Chinese Spinach Benefits and Recipe (Yin Sai, Edible ...

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Chinese red spinach benefits

Chinese Spinach

If you are wondering what to cook for tonight's dinner and looking for a quick and nutritious meal, try the red leaf vegetable amaranth or better known as Chinese Spinach, which is also known for its many nutritional benefits.

Chinese Spinach Nutritional Benefits

Based on medicalnewstoday, this long-stalked red/green leaf vegetable is one of the most nutritious and is rich in vitamins A, B and C, protein, magnesium, iron, and calcium. It has twice the amount of iron compared to regular spinach. It is also an excellent source of dietary fiber.

100-gram of Chinese Spinach will give you:

• over 3,800 international units of Vitamin A, which is more than three times the daily requirement of an adult.
• 50 mg of vitamin C
• 2.5 mg of Iron
• 168 mg of Calcium
• 20% Protein - higher than soybean, milk, or whole wheat.

Why Spinach is Bad for You?

From the report on medicinenet, spinach and this also includes Chinese Spinach, has a high content of oxalic acid and purines. Hence, people with gout and kidney stone should avoid this vegetable.

Chinese Spinach in Traditional Medicine

Besides cooking, the Chinese used this red leaf vegetable amaranth in traditional medicine to heal fractures, as a supplement for heat stroke and for detoxification.

It is also believed to delay the premature graying of hairs. I have not seen or read any documented results yet but if you have success in this area please share your experience by leaving your remarks/observations in the comment section below.

Red leaf vegetable amaranth or Chinese Spinach (bayam merah in Malay) with its distinctive red and green colored leaves. Chinese Spinach is sometimes confused with water spinach (kangkong)

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Chinese Spinach, in Other Languages

Chinese spinach is also known as Bayam Merah (Malaysia/Indonesia), Yin Sai, Yeen Choy, Xian Cai (Chinese), Calaloo (Caribean), Hi-yu-na (Japan), Klaroen (Surinam), Phak khom (Thailand), Kulitis (the Philippines) and Amaranth or Amaranthus leaf.

Chinese Spinach Taste and Uses

Chinese Spinach with its sweet & tangy taste makes a great salad ingredient and a nutritious meal when steam, stir-fry or sauté. In some recipes, you will find Chinese Spinach mixed with fish or meat dishes.

It can be used like normal spinach and can be substituted in any of your favorite spinach recipes. As it cooks faster than normal spinach, take care not to overcook it.

It is inexpensive and easily available in most markets and is a good enough reason to try Chinese Spinach or red leaf vegetable amaranth.

Which Part of Chinese Spinach Can Be Eaten

The leaves and their tender stems are the edible portions.

In some other varieties of amaranths, they are grown and harvested for their seeds.

These seeds are eaten like grains and because of its high nutritional value and cheap production cost, it is now claimed to be the crop of the future.

Can Chinese Spinach Be Eaten Raw?

Yes, you can especially the smaller leaves and they can be added to your salad (see recipe, below). The larger leaves are best eaten cooked, either stir fry to sautee.

How to Clean Chinese Spinach

Cleaning Chinese Spinach is easy and straightforward. Just wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt. If your Chinese Spinach came with the roots, remove them by chopping off about 2-inches above the root area, before washing.

Leave it in a colander placed over a sink for several minutes to dry. Alternatively, pat the leaves dry with a kitchen or paper towel.

Chinese Spinach Recipe

Try the following quick and easy recipes using Chinese Spinach and enjoy its nutritional goodness.

Chinese Spinach and Almond Salad

taste of home

Chinese Spinach and Almond Salad Recipe

This recipe is a slight variation of the cooking site 'taste of home' version. This adaptation is a combination of Chinese Spinach, almonds, lean chicken, and other vegetables.

