Spinach Juice: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects

Introduction: 

You might have watched Popeye the sailor man, gulping down spinach and saving Olive! Well, that show did get some facts right about spinach even if it was a cartoon! Spinach juice is packed with vitamins, minerals and macro nutrients essential for your health. Spinach (Spinacia oleraceae) is a nutritious vegetable that is consumed by boiling the fresh leaves. You can consume spinach raw as well as in cooked form. Spinach leaves contain plenty of antioxidant compounds that can potentially really save you from a lot of health trouble.¹  

Many believe spinach originated in Persia and then spread across Europe and Asia. ² As more and more people are trying to make better dietary choices, such nutritious foods are spreading rapidly to countries where they are not native. Spinach juice can be an excellent choice in this regard because of the presence of its high nutritional value. Continue reading to find out what’s in it for you!  

Nutritional Value of Spinach Juice: 

The spinach juice is obtained by crushing the fresh leaves of the spinach plant. The nutritional components present in spinach juice are given below.  

Table 1: Nutritional benefits of spinach per 100grams of serving ³ 

Also Read: Mango Juice: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects By Dr. Siddharth Gupta

Properties of Spinach Juice: 

Spinach juice may demonstrate these properties as observed in various research.  

• It may show antioxidant property 
• It may show anti-inflammatory property  
• It may show anti-obesity property  
• It may show anticancer property  
• It may help manage blood glucose levels (Hypoglycemic property)  
• It may help reduce blood pressure (Hypolipidemic property)²  

Also Read: Guava Juice: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects By Dr. Smita Barode

Potential Uses of Spinach Juice for Overall Health: 

Spinach is a rich source of many phytochemicals and nutrients. Therefore, it may have potential use in many health conditions.  

1. Potential uses of spinach juice for chronic conditions 

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of spinach juice may help manage chronic disease conditions. 

Spinach extract showed good antioxidant activity in lab and animal trials. As observed during a clinical trial conducted on elderly women, consuming spinach juice in a diet could show antioxidant properties in humans. In another clinical study, it was observed that the consumption of spinach in healthy men and women could reduce oxidative stress in the body.²  

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to stress and injury. Inflammation for prolong periods can lead to diseases like cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, you need to get rid of inflammation in the body. Functional foods like spinach can be a safe and effective way to manage inflammation. Spinach has shown anti-inflammatory properties in several labs and animal studies. Animals receiving spinach showed a decrease in the levels of chemical markers of inflammation.²  

More research is needed to support the consumption of spinach juice in managing and preventing chronic disease conditions. Therefore, you must talk to a healthcare provider in case of any health issue.   

2. Potential uses of spinach juice for obesity 

Healthcare experts often recommend lifestyle modifications like diet and exercise for people looking to lose or manage weight. Spinach can be essential dietary addition for people who want to manage weight. Spinach extract may help induce satiety (feeling full) and thereby reduce calorie intake as per studies conducted on humans and animals. Evidence suggests the spinach diet reduces food intake, controls hunger, and reduces weight gain in people.² However, more research is needed to support the use of spinach juice in obese people looking to lose weight. Avoid making any changes to your diet before talking to your dietician.   

3. Potential uses of spinach juice for cancer 

Cancer is a severe health issue and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Diets rich in dark green vegetables such as spinach may help reduce the risk of cancers. Many studies demonstrate spinach’s protective role against colon, breast, and oesophageal cancers. As per a case study, the consumption of spinach was associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer in women.² Though the protective effects of spinach have been observed in clinical and animal trials, more research is needed to support the consumption of spinach juice in cancer in humans.   

4. Potential uses of spinach juice for diabetes 

Several animal and human trials have shown the glucose-lowering property of spinach in hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) or type 2 diabetes. During a trial, a spinach diet could improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood glucose levels. Therefore, consuming whole spinach or in the form of juice may help reduce the levels of glucose in the diet.² However, spinach or other natural remedies should not be used as an alternative treatment for diabetes. Do not use herbal remedies for diabetes without talking to a doctor first.  

5. Potential uses of spinach juice for cholesterol 

Increased blood cholesterol is a significant risk factor for liver disease, pancreatitis, and heart disease. Thylakoids present in spinach may help reduce the levels of lipids, as observed during a trial conducted on men and women. Similar observations have been made in animal studies too.² However, do not use spinach juice to control blood cholesterol without consulting your healthcare provider.  

Though some studies show the benefits of the herb in various conditions, these are not sufficient and there is a necessity for further studies to establish the true extent of the benefits of herb on human health.  

How to Use Spinach Juice: 

You may consume raw spinach juice to enjoy the numerous health benefits that this leafy vegetable offers. To make spinach juice, blend some fresh spinach leaves with a glass of water to a consistency of your choice. Once it is blended, strain the mixture into a glass. Voila! Your spinach juice is ready.  

You must consult a qualified physician before taking spinach juice or other herbal supplements as medical treatment for any health condition. Likewise, you should not discontinue or replace an ongoing treatment of modern medicine with an ayurvedic/herbal preparation without consulting a qualified doctor.   

Side Effects of Spinach Juice: 

Spinach juice shows no side effects when taken in prescribed doses. However, overconsumption of spinach juice may pose health risks.¹  

Before using spinach juice for any health condition, talk to your healthcare provider about the possible side effects of spinach use. This will help you make well-informed choices.  

Precautions to Take with Spinach Juice: 

Here are some general precautions you should take while using spinach juice.  

• Precautions for pregnant and women 

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consult a qualified doctor or healthcare provider before drinking spinach juice. Likewise, pregnant women should avoid taking herbal juices without talking to their healthcare provider first.  

• Precautions for elderly and children  

Children should avoid taking spinach juice unless recommended by a healthcare provider. The elderly may consume spinach juice under the supervision of a doctor.  

Before taking spinach juice as a medicine, you need to consult your healthcare provider about the precautions and limitations associated with its use.  

Interactions with Other Drugs: 

Spinach juice is a rich source of many vitamins and minerals; therefore, you must talk to your healthcare provider before consuming it as a medicine. Also, if you are taking medication for any health conditions, talk to your healthcare provider about the possible interactions of the treatment with other herbs and drugs.  

Frequently Asked Questions: 

What are the benefits of spinach juice?  

Here are some spinach or palak juice benefits. Spinach juice may help manage blood glucose and lipid levels. It may also help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, spinach juice might be a good choice for weight management.² However, you need to talk to your healthcare provider before using spinach juice as a remedy.  

What are the spinach juice benefits for the skin? 

Nutrition plays an essential role in making the skin healthy. Macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and lipids and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals are responsible for maintaining the skin’s barrier function.⁴ Spinach juice is a rich source of all these nutrients and is beneficial for skin health.³ however, if you experience any skin problems, talk to a skin specialist and get treated.  

How to make spinach juice? 

You can chop some fresh spinach leaves and blend them with a glass of water. Then, you can strain this mixture into a glass and your spinach juice is ready.  

Can I consume spinach juice while pregnant?  

No side effects have as yet been reported on consumption of spinach juice in regular food amounts.¹ However, before consuming spinach juice or any herbal juice during pregnancy, you should consult your healthcare provider. This will help you make well-informed choices.  

Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.