When I was a kid, I hated spinach. Or so I thought. I hated it because my sole experience with it was green sludge in a can.
Blech. Popeye was not my hero.
But later in life, I discovered how raw spinach was an important ingredient of healthy living. And then I wondered where it had been all my life. Especially since my parents had a couple of very large gardens and my childhood years were filled with freshly picked lettuce, homegrown tomatoes, and sugar snap peas eaten right off the vine.
No matter. I know better now. I have learned that spinach is not only a marvelous vegetable for its flavor, but for several other reasons as well. Following are eight reasons to consider making spinach a regular part of your diet. Spinach…
1. …tastes sweet.
Unlike most other greens, raw spinach lacks that bitter flavor that makes many people hesitant to make eating greens a daily experience. (When cooked for longer than a minute, however, the flavor begins to turn and soon takes on that repulsive odor I remember emanating from a spinach can.)
2. …is always in season.
This leafy green is available in stores all year long, although is at its flavor peak in late fall, winter and early spring.
3. …is high in iron and vitamin C.
Iron–especially iron from plant sources–is best absorbed by the body when consumed with vitamin C. Being high in both nutrients, spinach is an excellent source of iron.
4. …is an excellent source of other vital nutrients.
Looking for a food high in vitamins K, A, B2 and B6? How about the minerals manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium? Spinach is an excellent source of those nutrients, and a good source of many others.
5. …has only 41 calories per cup (cooked).
In case you’re counting. 
6. …is high in fiber.
Make your colon happy today; eat some spinach.
7. …cooks quickly.
Any longer than a one minute quick-boil or sautee, and the spinach begins to lose nutrient value and–as stated above–to develop a bitter flavor.
8. …is versatile.
Because of its mild flavor, spinach is the perfect green for green smoothies and salads. And if you stir the leaves in at the last minute to prevent overcooking, they’re a great addition to casseroles when you want to sneak some extra greens into your family’s diet.
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Eating healthy, homemade food can be a snap! Don’t believe me? Check out my e-book, Weird Eating.
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I’ve even read that you can make a puree from cooked spinach and mix it in to a brownie recipe. Since baking it in the brownies will significantly diminish its nutritional value, and since sweet treats should be kept to a bare minimum in anybody’s diet, I wouldn’t make this THE method for getting your kids to eat their greens, but it’s an interesting idea.
The health benefits of spinach, as well as its delightful flavor, make it an excellent food to add to your menu.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
YUM! I don't really need too many reasons to eat spinach because I love it but I like that there are good reasons to eat it too!
I still want to try those green smoothies, I think you suggested them before and that they have spinach in them. Even though I love spinach doesn't really seem like something you should drink, lol. I'll still try it though.
You will be pleasantly surprised by the flavor of a spinach green smoothie, Angela. The color is something to get used to, but they are oh-so-tasty! (And right now it's one of the few ways I can get DS to eat any greens, lol.)