Spinach - The Invincible Vegetable
For a plant that appeared relatively late on our plates, spinach was quickly adapted for recipes.
Although in real life its nutritional effects are not as quick and immediate as they were with Popeye and his can of spinach, the truth is that, in part, this character was right from the start. Spinach is considered a superfood, due to its nutritional value, that is, a food low in calories and full of nutrients that improve your skin, hair and bones!
But why was spinach so important to Popeye and why is it so important to you?
When we investigated the reason why the Popeye story revolved so much around spinach, we discovered that in 1870, a German chemist, Erich von Wolf, reported the correct amount of iron in spinach, 3.5 mg per 100 g. However, in his notes he made the mistake of writing 35 mg per 100 g, and thus was born a myth that was perpetuated for 70 years.
This gaffe created the perfect environment for spinach to become the superfood Popeye needed to become strong and unstoppable! And despite the hyperbole, this narrative was figuratively correct!
What are the nutritional properties of spinach?
They are a plant with different nutritional benefits in addition to their high levels of iron. Iron is important because it enhances the formation of hemoglobin, the blood cells that transport oxygen throughout our body.
Furthermore, they are extremely rich in carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, calcium.
But be careful, not only spinach is rich in iron, lettuce and cabbage are also rich in iron, for example, but the 2.7 mg of iron per 100 g that this superfood offers is a higher value than lettuce or cabbage.
And what makes the iron provided by spinach even more interesting is the fact that this superfood is also rich in vitamin C. This is because the iron found in vegetables is more difficult to absorb than that found in meat, for example. However, vitamin C significantly increases the absorption of iron in our body.
Their carbohydrates are essentially made up of fiber, which makes them a super healthy superfood! They contain small amounts of sugar, namely glucose and fructose.
But fiber is definitely a strong trait of their personality. Since they are rich in insoluble fiber, they are easy to prevent constipation.
What are the benefits of spinach?
Taking into account their nutritional properties, they can boast different beneficial effects for our body.
Just like our blueberries , they facilitate the fight against free radicals , which cause so-called oxidative stress, the dynamics of which we have already explained here . Excess free radicals accelerate aging and increase the possibility of cancer or diabetes.
Furthermore, spinach contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which are important for maintaining good eye health , preventing degeneration or cataracts, which can lead to blindness.
Additionally, spinach contains a high level of nitrates that moderate blood pressure and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease .
Although spinach is considered a superfood, full of benefits for our health, we always recommend that it be consumed in moderation and, obviously, together with other foods that allow you to feed your diet in a healthy way.
How should they be consumed?
These green leaves are super versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked, in salads, soups, stews or in natural juices. Natural juices are always an easy, cheap and low-calorie option to enrich your diet with vitamins and minerals. To get the best benefits from spinach, you should eat around 90g, 5 times a week.
The ideal is to consume spinach in main dishes, since the absorption of its antioxidants increases when digested together with the fats in meals, normally found in meats or in the oils and olive oils used to prepare food.
Now that you know more about their properties, do you also want to know more about the life cycle of these delicious green leaves?
Spinach is a very fast growing plant (approximately 40 days) that can be planted twice a year when the seasons change.
There are two major enemies in your crop that our producers often face: black aphids and frost. These can be avoided if the plant is sown at the right time.
There are two favorable times to sow spinach: either between March and April, to harvest between September and October; or in August, to harvest in the fall.
Spinach recipe
Today we recommend a recipe for spinach and pea risotto !
Risotto is a dish of Italian origin, with rice as its main ingredient. A specific type of rice is used in its preparation, which when cooked slowly releases its starch and absorbs the liquids in which it is cooked, creating an extremely creamy and comforting dish, full of flavor.
This dish is super nutritious, as it combines peas (rich in protein) and spinach (rich in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus)!
And how did spinach historically appear in gastronomic culture?
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), a close relative of quinoa and beets, is thought to have originated in Persia, where it was known as aspanakh , about 2,000 years ago. More than 600 years later, the King of Nepal introduced the " Persian herb " as a gift to the Chinese empire.
By the 16th century, it was widely featured in Mediterranean cuisine and had achieved a remarkable status for a vegetable. In Florence, where the Renaissance was in full swing, Catherine de Medici, heiress of the powerful patron saint family, chose spinach as her favourite food. When she moved to France to become queen, she took her Italian chefs with her to ensure that her favourite spinach recipes were not left behind. This is why French dishes are prepared on a bed of spinach, referred to as à la Florentine.
Interestingly, they are a type of green leaves that have always existed throughout the world, and that quickly captivated everyone who tried them.