It’s National Spinach Day! Sure, it’s technically only in the US, but we love spinach so much we’re celebrating anyway.
Why do we adore spinach as much as Popeye himself? Spinach is an absolute powerhouse of a vegetable.
Let’s talk about some of the great things about this humble leafy green:
Folate
Spinach is a great source of folate. You’ve probably heard that folate is key for healthy baby development in pregnancy, but folate is necessary for us all. The recommended daily intake of folate is 400 micrograms, 100 grams of spinach will give you 194 micrograms – awesome!
Antioxidants
You’ve heard us riff on antioxidants before on the blog, and it’s because they are really, really good for you! The dark, leafy leaves of spinach are chock full of antioxidants, including carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. What do antioxidants do again? They nix free radicals, the little nasties that damage our cells.
Iron
We all know this one, don’t we? Spinach is an amazing source of iron (that’s why Popeye loved it so much!). Iron helps us with red blood cell production, helping to carry oxygen around the body. For vegetarians and vegans, this is a particularly rich plant source of iron.
Low in calories, high in nutrients
As we’ve covered, spinach is full of the good stuff. What it’s not full of is calories, making it perfect for those looking for a diet-friendly food. We love to add spinach to our meals to pack in the nutrients, without making them heavy on the calories.
Versatile
As well as being perfect for the diet-conscious, spinach is also a great choice because it’s so versatile – you can basically add spinach to anything! Try it in your:
- Pasta sauces
- Smoothies
- Side dishes
- Scrambled eggs
- Salads (replacing lettuce)
The options are endless!
Give me the spinach!
Ready to up the spinach in your weekly meals?! We’ve got you covered. Here are a few of our favourite Chef Good dishes which include spinach:
- Spinach & mushroom breakfast frittata
- Mediterranean egg, tomato & spinach pie
- Silverbeet & spinach spanakopita
- Spinach & ricotta cannelloni, tomato & basil sugo
- 12-hour lamb roast, garlic mash potatoes, roasted pumpkin & spinach
Add them to your menu this week.
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