In the past, I mentioned that expectant mothers should eat more chestnuts and peanuts during pregnancy. Similarly, they should also eat more vegetables, and spinach is one of the vegetables they should consume more of.
Spinach, also known as Persian spinach, is characterized by its tenderness, delicious taste, and rich nutritional value. It is both a food and a medicinal herb. Spinach not only contains protein, carbohydrates, carotene, and various vitamins, but also minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron.
There are many benefits to eating more vegetables in daily life:
1. It can promote bowel regularity and prevent hemorrhoids.
2. It can maintain human health and enhance disease resistance. 3. It can promote human metabolism and delay aging.
Eating more vegetables has such great benefits in daily life, and for expectant mothers, the benefits are even greater. The rich folic acid in spinach is beneficial for the development of the baby's nervous system and can prevent the baby from developing nervous system malformations. Moreover, the large amount of B vitamins in spinach can prevent common pregnancy complications such as pelvic infections and insomnia in expectant mothers.
Expectant mothers can eat spinach cold. Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and mix with sesame oil. This dish is called "Sesame Oil Spinach." Because it is very refreshing, it is especially suitable for expectant mothers in the first, second, and third trimesters.
It should be noted that although spinach has many benefits, it should not be eaten every day and at every meal. This is because spinach contains a relatively high amount of oxalic acid, which can interfere with the absorption of trace elements like iron and zinc in the human body, potentially affecting the health of both the mother and the baby. Therefore, when consuming spinach, it should be handled and considered scientifically: be sure to blanch it in boiling water first to destroy the oxalic acid, making it safe to eat.
Below, I will introduce a spinach recipe suitable for expectant mothers in the 1-3 months of pregnancy, called "Chicken and Spinach Stew."
First, Ingredients
100g chicken breast, 200g spinach, 50g soaked cellophane noodles, 15g dried shrimp, 10g garlic, 3g goji berries.
Second, Seasonings
Peanut oil, salt, a little sesame paste.
Third, Method
1. Shred the chicken breast, wash the spinach and cut it into sections, soak the dried shrimp in boiling water until soft, slice the garlic, and soak the goji berries.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic slices and chicken shreds and stir-fry until fragrant. Add an appropriate amount of clear broth, then add the dried shrimp and goji berries and bring to a boil.
3. After boiling, add the spinach and cellophane noodles. Then, add salt and sesame paste, and simmer over medium heat until cooked through.
When making this dish, it should be noted that the cellophane noodles must be soaked in warm water, and not soaked for too long. The spinach must be blanched in boiling water before being added to the pot. This way, most of the oxalic acid in the spinach will be destroyed, making it safer to eat.