When it comes to nutritious foods, spinach ranks highly. This versatile green sports an impressive lineup of vitamins and minerals that promote health from inside out.

　　

Ingredients

　　

HEALTH BENEFITS

Step 1

Few sources offer more vitamin K than spinach. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and bone health. Recent research shows it may also help decrease inflammation, a condition linked to a host of diseases, including Alzheimer’s, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin also rank high in spinach’s nutritional roster; they help protect against heart disease and some forms of cancer and may guard eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration. Spinach also contains high doses of vitamins B6 and C, as well as folate and magnesium.

　　

HOW TO BUY

Step 2

Look for bright green, unwilted leaves without slimy or dark spots. Buy from local growers to decrease the time from farm to table; lengthy, cross-country shipping can expose fresh spinach to warm temperatures, which accelerate folate and carotenoid loss. Spinach tends to be tastiest in spring and fall.

　　

HOW TO STORE

Step 3

Wrap spinach in paper towels and store in a plastic bag in your refrigerator’s vegetable drawer. Whether prebagged or homebagged, spinach should last for three to four days.

　　

PREPARATION TIP

Step 4

Right before using, wash off any grit stuck in the leaves and stems (even if the spinach is labeled “prewashed”): Trim off stems, then agitate the leaves in cold water and let the grit sink (repeat until no grit remains on the bottom of the bowl). For crisp salad leaves, shake or spin dry, then wrap in paper towels and refrigerate for an hour or two. To get the most of spinach’s fat-soluble nutrients, cook the greens with a healthy fat, such as olive oil: Sauté spinach with oil and minced garlic until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

　　

DID YOU KNOW?

Step 5

It’s not necessarily the iron in spinach that made Popeye strong. While spinach contains plenty of iron, it also has oxalic acid, which limits the body’s ability to absorb iron. Even so, the cartoon was credited with boosting spinach sales by 33 percent.

　　

Recipes

Step 6

Artichoke-Spinach Dip p.99

　　

Step 7

Pita Sandwiches with Spinach-Chickpea Spread p.133

　　

Step 8

Autumn Greens Soup p.140

　　

Step 9

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Spinach and Avocado p.143

　　

Step 10

Hearty Spinach and Chickpea Soup p.148

　　

Step 11

Miso Soup with Tofu, Spinach, and Carrots p.159

　　

Step 12

Polenta and Spinach Soup p.160

　　

Step 13

Soba Noodle Soup with Shiitakes and Spinach p.163

　　

Step 14

Cannellini-Bean Niçoise Salad p.178

　　

Step 15

Sautéed Spinach with Pecans and Goat Cheese p.185

　　

Step 16

Brown Rice with Tofu, Dried Mushrooms, and Baby Spinach p.232

　　

Step 17

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Lentils, Spinach, and Leeks p.247

　　

Step 18

Spinach Pasta with Corn, Edamame, and Green Beans p.248

　　

Step 19

Sesame Spinach p.290

　　Power Foods