Eating plenty of green vegetables and herbs is very important to keto nutrition, as it provides you with the necessary fiber and vitamins during your diet. We’ve already discussed the advantages of asparagus during a low-carb diet and the benefits of cabbage for your nutrition. What about spinach? Is spinach keto?
Yes, spinach is keto. What’s more, spinach is perfect for keto because of its composition. This green, leafy vegetable is low in carbs, high in fiber, and has a wide variety of nutrients. While on a keto diet, you can consume spinach without restrictions, and it will perfectly complement your diet, as it is an excellent option for getting healthy carbohydrates.
How many carbs are in spinach? How much spinach should you eat during your keto diet? What are the benefits of spinach for your health? How to cook spinach deliciously? I’ll give you all the details about this wonderful green leafy keto vegetable. Keep reading to find out more!
What is Spinach?
Spinach is a green plant that goes through a complete maturation cycle in just one month. Contrary to popular belief, spinach is actually not a herb but a green leafy vegetable. Spinach has been known in the world for a huge amount of time. The plant belongs to the amaranth family. Spinach leaves can be triangular or oblong-round in shape, and the surface can be smooth or wrinkled. The color of the plant can range from pale to dark green.
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Is Spinach Keto?
Yes, spinach is keto, as it contains very few carbs, which are mostly healthy fiber. What’s more, spinach is a perfect green leafy vegetable for the vegan keto diet. You can eat spinach without restriction on a low-carb diet, adding healthy fats to it for the right keto ratio.
100 grams of spinach contain:
- 23 calories
- 3 grams of protein
- 3 grams of fat
- 2 grams of carbohydrates
- 7 grams of fiber
- 3 grams of net carbs.
As you can see, it will be very difficult for you to exceed your daily carbohydrate intake of 20 grams with spinach, so you can feel free to eat it regularly. Plus, spinach has many health benefits, which makes it especially essential when dieting.
Benefits of Spinach for the Keto Diet
The benefits of spinach lie in the presence of vitamins and minerals necessary for a person at any age. When consumed regularly, this green leafy vegetable can improve the functioning of the nervous system. People who eat spinach in their diets don’t know what insomnia, fatigue, and stress are. It is helpful to include spinach in the diet for hypertension, anemia, and diabetes.
Spinach contains a protein that reduces the risk of blindness and improves body function. Due to the presence of iron, the plant is useful for people with blood problems and anemia, and iron enhances the process of hematopoiesis and blood composition.
Spinach is helpful for people who monitor their weight, as it belongs to low-calorie foods. It also contains potassium, which has a positive effect on the activity of the cardiovascular system but also removes excess fluid, helping to get rid of edema and cellulite. This green, leafy vegetable contains lutein, and it is a powerful antioxidant that fights aging. It is beneficial to include spinach in your diet after surgery or after a serious illness.
Vitamins in Spinach
The vitamin composition of spinach provides 7 main healthy properties:
- Vitamin K is essential for bone strength.
- Vitamin A is good for eyesight, and it also produces collagen that the skin needs to slow down the aging process.
- B vitamins are involved in the regeneration of muscle tissue, which is vital for people who play sports.
- Vitamin C increases the protective functions of the body and improves brain activity. In addition, ascorbic acid takes part in many processes in the body.
- Vitamin E is the beauty vitamin, as it participates in tissue regeneration and increases cell nutrition, maintaining your youth and beauty.
- A and B vitamins also normalize the activity of the nervous system, and improve reproductive function and heart health.
- Vitamin H is actively involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels, which is essential for diabetics and people with insulin resistance.
Spinach contains a large amount of chlorophyll, which allows the plant to prevent the occurrence of cancer and heart attacks. It contains a lot of copper, and it increases the body’s defenses against the action of ultraviolet rays.
Spinach is a beneficial vegetable in traditional medicine. It has anti-inflammatory effects and is a mild laxative and diuretic. In healthy recipes, you can use not only leaves but also seeds and roots. Infusions and decoctions are aimed at treating problems in the blood, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. Spinach helps in treating hypertension, hemorrhoids, constipation, diabetes, and other issues.
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A broth prepared on the basis of spinach, due to the content of mineral salts, is recommended for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis, oncological diseases, and a weak immune system.
Contraindications of Spinach
Spinach can harm people who have problems with the kidneys and gallbladder. The plant cannot be consumed in large quantities if there are problems with salt metabolism. It is not recommended to eat spinach for people with poor blood clotting and those taking anticoagulants. Spinach is a contraindication in the presence of thyroid dysfunction.
How to Cook Spinach on Keto?
You can eat fresh spinach by adding it to salads or simply dripping it with olive oil. It is found in most healthy green smoothies and goes well with all vegetables. Stewed spinach has a very delicate flavor, and I like to lightly simmer it with butter or even cream. It is a great side dish for morning scrambled eggs, beef or salmon steak, or baked chicken. Stewed spinach makes a great keto side dish, high in fiber and healthy fats and in the right keto proportion.
You can find fresh spinach and minced frozen. When choosing a fresh green leafy vegetable, pay attention to the firmness of the leaves and the absence of spots and yellowness. Besides, spinach with roots or in pots has a much longer shelf life than just leaves.
Keep the spinach in the refrigerator. It loses its useful properties rather quickly, but you can preserve it longer by freezing the leaves or buying an already frozen product. The cold does not affect the taste. However, the texture and density of the leaves can change. Frozen spinach can be used in casseroles and sauces. Fresh spinach is great for salads and sandwiches.
It is better to eat ready-made meals with spinach immediately and not store it for a long time. As a result, nitric acid salts in the spinach composition can, over time, be converted into nitrogenous salts that are hazardous to health.
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Conclusion
Summing up, I can say that spinach is keto, and it is one of the healthiest green leafy vegetables for a low-carb diet. It is a great vegetable that is high in fiber and low in carbs. Thanks to its many beneficial ingredients, spinach will saturate your nutrition and support your health. Feel free to add it to your weekly keto meal plan with no limits!
