Spinach.
It's that vegetable that no one wants to eat as a kid.
I remember having to eat the steamed (maybe boiled... I don't know... It was soggy and gross) my father cooked when I was young. It literally killed spinach for me for so many years.
It took me learning more about the health benefits to even give it a try. And when I realized you could eat it raw... well that was a game-changer.
I will cook spinach now, but I will never serve the heaping pile of slime that pushed me away from this amazing, leafy vegetable for so long.
Vitamin K.
3 cups of Spinach provides 300% of your daily needs of Vitamin K. Which happens to be a rather difficult vitamin to find in the stores.
I know. I have looked.
The amazing benefits of Vitamin K are numerous. From preventing certain cancers to assisting with blood coagulation, the research on Vitamin K is just beginning.
Low Calorie. High Nutrition.
That same 3 cups of Spinach is only 20 calories. (So have a cup or 10...)
Besides Vitamin K, it is packed full of other nutrients as well.
Vitamins A and C help support a healthy immune system. Folate (45%), a necessary B vitamin, helps create red blood cells and DNA.
It's also a great source of Iron (15%), Magnesium (15%), Potassium (10%), Calcium (6%), and smaller amounts of other B vitamins
Antioxidant-Rich Food.
I am sure you hear about antioxidants all over the place now. I feel like everywhere I go I see some new antioxidant-filled drink.
That's because antioxidants are important.
Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, leading to chain reactions that may damage our cells. Antioxidants prevent free radicals from forming by breaking the chain. Keeping our cells healthy.
Anti-inflammatory.
Spinach is great for those who are looking to be on an anti-inflammatory diet. Whether you have arthritis, inflammatory bowel issues, or just looking to prevent any issues in the future, Spinach is a must-have.
Anti-inflammatory foods also help protect our brains as we age. One study shows that those who ate more leafy greens daily had a cognitive function similar to someone 11 years younger! Age really is just a number.
Easy to grow.
This is probably the most important factor. This amazing plant doesn't need a lot to provide your family with all of the goodness that spinach has to offer.
The easiest way to plant spinach is to get starts. If you plant them in an appropriate PH balanced soil, you will only need to keep them watered throughout the growing season. Mulching will help with water retention and weeds.
If you start spinach from seed, it is important to thin the plants when they get about 2 inches tall. The root systems are fragile, so thinning is necessary.
Have you planted any Spinach this season? I would love to see your garden set up!
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