National Spinach Day

National Spinach Day is usually celebrated on March 26 every year in order to express gratitude to nature for providing us with a wonderful vegetable, Spinach.

Some Facts about National Spinach Day

Spinach, an edible flowering plant believed to have originated in Central and Western Asia. Moreover, the origin of the word "spinach" itself is very little known. Spinach’s origin is from Persia. During the 14th century, it was named "Persian vegetable". However, this theory has not been accepted due to lack of evidence.

During World War I, Wine-treated Spinach Juice was used for soldiers to fight hemorrhagic disease. Spinach can be cooked or eaten raw. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends against eating raw spinach due to an outbreak in the United States in 2006 caused by E.coli bacteria in spinach, causing 5 dead person. Furthermore, another such incident occurred the following year which resulted in three deaths.

There are three main types of spinach, Savoy, flat leaf or smooth leaf, Semi-savoy (hybrid).

As of 2016, China is the largest producer of spinach with 24.5 million tons of the total 26.7 million tons, accounting for more than 90% of the total world production. The United States ranked second with a significant production contribution of 0.32 million tons, followed by Japan, Turkey and Indonesia. In the United States, California, Arizona and New Jersey are the top producers of spinach, accounting for about 73, 12 and 3% respectively.

Catherine de Medici, Queen of France almost eats spinach with every meal, Hence, In France, all dishes made from spinach are called "Florentine", marking the queen's birthplace, "Florence".

Heath Benefits of Spinach:

Spinach contains many antioxidants that are capable of giving a healthy skin. The superior production of collagen in spinach prevents wrinkles, fights all blemishes like acne, dryness, psoriasis, etc. and make our skin flawless. It has a large amount of protein that helps reduce the risk of cataract problems and cardiovascular problems. It is one of the staple foods and it regulates proper digestion, prevents constipation, maintains blood sugar and is the best diet food for people who want to lose weight.

Drinking a cup of spinach daily can strengthen the mucous membranes, urinary tract, help regulate the respiratory system.

When giving spinach to children, always consult your pediatrician as spinach can lead to gastrointestinal problems in children due to the limited digestive ability of children. Spinach contains a high percentage of oxalates, so people with kidney problems should avoid or eat only small amounts of Spinach. What's more, the high fiber content can lead to bloating, reported in some people.

Why National Spinach Day?

National Spinach Day is a wonderful day to provide us with Spinach. Spinach is a rich source of Iron and Calcium. It is enriched with most other vitamins, antioxidants, proteins, minerals and fiber. Thus, spinach is hailed as one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables despite the time-consuming cleaning process. Drink a cup of Spinach daily and become like “Popeye the Sailor Man”.

Never forget to clean it completely before you eat/cook.

Why National Spinach Day is loved?

• It is good for health

Spinach is one of the healthiest vegetables with water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, iron, calcium, cancer-fighting antioxidants, phytonutrients…. Spinach is essentially a super food. And, although it loses some nutrients when cooked, it retains enough of them to be extremely healthy. A little bit of spinach a day keeps the doctor away!

• It can adapt

There are many different, but iconic ways to cook spinach. And they all go far beyond boiling it into a mixture like your mother. Boiling is an unhealthy way to cook spinach. You can also use it completely raw to make salads. Just add vinegar and craisins. Spinach is useful and delicious in all these different forms.

• It fell like crazy

For us, one of the greatest sights in the world is how much the size of spinach decreases when it's cooked. Have you ever put an entire bag of baby spinach in a pan until it overflowed? Have you questioned how would you add any other ingredients to your recipe? And then you watched it shrink at least six times in size until it barely took up any space in the pan? Spinach constantly reminds us of how great science is, and we love it.

How to celebrate National Spinach Day

• Try a new dish from spinach

There are a lot of different ways to enjoy spinach, however, we only tried some of them. If you usually cook spinach, how about making a spinach salad. If you love raw spinach, try this cooked one! It's always great to expand your palette and get a few new recipes to your liking. Go, Master Chef.

• Grow some spinach

If it is possible, let start a fun project and grow some spinach by yourself. There are several bonuses to this plan. It will save you money because you don't have to buy spinach from the store. It will give you a challenge - keeping a tree alive is not a walk in the park. And it will put you on the path of sustainable development. Maybe one day you'll grow an entire garden!

• Watch or read Popeye

Open an old comic book or visit YouTube trolls for some old shows featuring Popeye. Then enjoy the story of the salty sailor who succeeded with Olive Oil! Spinach lovers will have a great way to enjoy National Spinach Day by themselves.