It's not easy being green, but it doesn't have to be hard to eat that way! A sprinkling of spinach may look pretty on a plate, but this vegetable also packs a ton of nutritional benefits. Hidden in that pile of greens are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and vitamins that promote vision and bone health.
UN-BE-LEAF-ABLE — WHY IT'S SUPER
Spinach is known for its high levels of vitamin A, giving every forkful of spinach immunity boosting, vision protecting, skin enhancing powers [4]. And move over, milk, because there’s a new player in the bone building game. A cup of cooked spinach packs up to 12% of the recommended daily dose of calcium and enough vitamin K to help prevent bone loss [3].
In addition to this veggie's vast vitamin boost, studies suggest spinach's glycolipids may help prevent the development of tumors [6]. Plus,the galactolipids (not to be confused with Battle Star Galactica) in spinach have been linked to the prevention of inflammatory diseases like arthritis [1].
And it turns out Popeye may have been onto something— a recent study found that some compounds in spinach may improve muscle efficiency [8]. Spinach is also a good source of iron— almost the same amount of beef per serving! But don't give up the steak just yet— research suggests the body more easily absorbs iron from meat than from spinach and other plants.
LEAN, GREEN, NUTRITION MACHINE — YOUR ACTION PLAN
Yet even with its rich nutritional makeup, spinach has been linked in recent years to both salmonella and E-coli outbreaks. And consumers of raw spinach always run the risk of ingesting pesticides and potentially harmful bacteria. The only way to be 100% certain those greens are safe to savor? Cooking. Four minutes should kill off virtually all bacteria, but a more practical option is cooking for one to two minutes to maintain the texture and nutrition of the greens while still neutralizing 99% of contaminants.
Fresh spinach is available throughout the year. Though most supermarkets feature the savoy kind, spinach also comes in semi-savoy and flat leaf varieties. For those who want the real, raw deal, make sure to snip the stems and dispose of discolored pieces before washing the spinach thoroughly. Aside from boiling (which can potentially remove nutritional content), spinach is great when lightly steamed or sautéed [9]. There are plenty of boil-free ways to enjoy this leafy green, from aspinach salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and feta to polenta and spinach soup. Or try a twist on the classic basil pesto with Greatist’s superfood recipe of the week, light spinach pesto. Snag a bag and crunch away!
Spinach is known for its high levels of vitamin A, giving every forkful of spinach immunity boosting, vision protecting, skin enhancing powers [4]. And move over, milk, because there’s a new player in the bone building game. A cup of cooked spinach packs up to 12% of the recommended daily dose of calcium and enough vitamin K to help prevent bone loss [3].
In addition to this veggie's vast vitamin boost, studies suggest spinach's glycolipids may help prevent the development of tumors [6]. Plus,the galactolipids (not to be confused with Battle Star Galactica) in spinach have been linked to the prevention of inflammatory diseases like arthritis [1].
And it turns out Popeye may have been onto something— a recent study found that some compounds in spinach may improve muscle efficiency [8]. Spinach is also a good source of iron— almost the same amount of beef per serving! But don't give up the steak just yet— research suggests the body more easily absorbs iron from meat than from spinach and other plants.
LEAN, GREEN, NUTRITION MACHINE — YOUR ACTION PLAN
Yet even with its rich nutritional makeup, spinach has been linked in recent years to both salmonella and E-coli outbreaks. And consumers of raw spinach always run the risk of ingesting pesticides and potentially harmful bacteria. The only way to be 100% certain those greens are safe to savor? Cooking. Four minutes should kill off virtually all bacteria, but a more practical option is cooking for one to two minutes to maintain the texture and nutrition of the greens while still neutralizing 99% of contaminants.
Fresh spinach is available throughout the year. Though most supermarkets feature the savoy kind, spinach also comes in semi-savoy and flat leaf varieties. For those who want the real, raw deal, make sure to snip the stems and dispose of discolored pieces before washing the spinach thoroughly. Aside from boiling (which can potentially remove nutritional content), spinach is great when lightly steamed or sautéed [9]. There are plenty of boil-free ways to enjoy this leafy green, from aspinach salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and feta to polenta and spinach soup. Or try a twist on the classic basil pesto with Greatist’s superfood recipe of the week, light spinach pesto. Snag a bag and crunch away!