I CAN’T quite remember how I became a fan of spinach – but of course, I think the cartoon character Popeye had a little something to do with it.
Remember how Popeye would guzzle it down every time he needed an energy boost? My mum always used that as a way to get me to finish up my vegetables as when I was a little girl!
Till today, spinach is very much a part of my family’s meals.
According to food historians, spinach has been cultivated in the Middle East for many thousands of years. It was through the travels of traders that spinach found its way to Asia. Today spinach is widely grown and a staple in the diets of many cultures.
I found an interesting fact about spinach while reading up about it. While you may think it is just a leafy green vegetable — as its appearance shows — it actually falls into the Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae food family. This unique food family also includes other commonly eaten vegetables such as beets and Swiss chard – but it’s not limited to just vegetables. This food family also extends to grains such as quinoa and amaranth. So this literally makes spinach their sibling!
The scientific species name for spinach is Spinacia oleracea. Even within it’s own species, there are several varieties of spinach. The varieties are often described by their shape and colour. For example, there are spinach leaves that are more curly or flat; green, purplish or red colours. Look out for the different types of spinach the next time you shop at your supermarket.
BIG ON NUTRIENTS
Nutritionally, spinach is a powerhouse. A 100 grammes of spinach has 23 calories, 2 grammes of dietary fibre and 3 grammes of protein. It provides almost half of your Vitamin C requirements for the day.
It ranks highly in a bevy of key nutrients, namely magnesium, iron, Vitamins B2, B6, K, E, A, folate, calcium, potassium, manganese and copper.
Beside this impressive line up of nutrients, spinach also contains phosphorus, Vitamin B1, zinc, choline, vitamin B3, pantothenic acid, Omega 3 fatty acids and selenium. All these nutrients are required for our good health, so making spinach a part of your healthy diet is a boon for all in the family.
A lot of studies on the nutrient of spinach focus on their antioxidant content, especially in its role in reducing inflammation. Inflammation is a signal of injury or disease, as the body is trying to heal and repair itself. Eating more foods that have nutrients that are abundant in anti-inflammatory properties can help the body to have a stronger immune system to fend off inflammation.
Researchers are also studying the effects of the natural plant cells chlorophyll and thylakoid in spinach. These plant cells play a role in the process of photosynthesis in the plant. Researchers are particularly interested in its possible role in regulating our hunger and the feeling of fullness by studying the effects of this on delaying stomach emptying, plus its effects on the levels of hormones that cause hunger and satiety. More research is required to see its exact relationship. So watch this space!
Apart from this, spinach is also a good source of lutein and beta carotene, which your body converts to Vitamin A as it requires it. These nutrients have a positive benefit towards eye health and the possible prevention of macular degeneration – one of the eye degeneration problems as we age.
HOW TO BUY
When purchasing spinach, make sure you look for leaves that are vibrant in colour, without any signs of yellowing or wilting. To store them so they will last, you can put the spinach into an air-tight container or Ziploc bag, removing as much air. Do not wash the spinach before you store in the refrigerator as moisture will hasten its spoilage. Refrigerating vegetables, including spinach, helps to retain Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and carotenoids as they are susceptible to being lost when exposed to heat.
Spinach tends to collect sand on its leaves. Hence sometimes when you eat spinach in restaurants where they aren’t cleaned properly, you will have that sandy feel to it. What you can do is fill your kitchen sink with some water. Trim off the root of the bunch of spinach and gently stir the leaves in the water to loosen any sand. Drain the water from the sink and repeat this once or twice more. Finally, put the leaves in a colander and rinse under running tap water.
* Indra Balaratnam is a consultant dietitian who believes in simple, practical ways to eating well and living healthy. She can be reached at indra.balaratnam@gmail.com