This week we’re going to look at the antioxidant, vitamin and protein filled spinach and describe just why you should try and eat more of it.
It can be bought throughout the year, but there is even more reason to be eating it now. Between March – May and September – October it’s more readily available and has its freshest and best flavour.
Spinach has a great versatility, so can be eaten fresh, steamed or qucikly boiled. It’s great used in salads or as part of a main meal which chicken or fish.
Calorie for calorie, spinach provides more nutrients than any other food - what better reason to add some to you diet?
The native plant of Persia (modern day Iran), it was brought to Europe in the 12th Century and obviously favoured by the cartoon, Popeye.
It may not give you an instant boost like him, but has been found to help with the following health issues:
- Cardiovascular disease including stroke and coronary artery diseases
- Cancer including colon, ling, skin, oral, stomach, ovarian, prostate and breast
- Age related macular degeneration (loss of vision)
- Cataracts
There are four main types of spinach to choose from:
- Savoy
- Flat leaf or smooth leaf – this has a milder taste
- Semi-savoy
- Baby – this is more expensive and is regularly used in salads
It’s best to eat spinach as soon as it’s bought as it loses nutritional properties each day, but refrigeration does slow this down. But be mindful, as half of the major nutrients are lost by the eighth day.
Try to include it in homemade soups, steam for a side side, drizzled with lemon and olive oil or use it to replace lettuce in a sandwich at lunch. These small changes will make a big change to your health and diet.
Let us know how you get spinach into your diet this week in the comments box below.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
