Spinach as a health food

Spinach was first cultivated over 2,000 years ago in Iran. By 647 A.D., spinach was introduced into China and from there transported to Spain in 1100. By 1806, spinach was a popular vegetable and was listed in American seed catalogs. In the 1920’s the U.S. promoted spinach commercially, with Popeye the Sailorman cartoon being a great advocate in spinach consumption.

Spinach contains large amounts of minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium. Spinach also has high levels of protein. A serving of spinach contains 3.2 grams of protein, 4.3 grams of carbohydrates, and 0.3 grams of fat (Holly, 2003). Ninety-one percent of spinach weight is water. Spinach contains Vitamin A, and C, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Minerals in spinach greens include calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, and potassium. Spinach is loaded with iron and folate, a B vitamin considered so important that it is now routinely added to flour. Folate not only prevents neural-tube defects in babies but also lowers blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that irritates blood vessels and is linked to heart disease. Just as impressive, spinach contains two phytochemicals, lutein and zeaxanthin, that seem to ward off macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. One cup of spinach contains just 41 calories and no fat. Kale, Swiss chard and collard greens have the same health benefits of spinach.