The Secret Side Effects of Eating Spinach, According to Science

Whether you add it to a smoothie or use it as a base for your salad, eating spinach is an easy way to reach your daily veg goals. However, this tasty green does more than just benefit your palate – it is home to a wide variety of nutritional benefits that can have significant effects on your well-being as well.

If you want to live longer and healthier, read on to discover the secret side effects of consuming spinach, according to the science. And for other cool additions to your regular meal plan, check out the 7 Healthiest Foods To Eat Right Now.

If you’re struggling to lose weight, adding a little spinach to your diet can help. A 2014 study published in Appetite found that in a group of 38 overweight women who received either a drink containing spinach extract or a placebo, those given the spinach extract experienced a reduction of up to 95% in cravings and lost 43% more weight than control group members during the study period.

For easier ways to shed those extra pounds, check out these 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.

Bringing your blood pressure into healthier territory can be as easy as adding spinach to your diet. According to 2015 research published in the journal Clinical nutrition research, study subjects who consumed high-nitrate spinach soup over the course of seven days experienced reduced arterial stiffness and decreased systolic blood pressure.

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Lowering your blood pressure isn’t the only way eating spinach can benefit your cardiovascular health. A 2021 study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that eating just one cup of nitrate-rich leafy greens, such as spinach, per day could reduce a person’s risk of peripheral artery disease by up to 26% and may reduce the risk of heart attack, heart failure heart and stroke. And if you want to keep your heart healthy, start with the best foods that can help lower your risk of heart disease.

Your parents may have told you that carrots are good for your eye health, but spinach just might be the real MVP when it comes to your vision. According to a study published in Investigative ophthalmology and visual sciences, among a group of 380 men and women aged 66 to 78, those with lower levels of zeaxanthin, a nutrient abundant in spinach, were significantly more likely to have age-related macular degeneration.

Whether you have a family history or other risk factors for the disease, adding spinach to your diet may have a protective effect against colorectal cancer. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that of 2,410 people whose data was collected through the United States Department of Agriculture and Nutrition Coordinating Center Carotenoids Database, those with a higher dietary intake high in lutein, an antioxidant found in spinach, had lower rates of colorectal cancer.

For more information on the effects of spinach on your digestive tract, check out One of the Major Effects of Eating Spinach on Your Gut, New Study Finds.

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