Spinach: An Ancient Superfood Backed by Modern Science
Fatemeh Akbari and colleagues have summarized the health benefits of spinach. Spinach is a leafy green veggie that's been around for ages. In traditional Persian medicine, it was prized for its health benefits. Persian medicine considered spinach a source of many nutrients and good for digestion.They used it to treat various issues like inflammation, lung problems, back pain, and even dementia. Research supports some of these traditional uses. Scientists have found that spinach has antioxidants, reduces inflammation, might help fight cancer, and even benefits your brain and eyes. Thus, spinach seems to be a powerhouse for good health! It's readily available, affordable, and packed with nutrients. However, more studies are needed to see how effective it is for specific diseases. But, combining traditional knowledge with modern science shows spinach could be a key player in future health strategies. (1)
Md Rahmat Ali and colleagues consider that cancer is rapidly becoming the leading cause of death globally. They conducted a study to identify edible foods with cytotoxic and/or antioxidant activities that can prevent cancer when consumed in a regular diet. In the study, S68 edible foods were purchased from the local market, and the materials were extracted with 80% methanol. They found: Among the edible foods, carrot, pointed gourd, wax gourd, ficus, apple, lemon, cumin seed, and white peppercorn showed moderate cytotoxicity in HeLa cells. The growth of HeLa cells was significantly inhibited dose-dependently by tomato, banana, Indian spinach, guava, lemon peel, and coriander. Tomato, Indian spinach, lemon peel, and coriander exerted significant dose-dependent inhibition of H2228, HEK293, and H3122 cell proliferation. The tomato, Indian spinach, lemon peel, and coriander extracts induced HeLa cell apoptosis. White peppercorn, amaranth, apple, wax gourd, cumin seed, taro, and lemon peel contained significant amounts of polyphenols and showed high antioxidant activity. White peppercorn, apple, coriander, lemon peel, and ficus significantly scavenged DPPH free radicals. The overall results suggest that the daily intake of these antioxidant-rich cytotoxic foods can prevent or reduce the risk of cancer.
Eating spinach reminds me Popeye.
REFERENCES
(1) Fatemeh Akbari et al, Spinacia Oleracea: Exploring the Therapeutic Potential in Persian Medicine and Modern Pharmacology, Curr Drug Discov Technol. 2024 Feb 15.
(2) Md Rahmat Ali et al, Exploring the therapeutic potential of edible vegetables, fruits, and spices against cancer in various cell lines,J Cancer. 2024 Jan 1;15(3):577-589.