Spinach helps fight depression because it has properties that regulate mood, sleep and appetite due to its richness in folic acid, which is vitamin B9. The lack of folic acid in the body may be involved in the origin of depression, so it is recommended that the patient with depression increase the consumption of foods rich in folic acid.
Spinach is a food against depression because in 100 g of spinach there are 150 folic acid. In depression the individual has low levels of the hormone serotonin and folic acid helps increase this hormone.
The recommended folic acid dose for the healthy adult is 400 mcg and the physician should be consulted to evaluate vitamin B9 supplementation for depression. See all the benefits of spinach.
Spinach Recipes for Depression
1. Spinach Cake
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup and a half teaspoon of sifted brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond essence
- 250 g of fresh spinach leaves, clean and without stalks
- half a cup of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Preparation:
Grind the spinach leaves in the blender until they have the purée consistency. Beat the eggs well with sugar and add the pureed spinach, the olive oil, the almond essence, the lemon juice. After this mixture is well incorporated, add the sifted flour and the yeast with the help of the wooden spoon. It goes to the oven at 180º in the form of a removable rim, greased with butter and sprinkled with flour, for 30 to 40 minutes.
Stuff with pastry cream, to which you can add a few drops of almond essence and, if you prefer, decorate with sugar paste.
2. Spinach Souffle
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons light margarine
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of skim milk
- black pepper and nutmeg to taste
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese light
- 3 cups cooked spinach, drained and chopped
- 2 gems
- 2 clear
Method of preparation:
In a pan, with high heat, melt the margarine and add the flour and milk, gradually stirring constantly. Season with the black pepper and the nutmeg. Decrease the heat and add cream cheese and spinach. Cook until the cheese melts. Beat the egg yolks with a fork and add to the spinach mixture, stirring well. Cook until thick. Turn off the heat, beat the egg whites and add to the mixture, stirring gently. Place in a greased pan (for souffle) and bring to the oven, preheated, for about 35 minutes, or until the souffle gins over. Serve next.
Spinach is also rich in vitamin A, potassium and tryptophan, which increases the concentration of the hormone serotonin, which is the hormone of good mood.
