Popeye was right: Spinach packs a punch. While the cartoon character Popeye’s results are exaggerated, the health benefits associated with eating this raw and cooked vegetable are legitimate and should not be underestimated. It is rich in beta-carotene and lutein, two important cancer-fighting anti-oxidants. This leafy green vegetable is also loaded with folic acid, vitamin K, magnesium, and manganese.
There are three main types: the Savoy, Semi-Savoy, and the Flat or Smooth-leafed. Semi-Savoy has partially wrinkled leaves like Savoy but is easier to clean. The flat-leafed variety is used mainly for processing, featured in most canned or frozen spinach items in the store.
Available year-round, the season for this healthy veggie peaks during the months of December through May. It grows best in sandy soil and prefers cooler, relatively dry conditions. Therefore it is no surprise that this crop thrives during the winter months in California and Texas, the two leading spinach- producing states in the country.
Even More Reasons To Use Spinach
It is a versatile vegetable that is great as a salad, in a dip, in omelets, or in soups.
Popeye’s love of it is credited with saving the spinach industry back in the 1930s, so much so that the self-proclaimed “Spinach Capital of the World”, Crystal City, TX, erected a statue in his honor. So use Spinach!
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