Spinach - 'super food' against cancer
Among green leafy vegetables, spinach is the most nutritious. Some studies show that it helps protect you from certain cancers such as mouth, esophagus, stomach, etc.
You may have heard that lutein, an antioxidant, is good for your eyes. Research is mixed, but it may also play a role in protecting against cancer.
According toWebMD, vegetables are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that help remove free radicals from your body. They are found in spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables.
Some studies suggest they may protect against cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. A study of 490,000 people found that those who ate more spinach had a lower risk of esophageal cancer. Some studies suggest that carotenoids in spinach and other foods may also reduce the risk of ovarian, endometrial, lung, and colorectal cancers.
Researchers believe that folate and fiber supplements may reduce the risk of certain cancers. You can find them in dark green leafy vegetables. Folate helps your body make new cells and repair DNA, and is especially important for women of childbearing age because it can prevent neural tube defects in developing fetuses.
You'll get the most lutein from raw or cooked spinach. Enjoy it in salads, steamed or sauteed with garlic and olive oil, or stir-fried into soups. For variation, substitute kale, collard greens, Swiss chard... but spinach is the star.
