What Is Spinach?
Spinach is a hardy vegetable grown across northern Europe and the United States. This leafy green vegetable grows all year round.
There are two basic types of spinach: flat-leaf and savoy. When you buy freshbunched spinach at the grocery storeit's usually savoy spinach. The leaves of savoy spinach are typically wrinkled and curly. Flat spinach is popular in the U.S. and is often sold baggedcannedor frozen.
Spinach is packed with vitamins and mineralsmaking it a great staple to add to your diet.
What Is Baby Spinach?
Baby spinach is simply flat spinach that farmers harvest during the early stages of the plant's growth.
Spinach vs. baby spinach
Baby spinach is harvested only 15-35 days after planting. The smaller leaves are more tender and have a sweeter flavor than those of mature spinach. The stems are also more tendermaking them ideal for salads.
The nutrition values of baby spinach and mature spinach are basically the same.
Benefits of Spinach
Though it's hardly a flashy foodspinach has abundant health benefits.
Lower blood pressure
Spinach is rich in several minerals your body needsincluding potassium. Eating foods that are high in potassium can help lower your blood pressure.
Healthy eyes
Spinach is an excellent source of luteinan antioxidant known to protect against age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Studies have found that people who take lutein supplements are at a lower risk for macular degenerationwhich is the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness.
Cataracts are an eye condition caused by oxidation of the lens of the eye. Studies have shown that lutein appears to prevent ultraviolet damage to your lenses. One study found that women who had more lutein in their diets were 23% less likely to get cataracts than those who had a low-lutein diet.
Better thinking skills
Lutein has also been shown to help preserve thinking abilities. Studies of older adults have shown that those with higher lutein levels had better verbal fluencymemoryreasoning abilityand processing speed than those with low amounts of the nutrient.
Healthy bones
Vitamin K is essential to bone health and growthand spinach is packed with it. Eating just 1 cup of spinach gives you the recommended daily amount of vitamin K.
Healthy skin
Your body uses vitamin A like that found in spinach to grow tissueincluding the largest organ in your body – skin. Not only does vitamin A support your skin’s immune system (preventing disease and damage)it also helps your skin stay hydratedwhich may reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Healthy blood
Spinach is an excellent source of ironwhich helps your body make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin helps transport oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. This is why one of the main symptoms of iron deficiency is intense fatigue.
Spinach Nutrition
Nutrients per serving
- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories: 7
- Carbs: 1 gram
- Fat: 0 grams
Spinach is rich in many nutrientsincluding vitamin Avitamin Cvitamin Kironfolateand potassium.
Protein in spinach
Spinach also adds some protein to your diet. Every 100 grams of spinach contains nearly 2.9 grams of protein.
Things to watch out for
Spinach is chock full of fiber. Eating too much fiber can cause gascrampingand belly pain.
Spinach is rich in oxalatea natural substance found in almost all plants. People at risk for calcium oxalate kidney stones should watch their intake of oxalate-rich foods. If you are in this risk grouptalk to your doctor about including spinach in your diet.
Risks of Spinach
While spinach has many health benefitsit has risksoften related to how it's produced and packaged. For many yearsthe nonprofit Environmental Working Group has ranked spinach near the top of its annual list of foods containing pesticide residue.
Spinach and foodborne illness
Like many other leafy greensspinach can be contaminated with germs like E. coli that can cause foodborne illnesses.
Symptoms of foodborne illnesses include severe stomach crampsdiarrheaand vomiting. While foodborne illnesses can be dangerous for anyonepeople over 65 and under 5 are at the greater risk of getting very sick. You're also at a higher risk of serious illness if you have a weakened immune system or if you are pregnant.
Cooking spinach is the best way to prevent infection. If you're serving your spinach rawbe sure to wash and dry it before eating.
How to Cook Spinach
Rawcookedcannedor steamedplain old spinach may not sound exciting. But when combined with other foodsspinach can be delicious. Here are some ways to get more spinach into your diet:
Cooked spinach
- Microwave strips of fresh spinach with olive oillemon juiceand cheddar or mozzarella cheese to make an easy dish kids will love.
- Sauté fresh spinach with garliconionsand olive oil for a quick and nutritious side dish.
- Combine spinachgarliconionschicken brothand a russet potato in a blender to make a hearty soup.
- Bake spinachartichoke heartsmayonnaiseParmesanand Monterey Jack cheese together for a classic dip.
Raw spinach
- Blend fresh or frozen spinach with strawberriespineapplebananaplain Greek yogurtand chia seeds to make a delicious smoothie.
- Fold spinachred bell peppersand hummus together on a whole-wheat flatbread for a healthyfilling snack.
- Toss spinachfetatoasted almondsred onionsand apples to make a classic spinach salad. Dress with a mustard vinaigrette.
However you prepare itraw and cooked spinach have similar nutritional value. While raw spinach contains more of the antioxidant luteinyour body will absorb more iron and calcium from cooked spinach.
Even if some vitamins and minerals are lost in the cooking processone serving of cooked spinach often contains a much higher volume of spinach than its leafyuncooked counterpart to make up for any lost nutritional value.
Alsodespite the popular belief that "fresh is best," frozen or canned baby spinach has just as many health benefits as freshoften at less cost. Frozen or canned spinach is also easier to storeand keeps for a long time. Whichever type you choosethe nutritional values of frozenfreshor canned spinach are similar.
How to Store Spinach
When choosing fresh spinachlook for vibrant green leaves with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look freshand not wiltedbruisedor slimy.
Once you open a bag or plastic container of baby spinachmoisture can get inside. Place the leaves in a new bag or sealable container along with paper towelswhich absorb extra moisture and extend the life of your produce. Store the spinach in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
To best avoid foodborne illnesswashdryand refrigerate your spinach within 2 hours of purchase.
Store spinach separately from any raw meatpoultryand seafood in your refrigerator.
