Spinach had and has probably never been a more popular vegetable than during the airing of Popeye the Sailor, the animated cartoons released for the first time in 1993.
Although based on a printing error, the series popularized the vegetable to such extend that consumption of spinach grew in America by a third.
The error with Popeye and spinach
In 1870, German chemist Erich von Wolf, while studying the nutritional profile of spinach, more specifically the amount of iron content, transcribed the findings with a decimal point error, writing 35 mg of iron content in 100-gram spinach instead of 3.5.
When the animated series was created, the developers had Popeye eat so much of the vegetable basing the decision on the incorrect number that von Wolf had transcribed, thus spreading the erroneous notion, and thus spinach becoming one of the most popular green vegetables ever.
The truth about spinach
While indeed spinach is not a super-iron food, this green and leafy vegetable contains so many nutrients and some with as much of the daily recommended intake as 987% (vitamin K – per 180 g), 105 % (vitamin A – per 180 g) and 84% (manganese – per 180 g) that asserting it is a super food isn’t far from the truth at all.
In fact, spinach is what’s considered by nutritionists a functional food in that its positive effects go beyond basic nutrition and its nutritional profile is wholesome.
Spinach nutritional information for 100-gram serving
General
Calories 23 kcal 1% DRV
Carbohydrates 3.63 g 3% DRV
Protein 2.86 g 5% DRV
Fat 0.39 g 1.5% DRV
Dietary Fiber 2.2 g 6% DRV
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Nutrients
Vitamin K 482.9 mcg 402% DRV
Vitamin E 2.03 mg 13.5% DRV
Vitamin C 28.1 mg 47% DRV
Vitamin A 9377 IU 312% DRV
Thiamin 0.078 mg 6.5% DRV
Riboflavin 0.189 mg 14.5% DRV
Pyridoxine 0.195 mg 15% DRV
Pantothenic acid 0.065 mg 1% DRV
Niacin 0.724 mg 4.5% DRV
Folates 194 µg 48.5% DRV
Calcium 99 mg 10% DRV
Copper 0.130 mg 14% DRV
Iron 2.71 mg 34% DRV
Magnesium 79 mg 20% DRV
Manganese 0.897 mg 39% DRV
Zinc 0.53 mg 5% DRV
Potassium 558 mg 12% DRV
Sodium 79 mg 5% DRV
Spinach health benefits
A power house of phyto-nutrients, spinach has many important health benefits to offer. Spinach is actually one of the foods on which nutritionists agree that it is okay to eat on a daily basis, the vegetable being rich in vitamins and minerals alike, and thus having profound properties.
Supports brain health – daily or regular consumption of spinach could be effective in reducing brain damage caused by aging. Results from a study performed on rats indicate that spinach can aid brain damage, although studies have yet to demonstrate a similar effect on human brain.
Strengthens the bones – vitamin K-rich spinach is relevant in maintaining bone health and strengthening the bones. Calcium and magnesium are two other relevant nutrients that play a vital role in promoting bone mass strength, both present in spinach in sufficient amount.
Fights multiple forms of cancer – Beta-carotene along with the other flavonoids and antioxidants found in spinach provide both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Spinach is one of the most relevant vegetables in relation to fighting the effects of oxidative stress on the body, diseases such as cancers, macular degeneration, and high blood pressure.
Controls cholesterol – A natural method to control cholesterol levels in the body is to eat spinach on a daily basis or consume spinach juice, one of the juices that dieticians recommend most in diets.
What sets spinach apart from other green leafy vegetables is that cooking provides additional benefits. Cooked spinach adds more fiber to a meal compared to raw spinach and the vitamin A, and vitamin K content is also higher when spinach is cooked.