If you are a 90’s kid you must remember the famous cartoon Popeye the sailor man. A glass of spinach juice and Popeye was all set to fight hard.
Many do not like having greens on a daily basis. However the importance of having leafy vegetables you can’t ignore. But getting, cleaning, and cooking green is not that easy. Considering all these aspects, spinach powder is like your one-stop solution for all. It’s healthy and very neutral in taste.
Why spinach powder? How to make it? How to consume spinach powder? We will discuss every aspect of it in this blog. So read till the end.
Comparison of the nutritional value of spinach vs. spinach powder-
Table 1 below shows the approximate nutritive value of 100 g of the edible portion of spinach and spinach powder.
Generally, spinach contains 92% of moisture. After dehydration, the change in the moisture content in spinach powder makes a huge difference in the overall nutrient content.
The protein, carbohydrate, fiber, mineral, vitamin content increases many folds in its powder form.
100 g of spinach powder per day can meet the daily requirement (based on 2000 kcal diet need) of –
- 100% of beta carotene
- 14%of iron,
- 5% of vitamin C and
- 9% of calcium
Table 1: Nutritive value of spinach vs. spinach powder (approximate value of 100 g of edible portion)
| Nutrients | Spinach* | Spinach powder** |
| Moisture | 86.0 g | 6% |
| Energy | 26 kcal | 85 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 2.9 g | 16 g |
| Protein | 2.0 g | 3 g |
| Fat | 0.7 g | 1 g |
| Fiber | 0.6 g | 3 g |
*Data Source – C Gopalan, Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2016
** Data Source –Label of packaged spinach powder
11 Reasons to consume spinach powder –
It is loaded with nutrition –
Spinach Powder is the concentrated, dehydrated form of spinach. To prepare 100 g of spinach powder, you may need approximately 1-1.2 kg of spinach.
The powder is rich in insoluble fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a good source of vitamin A, C, K, folate, iron, and calcium.
Spinach is also a great source for many phyto-compounds such as –(5)
- Nitrates
- Kaempferol
- Lutein
- Quercetin
- Xeaxanthin
It is good for eye health –
Spinach Powder is rich in beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These are essential for protecting the health of your retinal tissue. (1) These compounds are specifically important for preventing glaucoma, night blindness, and developing cataracts for older people. (2)(3)(4)
Thus having spinach powder may help you to improve and protect your eye health.
It help to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health
Spinach powder is rich in potassium, which helps to regulate blood pressure better. Spinach is rich in nitrates which get converted into nitric oxide following a complicated biochemical pathway in our body. Nitric oxide is a potent vasodilator that means it helps to dilate the blood vessels and reduces blood pressure. (5)(6)(7)(8)
Spinach powder reduce oxidative stress
Free radicals are produced in our bodies as metabolic by-products. These free radicals attack cell membrane, DNA and cause oxidative stress, heart issues, cataract, premature aging, wrinkles, dark spots, etc. Vitamin A, C, lutein, Quercetin, and Kaempferolpresent in spinach powder helps to give an antioxidant effect. It protects your body, skin from oxidative stress and free radicals. It also helps in collagen formation. It may improve your skin health and bring a natural glow. (13)(14)
It may reduce inflammation and prevent cancer
Spinach contains MGDG and SQDG. These components help to slow down cancer growth. There are multiple studies that show that the presence of antioxidants in spinach juice helps to suppress cancer formation and stopped further cell growth in the human body. (10) (11) (12) (13)
Therefore having carrot juice regularly may help you to reduce inflammation, prevent and treat cancer to some extent.
It helps to reduce weight
Spinach powder is low in calories, rich in fiber specifically insoluble fiber, micronutrients. Spinach drink also keeps you full for some time. Instead of nibbling on high-calorie junk or sugar-loaded drinks, try spinach drinks as mid-morning or evening drinks.
Consider reading – How to plan Indian diet for weight loss
It is good for controlling blood sugar level
Spinach has a low glycemic index. That means it does not shoot blood glucose levels much after consumption. Therefore a small quantity of spinach drink might be helpful for keeping the blood sugar level in control. The high fiber content, presence of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties might show this beneficial effect of spinach juice on type 2 diabetes patients. A study suggests that spinach can be a powerful supplement to prevent insulin resistance. (12)
Consider reading – Step by step Indian diet guide for diabetes
Spinach powder may be beneficial for relieving constipation
Dehydrated spinach powder is rich in insoluble fiber. This may help you to fix your constipation problem. Try having spinach juice in the morning on empty stomach for the desirable result.
It’s convenient for regular use –
Imagine separating the rotten leaves, washing, and chopping spinach every morning for your vegetable juice. Does it sound doable for every day? Mornings are one of the busy hours in almost every household. Therefore you need some convenience to match your time with your health goal.
