When we talk of Spinach, the first image that comes to our mind is the green Spinach variety. But, did you know that there is another variety called the Red Spinach? Also called Amaranth, red spinach gets its name from its bright, red coloured leaves. These vegetables are a staple diet in many parts of India and are said to have travelled from the African and Central American regions. Indian Red spinach is known for its high nutritional value including iron, vitamins and minerals. Let’s get to know more about the amazing red spinach benefits to our body.
What Is Red Spinach?
Red Spinach is a type of leafy vegetable with a scientific name of Amaranth Dubius. It belongs to the family of Amaranthus Genus and is recognized by the deep reddish coloured leaves. The stalks are also red in colour, unlike the slender Amaranthus, which are green. Red Spinach is not related to green spinach, but get their name due to the resemblance in their appearances.
Is Red Spinach Good For Health?
Doctors opine that the brighter your food colour is, the better it is for your health. Red spinach tops the charts when it comes to offering health benefits. It is full of iron to prevent anaemic conditions. Loaded with Vitamin C and other natural anti-oxidants Red spinach can strengthen your immune system and make you hale and hearty.
Red Spinach Nutrition Facts:
Here is Red Spinach nutritional value per 1 cup of serving:
- Total Calories: 6.4
- Total Carbohydrates: 1.1 gm
- Proteins: 0.7 gm
- Vitamin A: 16 %
- Vitamin C: 20 %
- Vitamin K: 399 %
- Folate: 6 %
- Riboflavin: 3 %
- Calcium: 6 %
- Manganese: 12 %
Evidence-Based Benefits Of Red Spinach:
Here we enlisted 15 science proven red spinach benefits for skin, hair and health. Let’s have a look into them.
1. Promotes Better Digestion:
To regulate the bowel movement, red leaf spinach is quite a good food product to be used in the daily menu. This is solely because of the high levels of dietary fibre in them. Red Spinach also helps in preventing constipation by softening the stools and reduce painful piles. It is advised to eat the stalks of red spinach along with the leaves for better results.
2. Rich In Iron Levels:
For treating anaemia, red spinach can be easily used solely because of the good levels of iron in them. It needs to be taken as a drink after making a paste and mixing it with other natural ingredients like egg, honey and lemon juice. This should be taken once every week for maximum results.
3. Prevents Kidney Disorders:
To improve the kidney function and to clean the kidney, this spinach can be consumed along with the stalks for maximum results. This is also valid for women who have just given birth to a child and want to clean the organ well and regulate it.
4. Improved Vision:
There are rich amounts of vitamin C in red spinach that can help in providing good vision and sort out all the problems related to the eyesight. It also contains many nutrients which can strengthen your optic nerves and improve your eyesight. Red spinach is also known to prevent age-related vision problems.
5. Treats Dysentery:
The stems of red spinach are good for treating crises like dysentery. You need about 10 of them and wash them before mashing them into a smooth paste. Add some salt and strain the liquid. Drink this once each day to get rid of the problem completely. Consulting a doctor before this remedy can help in warding off any side effects.
See More: Spinach Benefits
6. Red Spinach For Thick Hair:
The paste of red spinach can be mixed with salt and then strained well. This juice can be taken 2-3 times in the entire week to get the best outcomes for strong hair and its roots. It helps in providing the best health to the hair follicles because of the high levels of minerals and vitamins.
7. Antidote For Poisonous Bites:
This is one benefits of red spinach that can be reaped only with external use. A smooth paste made from red spinach can be applied to the venomous bites from snakes and reptiles to treat the wounds. It is a good advantage that a lot of people does not know about and should be aware of.
8. Aids In Weight Loss:
Protein content in red spinach helps in reducing the levels of insulin in the blood and also releases a lot of hormones that can help in the proper control of hunger pangs. This is one of the most important things for weight management. The high amounts of dietary fibre increase your metabolic rate to aid in weight loss.
9. Treats Fevers:
Red spinach leaves are known for the temperature regulating properties. Consuming the juice of these leaves when suffering from fevers is believed to lower the temperature and offer quick relief. Red spinach also helps in boosting your energy levels to prevent loss of energy and fatigue.
10. Prevents Greying Of Hair:
Grey hair is a common menace even in individuals as young as 20 years. With high amounts of Iron, Manganese, calcium and other important minerals, Red spinach improves the melanin in your hair and prevents it from premature greying. It also strengthens your hair and protects it from hair fall.
See More: Spinach Juice Uses
11. Red Spinach Benefits For Skin:
Red spinach leaves are wonderful for your skin with their abundant amounts of anti-oxidants. The red coloured pigment in these leaves is known to fight free radicals which cause oxidative stress on your skin cells. These agents are also known to encourage new cell growth to reveal younger, fresher skin. It also offers a moisturizing effect on the skin to make it soft and supple.
12. Maintains Blood Pressure:
Red spinach is quite low in calories and is high in Potassium. It also contains fewer sodium levels, making desirable for hypertension patients. Red spinach can help in regulating your blood pressure and lower the pressure on your heart. Eating one portion of Red spinach per day can promote healthy well-being.
13. Beneficial During Pregnancy:
Pregnancy is a crucial phase for any woman when a healthy diet makes all the difference. Including a serving of Red spinach, twice a week during pregnancy can reduce iron deficiencies in the mother to help in successful labour. It also helps in better brain development of the fetus.
14. Anti-Cancer Properties:
Red Spinach is known for its Cancer warding properties. With high amounts of antioxidants and flavonoids, Red spinach is known to prevent many types of cancers. It can reduce the oxidative stress in the body, which give rise to tumour cells. These compounds can fight cancer cells and reduce tumour growth. This is one of the best Red spinach health benefits.
15. Reduce Dark Circles:
Dark circles are quite undesirable for giving a ruined appearance. Red Spinach can help in reducing dark circles by improving the iron levels in the body. It can also prevent nutritional deficiencies in the body and increase blood flow. This leads to a reduction of dark pigments, eye bags and swollen eyes.
See More: Spinach During Pregnancy
Red Spinach Side Effects:
Following are some of the many side effects of Red Spinach, especially when taken in abundance:
- Nausea
- Indigestion
- Stomach cramps
- Kidney Problems
- Interference with certain medications
Now that you have understood the many benefits of Red spinach for your body, it’s time you start including it in your diet. Experts opine that you need to add different colours of food on your plate to get well-rounded nutrition. Along with your common leafy greens, adding red spinach can help in protecting your body against a number of diseases. Do check out some interesting red spinach recipes online to enjoy this delicious leaf in a variety of ways!
