This is one of those soups that's easy peasy to make and full of nutrition plus its yummy.
Spinach has good levels of iron, but not quite as much as originally believed. It is important to note that there are two forms of dietary iron: 'haem' iron and 'non haem' iron. Haem iron is found in animal products and is the most efficiently absorbed form of iron. Non haem iron is found in plant foods (such as spinach) and is a little harder for the body to absorb in comparison. Iron plays a central role in the function of red blood cells which help in transporting oxygen around the body, in energy production and DNA synthesis.
Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamin K (helps in blood clotting), vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C and folic acid as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. Vitamin K is important for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach.
Cooked v/s Raw Spinach: There is a big debate surrounding that spinach should never be eaten raw because it contains high levels of oxalic acid, which in excess can inhibit the absorption of other important nutrients such as calcium can lead to kidney stones. Lightly cooking spinach is thought to reduce the oxalic acid content. The key word here is excess which means different things to different people. For example, for a person taking anti coagulants or with history ff kidney stones, eating raw spinach everyday might not be recommended. But for a normal healthy person there is absolutely no need to completely ban raw spinach from your diet.
I throw spinach in my dals especially dhuli mung and masoor and add it regularly to my scrambled eggs and salads.
Spinach has good levels of iron, but not quite as much as originally believed. It is important to note that there are two forms of dietary iron: 'haem' iron and 'non haem' iron. Haem iron is found in animal products and is the most efficiently absorbed form of iron. Non haem iron is found in plant foods (such as spinach) and is a little harder for the body to absorb in comparison. Iron plays a central role in the function of red blood cells which help in transporting oxygen around the body, in energy production and DNA synthesis.
Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamin K (helps in blood clotting), vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C and folic acid as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. Vitamin K is important for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach.
Cooked v/s Raw Spinach: There is a big debate surrounding that spinach should never be eaten raw because it contains high levels of oxalic acid, which in excess can inhibit the absorption of other important nutrients such as calcium can lead to kidney stones. Lightly cooking spinach is thought to reduce the oxalic acid content. The key word here is excess which means different things to different people. For example, for a person taking anti coagulants or with history ff kidney stones, eating raw spinach everyday might not be recommended. But for a normal healthy person there is absolutely no need to completely ban raw spinach from your diet.
I throw spinach in my dals especially dhuli mung and masoor and add it regularly to my scrambled eggs and salads.
Now the Recipe
- Take little bit of olive oil and sauté lightly 1-2 cloves of finely chopped or grated garlic.
- Then add spinach and little bit of water and give it one whistle in a cooker for the garlic flavor to come out.
- Open the cooker, let it cool a little and puree the mixture
- Put this in a pan and add 1/4th cup milk and little water (1/4th cup), lemon, salt and pepper and give it one nice boil.
- You can top it off with sunflower seeds.
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