It takes about 20-minutes to prepare and serves four people.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces Chinese Spinach, washed and drained to dry
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup bean sprouts, washed, drained to dry and tail removed
• 2 medium sized carrots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, (toasted)
• 1/2 cup sesame ginger salad dressing, (see recipe for this dressing below)

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients (vegetables, chicken, and dressing) in a large bowl.
2. Toss to mix and combine
3. Serve immediately

Recipe for the Sesame-Ginger Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation:

• Mix thoroughly all the ingredients

Chinese Spinach or Amaranth Stir-Fry With Garlic Recipe

Chinese Spinach, when you stir-fried with garlic is another easy and quick recipe for you to try.

Just remember not to overcook as you will lose its nutritional content.

There are several versions of Chinese Spinach stir-fried with garlic recipe. This version is taken from the chinesefood.about.com website and is quick, easy, and tasty. I have replaced the spinach with Chinese Spinach for this version.

It takes about 20-minutes to prepare and serves three people.

Stir fry Chinese Spinach or Amaranth with Garlic

Laurel F on Flickr

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil for stir-frying
• 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon chili paste (reduce amount for the less hot and spicy version)
• 10 ounces fresh Chinese Spinach, washed and dried
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Preheat wok
• Then add cooking oil
• When oil is hot, add chili paste, finely minced garlic, and salt.
• Stir for a few seconds until chili paste is thoroughly cooked (when cooking oil turned red from the chili paste color)
• Then add Chinese Spinach and stir for about 1 to 2 minutes
• When the leaves are almost wilted, add in the sesame oil and sugar
• Sprinkle the cooked Chinese Spinach with black pepper
• Serve immediately

You can use Chinese Spinach in your favorite Vegetable Lasagna recipe

More Chinese Spinach Recipes and Cooking Ideas

As mentioned earlier, you can replace spinach with Chinese Spinach in most recipes. You can also do the following:

• Omelete: Mix chopped onions and finely chopped Chinese Spinach in your omelet
• Soup: Add finely chopped Chinese Spinach to soups or stews for added nutritional lift
• Pasta: Chopped and steamed Chinese Spinach and add it to your Pasta sauce
• Lasagna: You can also mix it with basil, parsley, oregano, garlic, and tomato paste. Use this concoction as one of the layers in your lasagna recipe

Chinese Spinach Seeds

Chinese Spinach seeds are edible and have a large amount of protein and essential amino acids.

Regular consumption of this seed can help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. It is rich in antioxidants and will boost your immunity level.

You can buy Chinese Spinach seeds online from this seller.

Want more information on commercial vegetable seed companies? Feel free to contact us.

How to Store Chinese Spinach or Amaranth

Chinese Spinach will quickly go limp after harvesting and to keep it fresh, sprinkle it with water.

If you need to store it for a few days, wrap it in a damp paper towel and keep it in the fridge vegetable compartment. It can be refrigerated for up to about a week.

But it is best to consume soonest possible to enjoy its nutritional goodness.

Planting Chinese Spinanch: Cut about 2-inches from the root section and place it in your pot or plant outside

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How to Grow Chinese Spinach

If you buy Chinese Spinach that came with the roots, then plant them by the cut-and-grow-again method. Chop about 2-inches above the root section and place it in a pot or plant it outside in moist, well-drained soil.

If you have Chinese spinach in your garden then during harvesting, cut back about two inches above ground level. This will leave some of the stems and leaves to assist in regrowth. Red leaf vegetable amaranth or Chinese Spinach can regrow rapidly and this cut-and-grow again method works well.

Growing Chinese Spinach from Seeds

If you plant from seeds, the seeds must be sown very thinly in the soil. When they sprout, replant them about 3-6 inches apart.

Chinese Spinach is a tropical plant and requires sun and high temperatures for rapid growth. Hence, plant them in your garden that receives the most sunlight.

The soil must be light, sandy, well-drained, and of course fertile. They must be well watered and is a fast-growing plant, you will enjoy them a month after sowing.

My Other Articles on Healthy Fruits and Plants

If you have gray hair and concerned about hair growth, the Mulberry juice might just be your answer. Read more at Health Benefits of Mulberry.

Read the controversial vitamin B17 that can help people with cancer at Health Benefits of Apricot Seed or Kernel

Pomegranate Health Benefits will highlight the various benefits including its function at slowing Alzheimer's disease.

