Britain faced with shortage of spinach because of heavy rains in Spain

Supermarkets in Britain are suffering from a spinach shortage because of heavy rains in Spain which is the major supplier. The rains have washed away the crops which means the shortage could go on for up to three weeks.
Murcia in Spain supplies nearly 80 per cent of Britain's spinach during the winter months but, it has just had its heaviest rainfall in 30 years. The rainfall has left some fields reduced to just 30 per cent capacity after receiving between 150 to 250 litres of water per square metre.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 14 January 2017.

The situation has been aggravated due to the unseasonably cold weather in Greece and Italy, which also supply some stocks during this time of year. The real reason for the shortage is a series of storms in the Murcia region of Spain - it has suffered its heaviest rainfall in 30 years.
Major outlets like Tesco and Sainsbury's online stores have already run out of fresh spinach while Waitrose reported that it too had exhausted its stocks in many of its stores. Spinach is popular with those who are embarking on a January health kick.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Broccoli, spinach and egg yolks will give you a good memory in old age

Research carried out by the University of Illinois has revealed that intake of broccoli, spinach and egg yolks can go a long way to help one have a good memory in old age. Adults who have high levels of lutein are better able to recall skills and information they had learnt many years ago.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 19 December 2016.

The protective compound called lutein is available in a range of green leafy vegetables and helps to preserve 'crystallized intelligence'. It is believed to get accumulated in the brain, where it has a protective effect on the region responsible for memory.
Researchers had conducted tests on 122 adults between the age of 65 and 75 on their crystallized intelligence. The tests included blood tests based on samples collected to determine levels of lutein. MRI scans were also conducted to analyse brain structures. The focus was on parts of the temporal cortex - this is a region of the brain which plays a role in the preservation of crystallized intelligence.
The study revealed that participants who had higher blood serum levels of lutein tended to do better on the tests. Earlier research has established that lutein helps to ward off vision loss. And, it also helps to ward off wrinkles as people grow older by keeping the skin flexible and hydrated.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Elephants invade cauliflowers and spinach fields near Cuttack - farmers panic

Residents of Brajabiharipur, situated on the outskirts of Cuttack, are spending sleepless nights because of a herd of over 10 elephants that have unleashed mayhem in the area by trampling over fields of cauliflowers, spinach and other vegetables. Villagers say that the elephants have split into small groups and are destroying the standing crops and vegetables in their fields and, in spite of repeated appeals to the forest officials, nothing action is being taken to drive away the animals.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 10 January 2016.

In order to earn more money, the villagers had gone in for cauliflowers, spinach and other vegetables close to the forest side, but due to the elephants invasion, they will suffer huge losses. Unless the rampage of the animals is stopped, they would enter the human habitations and damage the houses and even attack humans. Panic stricken villagers are spending sleepless nights.
Forest officials claim that the elephant herd has been driven away. It had sneaked into Brajabiharipur from nearby Athagarh forest division and had moved away towards Khuntuni forest range. It had to be done carefully because, if there was any wrong move, the pachyderms would have entered Cuttack city.
The forest official has indicated that after proper assessment of the crop damage, necessary compensation will be provided to the affected people.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Take care of the eyes through diet – consume carrots, spinach, crabs, oysters etc

#lutein #eyehealth #VitaminA #spinach #betacarotene #retina The pair of eyes we have is the most important organ of the body and, in order to keep it healthy, dieticians suggest proper intake of foods that matter. This would mean plenty of brightly colored fruit and vegetables like carrots, sweet potato, mango and papaya. These are a good source of beta- carotene which is a nutrient that the body converts into vitamin A which is needed by the retina for night vision.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 21 April 2015.

Then there is kale (a type of vegetable) - this is the richest source of lutein which is important for the health of the eyes. It contains 11.4 mg per 100 gms and, even though there are other foods like oranges and eggs that contain lutein, the quantities are very small. An example - you would have to eat 41 oranges and 71 eggs to get the same amount of lutein as in one 80 g portion of kale.
Spinach is another excellent source, with 7.9 mg of lutein per 100 g and, for best results, one should aim for 10 mg of lutein every day. It is recommended to slightly steam kale or spinach or take spinach in the raw in salads.
Zinc is also useful for the eyes and good sources of zinc are lean meat like turkey, wholegrains and seeds apart from crab, oysters and sardines.

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Follow the Popeye culture – include plenty of spinach in your diet

#popeye #spinach #palakpaneer #healthbenifits Popeye, the fictional character, was proud of his muscles and depended on spinach to provide the additional power to rescue his ladylove Olive – when cornered and, in need of additional strength, he would open a can of spinach and gulp down the contents.
Spinach is an excellent source of iron apart from being in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid a good source of manganese, magnesium and vitamin B2.
These are all necessary for the body – like Vitamin A that is important for the growth of all bodily tissues, including skin and hair. Moreover, spinach and leafy greens that are high in vitamin C are required for the building and maintenance of collagen, which provides structure to skin and hair.
Obviously, those who pine for healthy skin and hair, should include spinach in the diet.
The Vitamin K in spinach is essential in order to maintain strong bone health. Low intakes of vitamin K have been associated with a higher risk for bone fracture. In addition, it is high in fiber which help to prevent constipation and promote a healthy digestive tract.
Including spinach to the diet is not difficult. It can be done through spinach parathas, or palak-paneer or by adding spinach to dal. In fact, it can be added to every conceivable dish.