Canned spinach is lower in vitamins and minerals than fresh spinach. Some nutrients of spinach are lost during the cooking and canning process. Canned spinach can be high in calories due to the added fats and sugars often used as preservatives.
If your spinach always goes bad before you get a chance to eat it, canned spinach is the way to go. Canned spinach actually contains more vitamin C per serving than its fresh counterpart! It's also a rich source of vitamin K and potassium and is a great addition to dips, soups, omelettes or simple as a side.
½ cup of canned spinach contains: - More than your recommended daily value of Vitamin K to help with the formation of bones, tissues and hormones. - 70% of your recommended daily value of Vitamin A to keep eyes and skin healthy and to protect the body against infections.
If you don't have fresh spinach, you can use canned spinach instead without affecting the recipe. Simply add the canned spinach to the skillet in step 1, cook until heated through, then proceed with the recipe as directed.
First off, since canned spinach is packed in water, it tends to lose its nutritional value over time. This means that after six months or so, your canned spinach will no longer contain the same level of vitamins and minerals that it did at first.
What's bad about spinach? If you eat spinach every day in excessive amounts (more than a bowl) there can be adverse health effects. Most commonly these include gas, bloating and cramps due to its high fiber content. Eating too much spinach can also interfere with the body's ability to absorb nutrients.
We prefer frozen spinach over canned-it's got better flavor and is lower in sodium-but the same principle applies. One cup of frozen spinach has more than four times the amount of nutrients, such as fiber, folate, iron and calcium, than a cup of fresh spinach, so if you want to power up, do it with frozen spinach.
Draining your spinach is often a good idea because 1) it can help get rid of some of that excess sodium, and 2) it can improve its texture. The water that canned spinach soaks up from the brine can make it unappetizing.
Spinach. The leafy green is packed with nutrients, but you'll absorb more calcium and iron if you eat it cooked. The reason: Spinach is loaded with oxalic acid, which blocks the absorption of iron and calcium but breaks down under high temperatures.
So what's the truth about spinach's iron content? According to the USDA, there are: 6.43 milligrams in one cup cooked fresh spinach. 4.92 milligrams in one cup canned spinach.
Although it's difficult to find authoritative limits for spinach consumption on a daily or weekly basis, MedicineNet confirms that a bowl a day, a moderate amount, is safe for most people. The exceptions, of course, would be those with specific conditions, or those taking specific medications.
Spinach is high in fiber and water, both of which help prevent constipation and promote a healthy digestive tract. Learn more about foods that promote regular digestive function.
Since it has already been cooked, canned spinach has higher calorie content. One cup of fresh spinach will have about 7 calories per cup compared to canned spinach with 50 calories per cup.
Generally speaking, boiling has the harshest effect on heat-sensitive nutrients. Stir-frying or sautéing retains more nutrients than boiling, but if you want to retain the nutrients, steaming and microwaving vegetables may be the optimal cooking methods.
But spinach has consistently retained its top rank as the superfood to beat all others because it is so dense in nutrients and healthy compounds. Eating spinach daily is linked to lower risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer, three of our nation's greatest chronic diseases.
A Handful a Day
A large handful (100g) of raw spinach provides a host of nutrients. These include vitamin A which promotes healthy, clear skin and vision; vitamin C which aids the growth of healthy connective tissue and folate which contributes to a healthy immune system.
While incorporating spinach into raw and cooked dishes can help maximize its health benefits, some research shows that not cooking the greens preserves its lutein content. So, it's important to consume spinach raw for maximum lutein intake.
You can throw Cider Vinegar-Spiked Steamed Baby Spinach together in about five minutes. The cider-vinegar sets this veggie side apart and gives the baby spinach a subtle, sour flavor.
This food consists of 94.52% water, 2.14% protein, 2.96% carbs, 0.38% fat, and 0% alcohol.
The secret to spinach's strength-boosting powers would be nitrate, a set of compounds that contain nitrogen and oxygen and are believed to improve muscle endurance. Spinach is high in nitrates, so adding this leafy vegetable to your diet is a good idea if you want to try a natural alternative to boost your strength.
Since canned spinach is cooked even further than frozen, the nutrition content is even more concentrated. Also, since it is cooked down, it's easier to digest and it gives your system a head start on processing the vitamins and minerals within.
Spinach contains lutein, a carotenoid antioxidant that can lower levels of bad cholesterol.
"Fresh veggies often taste the best, especially if the vegetable is in season. But the good news is that the nutritional value of a vegetable isn't reduced during either the canning or freezing process — making canned or frozen veggies just as healthy as fresh ones.