Spinach, the Healthiest Vegetable?

Spinach is one of the veggies I include in my meals at least 4 times a week. Popeye really had it right when he squeezed open a can with his flexed muscles! But skip the canned version - now you can buy fresh, inexpensive spinach in any supermarket across the US. Why do I salute this leafy green? Well, just one cup of steamed spinach has:

• 1000% vitamin K
• 290% vitamin A
• 80% manganese
• 65% folate
• 40% magnesium
• 35% iron
• 30% vitamin C
• 25% vitamin B2
• 25% potassium

Shall I go on? And can you believe that all these nutrients come along with only 41 calories and no fat? That’s like eating 4 large breath mints, only spinach is a real life saver! I mean, can we talk about getting some serious nutritional value for your buck? And the best thing about spinach is its mild flavor and that it cooks in a flash. Stir it into hot soups, toss it into your tomato sauce, and tuck it into your quesadilla, it’s simple, darn good nutrition!

On the down side, you know that creepy, gritty film that spinach can sometimes leave on your teeth? That’s caused by the oxalates, salts that contain oxalic acid that can be harmful in very large doses. In case you were wondering, there are other foods that are high in oxalates including rhubarb, beet, chocolate, tea, bran, strawberries, and taro. So mix and match your veggies, and please no pure spinach diets - or grapefruit for that matter! Variety with lots of veggies, fruits, low-fat protein, and grains, is always the way to go and will keep your mouth from getting bored!

Learn more about oxalates and how they affect health. Find out more about the health benefits of grapefruit.