Spinach

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Persia is considered to be the homeland of spinach, it was imported to Europe in the 15th century. Since the beginning of the 19th century, spinach has been widely used in international cuisine. Eating and preparing spinach is easy and simple, as it is delicious both raw and cooked. It can be found fresh, frozen or canned and is easily included in many dishes. Due to its variety, it can be served raw in sandwiches and salads or as an addition to sushi, meat, fish or other vegetable dishes.

Growing spinach

Spinach is planted in the spring, but not earlier than the end of February. Yields and quality of spinach production decrease significantly if sown later. For spring production, the area is plowed and fertilized according to the crop that will be sown after the spinach. Before spring sowing, the land is cultivated to a depth of 12-14 cm and fertilized.

Sowing spinach seeds can be spread on a flat surface or in rows. Regular sowing is preferable. Spinach seeds are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm. For large areas, sowing can be done with a seed drill, at a distance of 20-25 cm row by row. For 100 square meters of sown area spinach need 250-300 g of seeds, and per 1 decare - an average of about 2-2, 5 kg.

Well-rooted plants, forming 3-4 leaves, tolerate without damage temperatures in the range of minus 8-10 degrees Celsius.

Composition of spinach

Besides being delicious, spinach is popular and because of its high nutritional value. It is not only low in calories, but is also a good source of iron, vitamins A and C, minerals and fiber. One serving of spinach contains 3 grams of protein. Vegetable leaves are very rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins B1, B2, B6, PP and smaller amounts of vitamin K. It has been proven that 80 g of fresh and 200 g cooked spinach cover about half the daily requirement of vitamin C.

IN spinach is also contained large amounts of folic acid, as well as minerals best represented by sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iodine, manganese and copper. Spinach does not contain cholesterol and fat.

100 g spinach contains 23 calories, 70 mg sodium, 3 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 20% iron, 16% vitamin C, 210% vitamin A, 14% calcium.

Types of Spinach

Flat or smooth leaves

Spinach with peaches or smooth leaves there are non-wrinkled leaves with an elongated shape. It tastes softer than Savoy. This type of spinach is used for canning or freezing, as well as for soups, baby foods and other processing.

Savoy

Savoy has wrinkled, curly dark green leaves. The roughness is different from flat-leaved spinach, but the taste is almost the same. You can find fresh savoy at a nearby store.

Semi-savoy

Recently very popular is the semi-savoy, which has slightly curly leaves. They have almost the same roughness, are not easier to start than those of ordinary savoy. They are usually sold fresh, but are also found in processed foods.

Fresh spinach is located all year round.

Selection and storage of spinach

You can find fresh, canned or frozen spinach in the supermarket. It is best to choose spinach with green, hard leaves and a fresh scent. Avoid injured or spotted leaves.

Fresh spinach should be dried and stored in a plastic bag. It can stay in the fruit compartment in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.

Culinary use of spinach

Iron and calcium in plants are not easily absorbed by the body. Spinach contains a chemical called oxalic acid, which binds to iron and calcium and reduces the body's intake of these substances. To better absorb iron and calcium, spinach should be eaten along with foods rich in vitamin C such as orange juice, tomatoes or citrus fruits.

Spinach grows in sandy soils, so it should be washed thoroughly before consumption. The stump should be cut. Divide the leaves and place them in a large bowl of water. Wash them carefully, leaving the sand to settle to the bottom of the bowl. Remove the leaves from the water, rinse the bowl and repeat the procedure until the leaves are completely clean.

If you eat raw spinach, dry it completely, for example by drying it with a kitchen towel. Slightly moist spinach can be steamed or microwaved without the addition of water.

With spinach you can cook great recipes such as spinach soup, tender lamb with spinach, rice with spinach, classic pie with spinach, sauerkraut with spinach, spinach meatballs and many others that you can find on the site.

Cooking spinach

Put the leaves in a large saucepan with boiling water. When the leaves shrink slightly, squeeze them out of excess moisture. This method is used for quick cooking of spinach or for cooking saute or stuffing, and usually takes 2-5 minutes.

Cooking spinach in the microwave

Put washed, slightly wet spinach in the microwave. Cover and cook until soft (4-7 minutes for 1/2 kg of spinach).

Steam spinach cooking

If you think so steam the spinach, do not dry the leaves after washing them. Steamed spinach can be a great set and only takes 5 to 10 minutes.

• Make spinach part of your plan Five a day

• Use fresh spinach for a delicious, healthy salad.

• Add other fruits or vegetables along with your favorite salad dressing.

• Put sliced spinach in lasagna or soup.

• Add yogurt to chopped spinach or spinach puree to make a low-fat version of spinach cream.

• Try frying spinach with garlic, onions and chopped red peppers and you will get a colorful and delicious garnish.

• Buy packaged spinach for faster meals.

Health benefits of spinach

Spinach is very healthy and wholesome food. Consuming spinach should not worry about your weight at all, on the contrary - you can include it in a diet for weight loss. Spinach is loaded with a large amount of flavonoids, which play the role of antioxidants and protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals.

The various nutrients contained in spinach are a strong defense against disease. Green leaves give a lot of strength and energy to the body. Green leafy vegetables are extremely useful in people suffering from anemia.

Spinach helps to cleanse the body of harmful toxins, while replenishing it with a number of vitamins and minerals, including rich doses of beta-carotene. Stimulates the body's supply of hemoglobin, additionally filling it with oxygen.

Spinach is extremely useful and with its ability to support the work of the pancreas and intestines due to its high content of fiber and chlorophyll.

The large amounts of iodine in its composition support the work of the thyroid gland. It supports the work of the nervous system, which makes it a particularly important vegetable for people who are exposed to constant stressful situations.

Spinach is rich in compounds that provide significant support for heart health. It regulates the levels of bad cholesterol, and the magnesium in it helps reduce high blood pressure.

It is useful in various gastrointestinal diseases. Protects against dangerous colon cancer. The folic acid contained in spinach protects against cell damage and DNA mutations.

Harm from spinach

There is a potential risk of consuming spinach only in people who have allergies to iron. Spinach also contains oxalic acid, which is completely contraindicated in those suffering from kidney failure.

Apart from being harmful to the kidneys, oxalic acid has some other contraindications. It interferes with the absorption of the important vitamin A, potassium, calcium and iron, of which spinach is so rich.

The good news is that oxalic acid decomposes during heat treatment. To avoid its harmful effects, it is best to eat cooked vegetables and eat them raw. Moreover, raw spinach can be a source of pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria, Escherichia coli or Salmonella. This is another reason to necessarily subject it to heat treatment.