Why is boiled spinach water dark green?
Why is boiled spinach water dark green? Is it because the vegetables are contaminated with chemicals as many people fear or are there other reasons?
Water spinach is a herbaceous plant that grows on water or mud. Water spinach contains a lot of vitamins A, B, C, calcium, phosphorus and other nutrients, especially rich in iron.
Water spinach can be processed into boiled or stir-fried dishes, salads, and soups, appearing with high frequency in the daily meals of many families. What makes some people worried is the phenomenon of boiled spinach water turning black and green, not knowing whether the vegetable is less safe or not.
Why is boiled spinach water dark green?
According to Dr. Dang Ngoc Hung (Institute of Nutrition Research and Consulting) on VnExpress , water spinach has a large amount of chlorophyll, so the process of boiling in alkaline water such as calcium and magnesium can create harmful substances. dark blue compound. Therefore, the phenomenon of water spinach turning dark green does not mean that the vegetable is contaminated with chemicals.
Water spinach contains a lot of chlorophyll, an ester with a flower-shaped structure with a Mg2+ nucleus that can react with alkalis, acids and is affected by temperature to create different colors. Chlorophyll can replace the nucleus with other metal ions such as AI 3+, Cu, Pb… to create heat-stable complexes and darker colors.
Boiling water spinach in an aluminum pot or stainless steel pot (which has AI3+ and Cu ions in the pot structure) can cause the Mg nucleus to be replaced. If water spinach is left in the pot for a long time, it will easily cause a reaction between chlorophyll and metal. type, forming a dark green complex.
When reacting with acid, chlorophyll will change from yellow to slightly red. This also explains why when squeezing lemon or soaking water spinach in water spinach, you see the phenomenon of changing color to clear or slightly yellow water.
Health benefits of spinach
Water spinach is a familiar dish, chosen by many people in their daily meals. A post on the website of Vinmec International General Hospital points out the health benefits of eating spinach:
– Supports the treatment of anemia: This vegetable is rich in iron, so if used properly and reasonably, it will support the treatment of anemia, helping pregnant women supplement adequate iron.
– Protects heart health: Water spinach is rich in vitamins A, C and beta-carotene, these antioxidants help reduce total cholesterol levels, limit the formation of lipid plaques that cause coronary atherosclerosis, from That reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In addition, spinach also contains magnesium, which helps reduce blood pressure and protect heart health.
– Prevent cancer: Eating spinach in the right amount will help your body absorb up to 13 antioxidants, thereby helping to prevent factors that cause rectal cancer, stomach cancer, and breast cancer. …
– Treat jaundice and liver problems. Water spinach extracts help protect the liver from damage caused by chemicals.
– Helps keep eyes bright and healthy: Water spinach has high levels of vitamin A and lutein – nutrients that are beneficial for the eyes and prevent cataracts.
– Anti-aging and skin rejuvenation: Water spinach is rich in antioxidants that help prevent cell damage caused by free radicals; thereby enhancing the skin’s resistance to damage, helping to prevent and reverse signs of aging.
Notes when eating spinach
Although spinach brings many health benefits, when eating this food, you still need to keep in mind the following:
- Cook water spinach thoroughly: Water spinach has many parasites such as intestinal flukes, so when using it, you need to soak it thoroughly and cook it to kill all the parasites that cause disease in the body. Before preparing spinach, you should soak it in diluted salt water for about 30 minutes, then rinse with water and cook.
- People with weak health and open wounds should not eat spinach.
- You should eat spinach in moderate amounts, no more than 300g/day.
