Is Spinach Dip Healthy? | Livestrong.com (2024)

Is Spinach Dip Healthy? | Livestrong.com (1)

Crackers with spinach dip.

Image Credit: MSPhotographic/iStock/Getty Images

Not all spinach dips are healthy, but you can improvise any dip recipe to make it more nutritious. A dip prepared with whole sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise or fatty oils may not be heart-healthy because of the fat content and high calorie count. Using a dip base of low fat or fat-free ingredients and fresh spinach gives you a nutritious spinach dip without compromising taste to serve as an appetizer or snack.

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Spinach Nutrition

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A cup of spinach has only 7 calories and no fat. It provides your dip with 167 milligrams of potassium, which helps regulate your heartbeat and almost 1 milligram of iron for transporting oxygen through the blood. Spinach contains 2,831 international units of vitamin A in a cup, which is beneficial for healthy eyes. A cup of spinach also provides almost 145 micrograms of vitamin K, providing more than a full day's recommended 90 to 120 micrograms. Your body uses vitamin K for blood clotting, and it may prevent hip fractures.

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Dip Base Nutrients

Most dip bases include sour cream, cream cheese or mayonnaise. Using reduced fat ingredients makes a healthier dip. For instance, a cup of whole milk sour cream has 45 grams of fat, 444 calories and 253 milligrams of calcium, while fat-free sour cream has zero fat, 170 calories and 288 milligrams of calcium. Similarly, a cup of regular cream cheese has 80 grams of fat, 793 calories and 227 milligrams of calcium. Fat-free cream cheese eliminates fat, lowers calories to 241 and increases calcium. Using light mayonnaise also reduces fat and calories.

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More Healthy Alternatives

If you want to add more protein to the spinach dip, you can substitute yogurt or hummus for the sour cream, cream cheese or mayonnaise. A cup of hummus adds almost 20 grams of protein to your dip, as well as 93 milligrams of calcium and 6 milligrams of iron. A cup of hummus contains 408 calories. On the other hand, a cup of plain, skim milk yogurt adds only 137 calories to your spinach dip and gives you 488 grams of calcium and 14 grams of protein. Another health benefit of using yogurt for your dip is the live probiotics that aid digestion and help your digestive tract absorb nutrients.

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Serving Suggestions

Serving spinach dip with sliced fresh vegetables, such as carrot sticks, celery stalks, green peppers, avocado and cucumbers are healthy alternatives to potato chips. Whole-wheat crackers or pita chips are fiber-rich complements to the dip.

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Is Spinach Dip Healthy? | Livestrong.com (2024)

FAQs

Is eating spinach dip good for you? ›

A dip prepared with whole sour cream, cream cheese, mayonnaise or fatty oils may not be heart-healthy because of the fat content and high calorie count. Using a dip base of low fat or fat-free ingredients and fresh spinach gives you a nutritious spinach dip without compromising taste to serve as an appetizer or snack.

Does spinach dip have nutritional value? ›

Spinach Dip is another way of making a not much healthy food such as dip into a much highly nutritious dip. Spinach dip is very high in vitamin A, vitamin C and has about 10 percent (DV) calcium. Spinach dip is a bit high in saturated fat.

Does spinach dip count as a vegetable? ›

Spinach is one of my top ways to add more vegetables to the diet, but most recipes contain either a lot of cheese or sour cream and mayo, which when coupled with bread, crackers, or flatbread make this appetizer a day's worth of calories all by itself.

Does spinach dip have MSG? ›

Why buy prepackaged spinach dip when you can whip up this easy spinach dip recipe in just 5 minutes or less? This recipe is healthier—store-bought varieties can have excess salt and monosodium glutamate (MSG) as preservatives, among others, as well as added sugar.

What is the healthiest dip to eat? ›

20 Healthy Dips (Great For Parties And Holidays)
  • Jalapeño Popper Dip Made with Yogurt. ...
  • Honey Whipped Goat Cheese Dip with Pomegranate. ...
  • Layered Greek Hummus Dip. ...
  • Easy Peanut Butter Fruit Yogurt Dip. ...
  • Layered Shawarma Dip. ...
  • Vegan Queso Dip. ...
  • Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip. ...
  • Easy Beet Hummus Dip.
May 2, 2024

What are the pros and cons of eating spinach? ›

Spinach is high in fiber and takes time to get digested, which may further lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes fever. Spinach is a good source of iron, but sometimes, because of the high fiber content and its excessive consumption, the body is not able to absorb the plant-based iron we have ingested.

Does spinach dip spike blood sugar? ›

Spinach is a non-starchy veggie, which means it does not have much effect on blood sugar levels. So, you can enjoy the green delight as much as you want. Spinach is considered a low-glycaemic index food, and foods that have low GI are said to have little or no effect on the blood sugar levels.

How long can you eat spinach dip? ›

Storage: Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make ahead: For the best flavors, let the dip chill at least 2 hours. Or, make it a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator overnight.

Is spinach dip good for GERD? ›

A high fat meal can cause a massive amount of heartburn. Fat increases stomach acid production. Foods high in fat include: appetizers made with cream cheese, chips and dips (including spinach/artichoke dip), butter/margarine and sour cream, cream sauces, gravies, fatty meats such as sausage and well-marbled meats.

What vegetable is equal to spinach? ›

Arugula, rocket, rucola, or roquette

In terms of nutritional content, arugula is quite comparable to spinach. Aside from salads, arugula may be used in meat dishes and omelets. One of the most noticeable variations is in flavor. Arugula has a peppery flavor and spinach taste like any other green.

Are spinach and cheese healthy? ›

However, the absorption of calcium from milk and other rich-in-calcium ingredients won't be impaired by spinach's oxalic acid, which is why pairing spinach with dairy products helps ensure you gain all the nutrients you need. Oxalate may also be produced by body or converted from vitamin C during its metabolism.

How long is homemade spinach dip good for in the fridge? ›

How long is spinach dip good for in the fridge? You can refrigerate spinach dip in a sealed container for 3-4 days.

What's in Trader Joe's spinach dip? ›

VEGETABLES (SPINACH, ARTICHOKES [ARTICHOKE, WATER, SALT, CITRIC ACID {ACIDIFIER}], ONIONS), WATER, HALF & HALF (CREAM, GUAR GUM, CAROB BEAN GUM, CARRAGEENAN), REDUCED FAT SOUR CREAM (MILK, CREAM, NON FAT MILK POWDER, BACTERIAL CULTURE, MICROBIAL ENZYME), PARMESAN CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, MICROBIAL ENZYME ...

What is spinach dip made of? ›

What is creamy spinach dip made of? To get your dip super creamy I like to add in milk, cream cheese, and mozzarella. Then the base is made of spinach, yellow onions, and garlic. And finally it's seasoned with worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Does spinach dip contain eggs? ›

Traditional spinach dip is typically made with egg-based mayonnaise.

How many days is spinach dip good for? ›

You can refrigerate spinach dip in a sealed container for 3-4 days. Always trust your sniffer–if it smells off, toss it!

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