Spinach has been seen for years as super healthy vegetable, which also makes you very strong. Nowadays, spinach is even seen as a superfood. Yet there are also many experts who claim that spinach is very unhealthy and even carcinogenic. This would have to do with the fact that spinach is a nitrate-rich vegetable. The confusion about the effects of spinach on health is therefore great, hence the question, what about now? Is spinach healthy or unhealthy and do you actually become really strong by eating spinach?
Are you strong on spinach?
Spinach has been associated with healthy and strong for years. This association was mainly created by Popey, the super strong American cartoon character from the thirties of the 20th century. Popey says in the comic that he is so strong, because he eats a lot of spinach. He would become strong of the spinach, because spinach contains a lot of iron. From that moment on, a myth was born, spinach you become strong, but is spinach really that healthy? Long was doubted by many a researcher about this. Spinach does not contain as much iron as it was thought at the time that the cartoon character Popey was born. Around this period research showed that spinach would contain 40 mg of iron per 100 mg, but a researcher at the time was mistaken with the comma, leaving only 40 mg of that 40 mg.
Research
Yet it has been found that eating spinach has a beneficial effect on the muscles of the human body, so that it can indeed be said that spinach makes strong. This is not only due to the iron present in spinach, but due to the high nitrate content. The nitrates in spinach have a particularly favorable effect on the white muscle fibers, the muscle fibers that the human body needs for strength and intensive movement. The study showed that nitrates stimulate an increase of two proteins in the muscles. These proteins are used for storing and releasing calcium. This process is essential when contracting the muscles. More protein appeared to lead to greater calcium release, which in turn provides stronger muscles. Regular eating of nitrate-rich vegetables such as spinach is healthy for the muscles.
Is Nitrate unhealthy?
Tour is not wise to eat excessive spinach and other nitrate rich vegetables. Nitrate is in itself a completely harmless substance. However, by preparing or storing vegetables containing nitrates, the nitrate can be converted into nitrite. Nitrite is still an innocent substance in itself, but this nitrite can be converted into the dangerous nitrosamine. This conversion of nitrite to nitrosamine takes place, for example, when the nitrite comes into contact with proteins from fish, crustaceans or shellfish. Scientific research on animals has shown that nitrosamines are carcinogenic. This happens, for example, when nitrite comes into contact with proteins from fish, crustaceans or shellfish. Animal tests show that they can cause tumors over time. During the animal experiments, it was found that nitrosamines can bind to the DNA and, over time, cause tumors. Whether eating nitrate-rich food actually gives an increased chance of the development of cancer in humans is not scientifically proven. The healthy properties of spinach therefore seem to outweigh the disadvantages of eating spinach. However, do not overdo eating spinach.
