Strong to the Finich with Spinach
Cool Green Stuff
The dark green leaves of spinach have been grown in Europe for 1,000 years. It originated in Persia but grows best in cooler weather, so it is great for Canadian gardens. It can even survive a small freeze. If you don’t have a garden, you can even grow it in a pot.
Vitamin Packed
Spinach is packed with nutrients, especially vitamin A and folic acid (B9). In fact, folic acid was first purified from spinach. It is also a good source of iron. Pound for pound, spinach has as much iron as red meat. The iron in spinach is not as readily taken up, but it is still iron-rich. If you don’t eat a lot of meat, get iron from spinach. Spinach is also one of the best sources of vitamin K.
Spinach Nutrition
Spinach also has a good amount of fibre. In fact, most of the carbs in spinach are fibre. Spinach also has a decent amount of protein. On a per-calorie basis, spinach has more protein than salmon or cheeses. Generally, only meat has more. Spinach does have the compound that causes kidney stones (oxalates). So, if you are prone to kidney stones, make sure you don’t consume too much spinach or other foods high in oxalates (soy, almonds, beets, potatoes, etc.).
3 Kinds
There are 3 kinds of spinach: savoy, which has crinkly leaves; semi-savoy, which has less-crinkly leaves; and flat, which is the easiest to clean and most popular. Most baby spinach is the flat-leafed variety.
Canned
Many of us remember the gooey green glop that Popeye guzzles down — canned spinach. Canned is not the best way to eat it. It is almost always overcooked.
Raw or Frozen
Spinach is best eaten raw. You get the most nutrients. Be sure to wash it. Also, frozen spinach is a great way to have cooked spinach. Cooking raw spinach takes several steps to get right, but frozen spinach is ready to cook with no extra prep.
Baby Spinach
Nothing beats baby spinach for tenderness and a slightly sweeter taste. Baby spinach is just spinach harvested early, usually about 20—25 days after being planted. It works great in a salad or added to a smoothie.
Cooked
When you eat full-grown spinach leaves, it is best to cook them because they can be thick and chewy raw. Full-grown spinach holds up better for cooking. When you cook spinach in water, ten minutes is plenty. Also, use as little water as possible, as cooking in water takes out some vitamins. Keep the cooking water and use it in soup or somewhere you need water in your food.
In Foods
Spinach works great in casseroles. Chopped up, it can be added to almost anything. It pairs well with cheese. It also works well with eggs and in soups. Spinach can be chopped up and added to scrambled eggs. You can even place a poached egg on a whole spinach leaf.
Finish Strong
If you need a little boost in your salad or smoothie, add some spinach, as it is packed with nutrition. If you are at risk of kidney stones, limit the amount of spinach you eat, but for everyone else, join Popeye and be strong to the finich, and eat your spinach.
