Does spinach help build muscle and make the person strong like Popeye?
Well, we all are aware that spinach was the source of power and strength for Popeye the Sailor, who was an imaginary character.
But, interestingly the benefits of spinach in boosting power and muscle are not something completely imaginary, this green leaf can have some impactful contribution to your muscle building.
Spinach and bodybuilding are essentially co-related and the seemingly insignificant leafy greens can certainly boost your muscle-building capabilities beyond your imagination.
But how much spinach is necessary to experience optimal results and how one should consume it, raw or cooked? Well, hold on.
We are going to answer all your queries in this discussion and will inform you about everything you need to know about the role of spinach in bodybuilding.
Does Spinach Help Build Muscle?
We’ve heard a lot about so many muscle-building substances, but what makes spinach worth talking about?
The beneficial role of spinach is getting quite attention in the fitness industry recently.
Those who prefer choosing natural substances over artificial ones prefer spinach for muscle building instead of steroids.
But is spinach a steroid? Being a natural leafy green, spinach doesn’t go with the popular understanding of steroids, but it contains a compound called ecdysterone, which is a natural plant steroid.
This compound is so effective for muscle building that scientists from Freie Universität Berlin called for WADA after seeing the results of one of their studies on spinach.
According to them, spinach is like steroids as it contains the hormone, ecdysterone, which is prohibited.
Like these compounds, spinach contains numerous micro and macro nutrients that help in building muscle mass.
How Does Spinach Help Build Muscle?
As we discussed earlier that spinach is not just an normal fod but is a super food for building muscles.
Here’s some of the major ways through which spinach contributes to muscle building:
1. Muscle-friendly nutritional value
Before going deeper into the muscle-building ability of spinach, it is essential to know about the nutritional value of the green leaf.
The best thing about spinach is, it is low in calories. This amazing food only contains 7 kcal in 30g of serving.
It will be extremely beneficial for those who struggle to cut down their calories during the cutting phase.
Spinach is extremely low in fat content, and this is what makes it an amazing addition to the bodybuilding diet.
Bodybuilders can eat in high amounts or as much as they want because this green leaf won’t cause any trouble to their restricted diet.
2. Contains Essential Micronutrients
Although, Spinach contains the macronutrients in restricted amounts, which is beneficial for muscle building.
But this green leaf is filled with essential micronutrients which makes it an amazing choice for bodybuilders, as muscle building is not just about working out, one needs to consume all essential micronutrients too.
Spinach contains some of the most prominent vitamin, which plays a crucial role in muscle building, such as:
- Vitamin K – It takes care of bones and minimizes the chance of getting injured during training. It also comes under the category of vitamins that boost testosterone.
- Vitamin A – This vitamin helps in providing anti-inflammatory properties and promotes immunity),
- Folate or vitamin B9 – It is capable of increasing stamina and release of energy
When building muscles, people tend to stop eating specific food items to create a calorie deficit.
Although it helps in cutting down calories, our body starts to feel the deficiency of certain micronutrients which are essential too in muscle building.
In such cases, Spinach comes as a savior as it is a food item that is rich in essential vitamins and minerals like iron but low in calories.
If you are still wondering “does spinach help build muscle or not”, all your doubts will be cleared in the next section as we are going to discuss ecdysterone, which made the scientists of Berlin call for WADA.
3. Presence of Ecdysterone and Nitrate
Ecdysterone is something that makes Spinach the superfood for muscle building.
This substance works as a natural steroid which provides the same results as synthetic steroids but by eliminating all the negative outcomes.
With the help of ecdysterone, spinach helps in increasing workout performance, boosting stamina and overall strength, and most importantly it results in massive muscle gains.
Several studies have highlighted the role of ecdysterone in resulting in maximum muscular growth.
But one may wonder, how much ecdysterone in 100g spinach contains? Well, it typically contains 1-2 mg gram of ecdysterone.
Apart from ecdysterone, there is something more about Spinach. This leafy green is rich in nitrates.
Our body converts nitrate into nitric oxide, which is extremely beneficial in lowering blood pressure.
But does nitric oxide build muscle? Yes, according to health experts, it can be beneficial as it is capable of improving cardiovascular health and increasing blood circulation in the muscles.
The improved blood flow to the muscle ensures the oxygen flow which aids in preventing muscle fatigue and helps in the post-workout recovery of muscle.
Thus, with this whole range of amazing benefits, spinach has become a superfood for bodybuilders around the world.
But what will be the best way of consuming spinach for muscle growth? Let’s quickly take a look at it.
How to Eat Spinach for Muscle Gain?
Spinach is like a superfood for your muscles and it is going to be beneficial for them, no matter at which time you eat it. Just remember to consume it in raw boiling no frying.
This is because it is believed that some of the essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and vitamins C and B can get lost during the cooking process.
But if someone is reluctant to consume them completely raw, they can opt for microwaving or steaming them instead of boiling or frying.
Final Thought
So, after going through the blog, you must’ve understood how spinach helps build muscle efficiently.
From childhood, we’ve thought that Popeye is just the blessed one to have gained so much power, but now we have the secret of Popeye’s energy, the spinach.
So, by including them in your daily diet you can experience your muscles gaining more power than before.
Building muscle is a persistent approach, it’s a blend of workout and diet choices.
Thus, consuming spinach alone won’t help you build muscles, you need to give equal attention to other crucial things related to bodybuilding.
We hope after going through this blog you know does spinach helps build muscle or not. If you find it informative, do share it with those who love eating spinach.
