Keto and Spinach....

     We had a wonderful weekend with family.  Steve and his brother went fishing around the San Juan Islands and several islands in Canada as well.  It's interesting because each country has different rules.  For example, Canada allows two coho and one chinook while the U.S. disallows both. It really makes little sense.  Thankfully, our home in Birch Bay is ideally located for fishing in both countries.  When we purchased this property, we had no clue how strategically positioned it was for access to the best of both countries, and fishing is just one example.  They brought back a huge chinook and cut it up. It is currently sitting in the freezer, ready for consumption.  I'm anxious for them to get back out there in a few weeks to catch some lingcod.  That is a delicious fish.  In fact, it's my favorite.  My brother-in-law is working on his cholesterol, so he brought his own food, which was a little strange, mainly because some of his choices will exacerbate his problem, based on some of my research.  However, he's a doctor, so I didn't try to tell him anything.  Maybe his method will work for him.  In the meantime, Steve and I are still having our statin smoothie every day.  I've spent the past few blogs explaining each ingredient and why it is beneficial, particularly when fighting cholesterol buildup.  Spinach is this week's topic.  Firstly, it's great for the keto diet because it's low in carbs and calories. One cup of raw spinach contains less than two grams of net carbs and a little over twenty calories. Spinach is also a good source of vitamins A, C, and iron.  Of course, other leafy greens are also good and contain many of the same nutrients, but we prefer spinach.  We use it raw and blend it with other ingredients, including chia seeds, hemp hearts, protein powder, matcha green tea powder, moringa powder, and almond milk, next week's topic.  Spinach and other leafy greens contain nutrients that might help prevent atherosclerosis and improve cardiovascular health, but the dietary nitrates they contain may also help improve blood vessel function and reduce inflammation.  The potassium may help prevent vascular calcification, which contributes to atherosclerosis.  The antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals may also have anti-inflammatory and anti-arteriosclerosis properties.  Generally speaking, spinach is very healthy and might provide other unknown health benefits.  Next week, I'll take a deep dive into the final smoothie ingredient, almond milk.