulin. Spinach nutrition also contains a good amount of fiber in each serving, which can help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream to keep blood sugar levels steady. Several other specific compounds found in spinach have also been found to reduce the risk for complications that can arise as a result of diabetes.

Vision: Spinach nutrition contains vitamin A in the form of carotenoids, which benefit eyesight by preserving the health of the retina (the light-sensitive layer in the eye), macula (an oval area near the center of the retina), and cornea (the transparent layer in the front of the eye). Spinach’s carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin are some of the primary antioxidants needed for eye health, especially with advanced age. Some research suggests that upping the intake of spinach could help reduce the risk of age-related eye disorders such as macular degeneration thanks to the presence of these important carotenoids. These carotenoids help filter out harmful light rays from entering the cornea and protect vulnerable tissues of the retinal area from oxidative stress that can result in blindness, cataracts, and other complications.

Skin health: Vitamins C and A found in spinach nutrition can help to fight off ultraviolet (UV) light damage that may lead to skin cancer. Frequently eating foods such as spinach that contain antioxidants can help foster new skin cell growth and support the production of collagen, one of the main building blocks of the skin that is responsible for its elasticity and youthful appearance.

Cancer risk: Spinach is rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, and other nutrients that promote healthy cell division, preventing malignant growths and tumors.

Illness recovery: Spinach is rich in iron content and many other essential nutrients. It helps in recovering and recuperating after a long spell of illness. Spinach juice can be given to patients who have been weakened by anemia or hemorrhage (bleeding).

How To Lose Belly Fat In 1 Week | 5 Simple Steps

QUESTION

According to the USDA, there is no difference between a “portion” and a “serving.”

See Answer

What are the side effects of eating too much spinach?

Although it is safe for most people to eat a bowl of spinach per day, people should be careful while eating excessive spinach every day. Disadvantages of eating spinach in excess on a daily basis are as follows:

Oxalic acid and purines: Eating too much spinach can interfere with the ability of the body to absorb minerals. Oxalic acid present in spinach binds with zinc, magnesium, and calcium because of which the body does not absorb enough nutrients, which may lead to a mineral deficiency. High amounts of purines and oxalates can trigger conditions such as kidney stones and gout (a type of arthritis). High amounts of oxalic acid in spinach may form calcium oxalate stones in the kidney. A high purine content of spinach may also aggravate gout or gouty arthritis and lead to joint pain, swelling, and inflammation.

Vitamin K: An individual must not consume spinach if they are taking anti-coagulating medicines (blood thinners) such as warfarin. Spinach is very high in vitamin K, and this nutrient may react with the anticoagulant drug and significantly affect its action and effect on other coagulating factors present in the blood.

Digestive issues: Eating too much spinach may lead to an excessive buildup of gas, bloating, and cramps because our body needs some time to digest the excessive load of spinach and cannot metabolize it all at once. Spinach is high in fiber and takes time to get digested, which may further lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes fever. Spinach is a good source of iron, but sometimes, because of the high fiber content and its excessive consumption, the body is not able to absorb the plant-based iron we have ingested.

Histamine: This leafy vegetable contains histamine that may trigger a minor pseudo allergic effect or an allergic reaction in some people.

Drug interference: Patients on anti-coagulating medicines (blood thinners) such as warfarin must not take spinach because they are very high in vitamin K, and this nutrient may react with the anticoagulant drug and significantly affect its activities and other coagulating factors.

Toxic reaction: This is a bit serious issue, and some people have complained about the toxic effect and poisoning of spinach when it gets contaminated with bacteria (such as E. coli) through pesticides, organic fertilizers, or irrigation water.

How much spinach should I eat a day to lose weight?

When it comes to weight loss there are so many diet plans out there which promise quick weight loss. To lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume. You need to find the right diet and exercise to lose weight. But there are certain foods which can aid the weight loss process. One such food option which you can try to lose weight faster is spinach. Spinach can speed up the weight loss process and make it easier for you to shed those extra kilos. All you need to do is add just one cup of spinach and let the extra body fat leave you alone. Spinach is rich in insoluble fibre which is the key element which helps in weight loss. A study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health evaluated the use of spinach for weight loss. The study examined a few women who were on a three-month weight loss plan. The study further elaborated women who consumed 5 grams of spinach every day recorded 43 percent greater weight loss than others.

Weight Loss: How does it work?

To lose weight you need to consume fewer calories and one cup of spinach contains just 7 calories. Insoluble fibre will keep you full for longer and the calories will not get absorbed in the body. So, spinach will provide you enough fibre and keep the calories in control. Add a cup of spinach to your daily diet and you will see the difference in few days. The high-fibre content will keep you full for longer and will restrict you eating too many calories. Skip those unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks and choose a cup of spinach over it.

Also read: Try This Hemp And Spinach Protein Shake For Quick Weight Loss

Other health benefits of spinach

1. It is loaded with nutrients

Spinach is one of the healthiest green leafy vegetables. It is loaded with some essential nutrients. One cup of spinach will provide you protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamin A. You must add spinach to your daily diet. Add it to a salad or you can also prepare something with it.

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