Pomegranate Vinegar will help lower the blood pressure and cholesterol and levels.

Dates Vinegar can help women with menstrual disorders.

If you suffer from thyroid then read on how to control it at Sweetsop or Sugar Apple article.

References and Credits

• Botanical Interest: Amaranth Edible Red Leaf
• Taste of Home: For Chinese Spinach and Almond Salad Recipe
• About.com: For Chinese Spinach Stir-fry with garlic Recipe

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2013 Razlan Awal

Ethel Smith from Kingston-Upon-Hull on June 18, 2018:

Thanks Mazlan deinitely on my shopping list

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on June 18, 2018:

Hey Eileen, this delicious Chinese Spinach is easily available in most Chinese supermarket near your area or in Manchester

Ethel Smith from Kingston-Upon-Hull on June 16, 2018:

Love spinach. Will have to look out for this variety thank you

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on June 08, 2013:

Om, you are not the only person that hates the slimy taste. Unfortunately, the goodness is in that slimy stuff!!

Om Paramapoonya on June 03, 2013:

Nice hub! I'm quite familiar with Chinese spinach and find it to be slightly slimy (a little too slimy for my liking). So I personally prefer stir-frying it rather than eating it raw in a salad. Thanks for the recipes and tips on how to use it in cooking. I'll try putting it in my omelet next time! :)

kidscrafts from Ottawa, Canada on June 02, 2013:

Great idea! There is a T & T supermarket not too far from my place. I never think to go there because I can find a lot of the ingredients I use closer from home..... but I will definitely try that one!

Thank you for suggesting that.

Razlan Awal (author) from Malaysia on June 02, 2013:

kidscrafts, you can find Chinese Spinach in Asian grocery stores or in Chinatown in Ottawa. Let me know if you have problem. Thanks for dropping by and appreciate your input and contributions.

kidscrafts from Ottawa, Canada on May 31, 2013:

I never saw Chinese spinash before! It looks good and tempting!

Thank you for sharing your recipes! It looks very delicious!

Enjoy your weekend!

Chinese Water spinach is a long, leafy green vegetable with hollow stems that is grown in water or damp soil. It also goes by the name of ong choy in Cantonese or kōng xīn cài (空心菜) in Mandarin, which translates to “hollow heart vegetable”.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a leafy green vegetable that originated in Persia.

It belongs to the amaranth family and is related to beets and quinoa. What’s more, it’s considered very healthy, as it’s loaded with nutrients and antioxidants.

Eating spinach may benefit eye health, reduce oxidative stress, help prevent cancer, and reduce blood pressure levels.

There are many ways to prepare spinach. You can buy it canned or fresh and eat it cooked or raw. It’s delicious either on its own or in other dishes.

This article tells you everything you need to know about spinach.

Nutrition facts

The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw spinach are:

• Calories: 23
• Water: 91%
• Protein: 2.9 grams
• Carbs: 3.6 grams
• Sugar: 0.4 grams
• Fiber: 2.2 grams
• Fat: 0.4 grams

Carbs

Most of the carbs in spinach consist of fiber, which is incredibly healthy.

Spinach also contains small amounts of sugar, mostly in the form of glucose and fructose.

Fiber

Spinach is high in insoluble fiber, which may boost your health in several ways.

It adds bulk to stool as food passes through your digestive system. This may help prevent constipation.

Vitamins and minerals

Spinach is an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including:

• Vitamin A. Spinach is high in carotenoids, which your body can turn into vitamin A.
• Vitamin C. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that promotes skin health and immune function.
• Vitamin K1. This vitamin is essential for blood clotting. Notably, one spinach leaf contains over half of your daily needs.
• Folic acid. Also known as folate or vitamin B9, this compound is vital for pregnant women and essential for normal cellular function and tissue growth.
• Iron. Spinach is an excellent source of this essential mineral. Iron helps create hemoglobin, which brings oxygen to your body’s tissues.
• Calcium. This mineral is essential for bone health and a crucial signaling molecule for your nervous system, heart, and muscles.

Spinach also contains several other vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B6, B9, and E.

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