Almost all foods we regularly consume are acidic or acid forming in our bodies. And this fact puts a lot of pressure on our body, as it needs to be constantly fighting to maintain it’s balance. When our body is acidic, it is vulnerable to become ill. The opposite is also true, when our body is in balance, meaning it is slightly alkaline, it does not get sick.

When there is an imbalance, our body’s natural reaction is to store water so that it can protect it’s vital organs. It also is forced to take calcium and other minerals from our bones and teeth to help digest and alkalize what we have consumed. And these are only two of the many symptoms our body shows when being acidic. Now, the most dangerous ones are the fact that it is vulnerable to degenerative diseases and decay.

We always talk about ways to alkalize our diet. Ideally, at least 70% of what we eat should be alkaline. You can check out our Acid-Alkaline Chart for a complete list of acid and alkaline foods. But today I want to talk specifically about one dark leafy vegetable that is part of our daily diet, Spinach.

The next time you have a salad, I invite you to change the iceberg lettuce for spinach. If we compare these two, just as an example, spinach has more nutrients, less sugar, and is more alkaline than iceberg lettuce.

Dark green leafy vegetables are alkaline forming thanks to the Chlorophyll in its green pigment. As a general rule, the darker the color, the more alkalizing this food is. Going back to our previous comparison, you can immediately see which is darker, and yes, darker is healthier.

Spinach is a good source of vitamins K (1,110% RDA), A (337.3% RDA), Manganese (84% RDA), Folate (65.7% RDA), Magnesium (38% RDA), Iron (35% RDA), Vitamin C (31% RDA), Vitamin B2 (27% RDA), Calcium (25% RDA) Potassium (23% RDA), Vitamin E (21% RDA), Fiber (19% RDA), together with other vitamins from the B complex, carotenes, iodine, phosphorus, some trace elements and several amino acids.

Together with it’s alkalizing effects, which contribute to overal health and longevity, some benefits of eating spinach include boosting your immune system, cleansing and aiding with weight loss, and relieving fatigue and depression.

Make it a habit to add some spinach to at least one meal in your day. Toss it in your salad or stir fry, add it to your wraps or sandwiches, chop it and add it to your pasta or rice, and if you juice, make sure to include a handful of spinach in your juice!