Spinach is a very common green leafy vegetable native to south-western Asia. It belongs to family goosefoot or chenopodiaceae. Spinach is cooked and eaten as vegetable. It offers numerous health benefits. Along with that, it has several medicinal uses as well. It is bitter, pungent, and astringent. It reduces kapha but increases pitta and vata. Spinach has alterative, refrigerant, demulcent, diuretic and laxative activities. It is good to eat spinach in fever, cough, intestinal tract disorders, haemorrhoids, anaemia, vitamin deficiencies and constipation.
Scientific name: Spinacia Oleracea, Family: Chenopodiaceae
Synonym: S. tetrandra Roxb, Vernacular names
English: Spinach, Hindi: Palak
Gujrati: Palak, Marathi: Palak
Telugu: Mathubucchali, Sanskrit: Snigdhapatra, Chhurika, Paalankikaa
Tamil: Pasalai, Siddha: Vasaiyila-keerai, Pasalai
Health benefits of Spinach
- Spinach is very nutritious and full of vitamins (vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E), minerals (magnesium, manganese, iron, and calcium), folic acid and protein.
- Spinach is good for digestive and urinary system.
- Spinach helps to improve haemoglobin level.
- Spinach has digestive and diuretic properties. It improves appetite and assimilation of nutrients, stimulates digestion, and cures constipation.
- Spinach lowers cholesterol level in body and gives protection from heart diseases. Spinach improves body immunity to fight infections.
- Spinach is mild laxative and helps to clear bowel. This gives relief in constipation and piles.
- Spinach prevents bone loss in osteoporosis. It has anti-inflammatory properties and gives relief in pain of arthritis.
Here are some condition in which spinach is very useful
- In case of Anaemia, heavy bleeding during periods, Prameha take extract 20-25 ml juice of spinach. Mix this with 1 apple juice. Drink this juice regularly for few weeks. It is better to eat some citrus fruit like lemon, which helps our body to absorb iron.
- Constipation, Regular eating of spinach helps to cure constipation.
- Urine infection, scanty urination, Drink spinach juice to cure urinary problems such as burning sensation, scanty urination etc.
Please note there are few conditions in which spinach should be avoided or taken in moderation. Some of them are as follows
- Spinach should be avoided in diarrhoea, loose motion and dysentery.
- Spinach should not be taken while suffering from intestinal infection and ulcer.
- Spinach should be used in moderation during pregnancy.
- Spinach contains oxalic acid, so in case of liver diseases, kidney stone, gallstones, and arthritis, it should be avoided or taken in moderation.