It is like an instant drink. All you need to do is take a teaspoon of powder and stir in water. That’s all; the basic spinach drink is ready.
Generally good in quality –
As I always mention – be an informed and aware consumer. Spinach powder available in the market is mostly a single-ingredient product. That means it contains only dehydrated spinach and nothing else. No preservatives, artificial colors, sweeteners, or additives are added to this powder. Therefore you can be assured of the quality of the powder. However, don’t forget to check the ingredient list.
It’s pocket friendly –
There is a various range of spinach powder available in the market. It may cost starting from rupees 90 to 230/- for 100g. You may pick any as per your choice.
You may think that you will get a kilo of spinach in just rupees 80-100/-. Then paying this much for only 100 g may sound very expensive.
Remember, to get 100 g of powder you may need 1 – 1.2 kg of fresh spinach. Then also consider the hassle of making it into powder. So the cost is not that high comparing the convenience and health benefits you are going to avail.
Does the powder really work?
Don’t expect overnight magic from any food. That happens only in advertisements. It takes about 2-3 weeks to see a result. Therefore patience is the key here.
You may or may not feel any visible difference. However, good food will always give you some benefits that you may not even realize immediately.
How to make spinach powder at home?
Making spinach powder at home is not a complicated process. However, it’s time-consuming for sure. If you are planning to prepare the powder at home, consider the following steps –
- Wash the spinach well under running water and clean the soil and dirt.
- Soak the water using a clean kitchen towel.
- Discard the rotten leaves.
- Chop the fresh leaves.
- Spread the chopped spinach on a clean plate.
- Keep it under the sun for few days for drying.
- Do check the spinach in between to ensure complete drying.
- Once fully dried, pour the dried spinach in a grinder and grind it.
- Your powder is ready.
- Collect and store it in a clean dry glass jar.
- Store it in a cool dry place or in your refrigerator for long term use.
How to use spinach powder?
The easiest possible way to consume the powder is to add 1 tsp of it in a glass (250 ml) of water and stir as an instant drink.
If you want to take your drink to a next level, consider adding fresh tomato, mint, cucumber juice to it. You may also think of adding any other fresh fruit juice like pineapple, watermelon, mosambi, lemon to it for better taste. Add a pinch of rock salt and black pepper. You may add a few drops of ginger juice to it for a special punch.
You can also add the powder to your smoothie or yogurt or in soup.
You may also try to add it while making dough for roti/ paratha or in the idli/ dosa batter.
Many even prefer adding the powder in the pancake or muffin batter.
If you are a hummus fan, you can consider adding it to hummus as well.
You can also think of adding it to your dal or vegetable or chicken broth.
When to take it?
If you are planning to take spinach powder for health reasons, consider taking the juice in the morning on empty stomach. As mentioned above, you can add any other fresh fruit or vegetable juice along with it.
This can also be taken as a mid-morning drink.
For bringing variety in diet and to increase the fiber content of the diet, you can add the powder with any dish (roti/ paratha/idli/ dosa/ pancake/ soup/ yogurt/smoothie/ hummus, etc) for breakfast/ lunch/ snack or dinner.
Can you take it every day?
You can consume spinach powder every day. Take 5 g (1 teaspoon) of it as a drink or in other preparation. Don’t consume it in excess. This may cause stomach ache because of its high fiber content.
Who should avoid taking carrot powder?
Spinach powder is high in potassium, an important element to regulate blood pressure. Thus if you are struggling with low blood pressure, you may avoid taking it on a regular basis.
As it is high in potassium, patients with kidney problems should not take it.
If you are allergic to spinach, needless to say, you must avoid it. You may experience nausea, stomach ache, headache, etc after having it.
Spinach contains a high amount of oxalic acid and calcium. People prone to develop kidney stones must avoid them on regular basis.
Spinach is a rich source of vitamin K which plays a major role in blood clotting. Patients who are already on some blood thinner medicine should avoid its regular consumption.
Where to buy spinach powder?
Now a day, spinach powder is easily available online as well as in your nearby health store. The price range varies between rupees 60-220/- for 100 g of powder.
Pro tip: Always check the ingredient list before buying. There should be only one item in the ingredient list or should mention 100% of pure spinach powder on the package.
Looking for spinach powder online? Check this link –
ALSO, READ –
15 health benefits of beetroot powder
Carrot Powder – Benefits, How to prepare, Uses, Side effects
Bottom Line –
Raw vegetables have their own health benefits. Availability and making fresh juice every morning is a task in the busy morning. Dehydrated spinach powder is an instant drink, travel-friendly, and great for health benefits. Try it and consume it the way you want.
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