A steaming bowl of delicious palak-paneer or palak paratha can not only relieve your winter blues, but also makes sure you derive some health benefit or the other from it.
Apart from better heart health, controlled blood sugar levels, excellent bone health, there is so much the humble spinach can give you. According to certain studies, plant-based diet can also relieve migraine symptoms. Add to it the bonus of naturally glowing skin and better eyesight and you will definitely consider this healthy addition to your winter diet.
How Spinach or Palak can boost your overall health?
"Palak or spinach, the most common kind of green leafy vegetable, is a rich source of vitamin K, C, and D, dietary fibre, iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, and plenty of antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol. One of the antioxidants in spinach, called lutein, has also been shown to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, a degenerative condition that can blur vision," says Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach - Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine and Founder of YouCare - All about YOU by Luke Coutinho, opening up about the nutrition value of spinach.
Spinach or palak is high on iron content and anemia patients can benefit from it by consuming it regularly. If you want to improve your calcium absorption, Coutinho advises you to pair it with citrus fruits or foods rich in Vitamin C.
"Due to its high iron content, spinach is a powerful ingredient for managing anemia. To reap the maximum benefits from this leafy green, we recommend pairing it with Vitamin C, like a few drops of lemon or pieces of amla, as iron and vitamin C have a synergistic effect," he says.
Benefits of eating green vegetables in winters:
Green vegetables not only taste good if cooked right they can fulfill all your soluble and insoluble fibre requirements and keep your gut healthy. In winters, they can surely help you with constipation that is a common problem in the season. Besides green veggies are high on vitamins, and minerals like iron, folic acid, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium which could keep several health diseases at bay.
"They are rich in antioxidants and are great for conditions like weight gain, constipation, bone health, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases," says Coutinho.
