It’s had a reputation as being an incredibly healthy plant for as long as Popeye has been popping open cans and giving Bluto a black eye. Spinach is probably one of the alternately most loved and reviled vegetables to ever reach our plates. Fresh Spinach Day is here to celebrate this dark leafy green and all the ways you can prepare it so it’s wonderful!
History of Fresh Spinach Day
Like many of the most delicious vegetables in the world, spinach finds its origins in Ancient Persia, what is now Iran and a few of the neighboring countries. It was introduced to India by some unknown benefactor, and then from there into China where it was known as “Persian Vegetable” back in 647 AD. The story of spinach’s travel around the world is one rivaled only by the Roman conquest of the area, finding its way in Sicily by way of the Saracens, and spread throughout the Mediterranean before finding its way to England and France in the 14th Century. From there, it quickly stretched to every area of the world, moving with the wave of Western Culture.
Spinach, especially fresh spinach, is incredibly nutritious while remaining remarkably low in calories. With only 23 calories for every 3.5oz it provides a substantial portion of our daily requirement for multiple vitamins, including Vitamins A, B, B6, E, C, and K, as well as being an incredible source of folate, potassium, and most notably iron. No wonder it made Popeye so strong, and no wonder Fresh Spinach Day was founded to celebrate this miraculous little plant.
How to celebrate Fresh Spinach Day
Well, the first thing you can do is find ways to incorporate spinach in every meal of your day. Baby spinach goes especially good in fruit smoothies, adding a powerful burst of nutrition to this delicious morning repast. It’s also amazing served in a wilted spinach salad, or in any salad at all! One of our favorite ways to enjoy this leafy green is to have it added to our sandwiches, and you wouldn’t believe the punch it adds! However you choose to experience it, make sure you get some fresh spinach into your diet on Fresh Spinach Day, your health will thank you!
