More Sonoma Diet Powerhouse Foods: the “S”s

We’re almost through the alphabetical list of the Sonoma Diet powerhouse foods. Today, we’ll drool over spinach and next time, strawberries.



Calorie for calorie, dark green vegetables like spinach pack more nutrients than any other food. One cup of boiled spinach (equivalent to 6 cups of fresh leaves) contains just 41 calories and zero fat. Spinach is one of the best foods you can eat for bone health, aside from dairy products (which contain varying amounts of fat).



One cup of boiled spinach contains eleven times the recommended DV of vitamin K. Yes, you read right – 11 times! Vitamin K activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. A cup also contains 25% DV of calcium and 39% DV of magnesium, both of which are essential for bone-building and maintenance. Magnesium also helps lower high blood pressure.



Spinach is loaded with antioxidants. One cup has three times the DV of vitamin A and 29% DV of vitamin C plus thirteen different types of flavonoids. Antioxidants work within the body to neutralize free radicals and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, various cancers and atherosclerosis. They also help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related mental decline. The folate in a cup of spinach (66% DV) also reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by neutralizing homocysteine.



Finally, as any Popeye fan knows, spinach is rich in energy-boosting iron. One cup provides 36% DV of this vital nutrient with none of the fat of red meat.



Tags: spinach for health, antioxidants, folate benefits