A recent Swedish study shows that drinking spinach juice - instead of cooking it - is the best way to take advantage of its antioxidants, which fight atherosclerosis.
The study was conducted by researchers at the Swedish University of Linchoping, and published their findings in the latest issue of the Journal of Food Science Chemistry.
Spinach contains high levels of natural anti-oxidant lutein, natural pigments that make spinach dark green.
The team studied the role of antioxidant lutein, and found that it could stop inflammation in immune cells in patients with coronary artery disease.
According to the study, many people with atherosclerosis suffer from chronic inflammation can be measured in the blood, and is associated with inflammation increased risk of myocardial infarction.
To reach the results of the new study, researchers studied ways to eat different spinach, to get as much of the possible lutein.
The researchers showed spinach for frying, frying and boiling for up to ninety minutes, measured lutein content at different times of preparation, and compared it with raw spinach, which is brought in the form of juice.
The researchers found that the best way to eat spinach to get high levels of lutein is to drink juice, rather than boiled or fried or even steamed.
Heating time
The researchers also found that the heating time is very important during preparation. The longer the spinach period, the lower the levels of lutein. When the spinach is fried at high temperature, a large part of the lute breaks down after only two minutes.
The results also revealed that re-heating the broiler in the microwave oven loses many levels of lutein, because the structure of the plant is highly disintegrated by the microwave oven and it is best not to reheat it.
"It's best not to heat spinach at all," said lead author Dr. Lina Yunasson. "It's better to eat it as fruit juice and add fat to it like dairy products like cream, milk and yogurt."
According to the World Health Organization, about 17.3 million people die from heart disease every year, accounting for 30% of the world's total deaths each year. By 2030, 23 million deaths from heart disease are expected annually.